Grooming Lounge Blog

Having recently seen quite a few men wandering around with Post-New-Year’s-Eve Face (a general look of exhaustion and fatigue, particularly in the eye regions), got me thinking that a quick posting on eye-area maintenance might be helpful. So, whether the issue is dark bags, circles or fine lines, I chatted with Grooming Lounge’s Men’s Skin Care Experts to get the info needed to “socket” to these ocular challenges.

WHY IS SKIN AROUND THE EYES TRICKY BUSINESS?

This skin is thin and delicate and does not have sebaceous glands, the glands responsible for oil production (you knew that though). Without said oil production, skin can get extremely dry and worn out without proper care. All these factors make the eye area quite susceptible to the signs of damage, aging and wrinkling.

CAUSES AND TREATMENTS FOR COMMON PEEPER PREDICAMENTS

DARK CIRCLES
Dark lines/circles can be the result of being a professional football player… or more likely one of the following: lack of sleep, dehydration, smoking, heavy drinking or aging. While you can’t control the aging or hereditary factors, men can stave off these dark circles via: getting 8+ hours of sleep per night, drinking 7-8 glasses of water per day and avoiding smoking or smoke-infused areas. As for products to combat these circles/bags, look for products containing Vitamin K or Lexin.

PUFFINESS

Puffy eyes are usually the result of being punched in the face… but more likely come from: lack of sleep, allergic reactions or fluid retention/dehydration. Easy solutions to avoid such baggage include getting proper sleep (8+ hours), drinking lots of water or applying ice cubes wrapped in a towel to the area for 10-15 minutes daily. Products that do the trick for bags usually contain Chamomile, Cucumber Extract or Green Tea.

AGING

As stated, since the eye area is thin and delicate, it shows wear and tear well before other areas of the face. As a man ages, he produces less Collagen and Elastin, the stuff that keeps skin firm, tight and supple-looking. Wrinkles, etc. sprout from there.

So, what to do to combat this? The sleep and water stuff mentioned above can help, but it’s also helpful to regularly use products packed with Retinol/Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Antioxidants.

HOW TO APPLY EYE PRODUCTS

The recommended technique, while effective, certainly isn’t going to win you any macho points. That said, because the skin in these areas is different from other areas, some TLC is required. Proper application of eye area products entails applying small amounts of the solution under and above the eye area using the ring finger, applying the gel/goo in a light, tapping motion. In addition to taking it easy on sensitive zones, this application method also ensures you don’t mistakenly put the stuff in your eye.