Many experts claim that using a rich facial cream around the eyes can cause milia, or small
whiteheads that are similar in nature to acne but are not caused by inflammation. This happens
because petrolatum-based, heavily scented, preservative-laden eye creams usually clog narrow pores
in the eye area. If you don’t use a cream with petrolatum, mineral oil, or paraffin in it, milia won’t
stand a chance.
Let me address another traditional “don’t” of eye care: the one that says you should not apply a
facial cream around the eyes if you wear contact lenses. I cannot imagine that a sensible woman
would apply an eye cream at night without first removing her contact lenses or would start her
morning beauty routine with her contact lenses on. Don’t rub the eye cream into your eyes and keep it
away from your eyelids, and your contact lenses will be safe.
It’s true, however, that rich face moisturizers are prone to migrating into your eyes and causing
irritation. To avoid this, use cream very sparingly and apply it a good one-quarter inch away from the
lash line. There are many wonderful natural moisturizers that won’t travel or migrate into the eye
sockets. They will firm and moisturize, provided you use a small amount and keep it away from the
lash line and inner corners of your eyes.
It’s not that I am against eye creams. During my last twenty years of diligent use of eye creams, I’ve
owned a few brilliant organic creations, and I regularly blend a jar of antioxidant-rich, depuffing,
soothing concoction that I apply every night. For emergencies, I have a vial of lightweight gel-serum
that I store in the fridge and apply in the mornings to reduce redness and puffiness resulting from
entertaining my active toddler into the wee hours every other night.
There are many wonderful natural moisturizers that won’t travel or migrate into the eye
sockets. They will firm and moisturize, provided you use a small amount and keep it away from
the lash line and inner corners of your eyes.
So what makes a good green eye cream? First of all, let’s see what makes a horrible eye cream:
mineral oil, paraben or formaldehyde preservatives, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances, propylene
glycol, tri-ethanolamine, and petroleum-derived silicones. So, any cream that contains none of the
above is worth considering.
Good green eye products should be based on water, beeswax, vegetable glycerin, or plant-derived
emollients. Many natural eye creams contain vitamin E as a versatile antioxidant and vitamin C,
which strengthens capillaries. Plant extracts helpful to the eye area include green tea, eyebright, aloe
vera juice, cucumber, and chamomile extracts. A rich eye cream, Burt’s Bees Beeswax & Royal Jelly
Eye Crème, even contains magnesium-rich Epsom salts that are known for their ability to soothe any
swelling or aches. Some vitamins are a no-no. Even though vitamin A is a good antiaging active, it
can be too irritating for use around the eye area. Novel ingredients helpful in preserving the naturally
youthful look of your eyes include antioxidant coenzyme Q10, various peptides that stimulate the
formation of collagen, yeast, oat beta glucans, Indian frankincense extract (Boswellia serrata),
antioxidant proanthocyanidins from grape seed, moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, and chrysin that
virtually eliminates dark circles. You can read more about these ingredients in Chapter 5.
Green Product Guide: Eye Care
Finding a very effective green eye cream is not an easy task. Most often, natural eye creams are
hardly different from face creams but cost significantly more. Wou aren’t likely to find peptide