It’s no secret that skincare in 2021 is the most evolved it’s ever been. Far from the three-step ‘cleanse, tone, moisturise’ regime that many of us were raised on, skincare today is more of a 21-step piece of choreography that can sometimes feel so complex it’s intimidating. But when you do your research, you can keep your skincare routine fuss-free and simple with a few key products...
So, when it comes to skincare, what is non-negotiable? Aside from a great cleanser, serum, moisturiser for both day and night, exfoliator and SPF, if there’s one step you absolutely mustn’t skip, it’s eye cream (especially when it has a lifting effect like the one we’re about to tell you about does). And there’s a good reason this step is essential. Read on…
The skin around the eyes is not the same as the skin on the rest of your face. It’s 40% thinner – and that makes it far more prone to signs of ageing. Charlotte Turner, Head of Training at Clarins, explains that “the eye contour is home to the thinnest area of skin on the face. The dermis around the eyes is less dense in collagen fibres, which ensure skin’s firmness.” And, she says, “many of us forget how hard-working the expressive eye area is! 22 muscles ensure about 15,000 blinks per day.” The delicate skin around the eyes is not supported by muscle, fat, or even bone to give it the plump appearance of bouncy, vital skin, since it’s covering the cavity of the eye socket.
Enter Clarins Total Eye Lift cream – the cult product which sold out in 2020 and works to lift the skin around your eyes. This lifting effect helps to smooth out fine lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet and the cream is suitable for all ages. The results speak for themselves. 80% of women using the Total Eye Lift reported improved appearance of bags, while 81% said their eyes appeared more open and over 85% reported firmer and tighter looking skin.
On top of this, being so close to the eyes themselves, the eye area needs specially formulated products that are less likely to irritate and inflame. So, your regular night cream just isn’t going to cut it here – eyes need special care. That’s why Clarins uses a plant-powered formula with 94% ingredients from natural origins. They’re safe for people with sensitive eyes and even for contact lens wearers. Hero ingredients include Albizia for its capacity to inhibit degradation of collagen fibres, Horse Chestnut to brighten shadowy areas, and Guarana to help reduce the appearance of bags.
And it’s not just the skin around the eye area that needs care. Given so many of us are wearing lash extensions, getting lash lifts, or just coating our lashes in mascara, our lashes need some love too. Clarins Total Eye Lift contains Panthenol which protects and enhances lashes. “Panthenol is a form of B5; it moisturises and helps to restore lashes. It attracts moisture and hydrates for healthy-looking lashes,” says Charlotte.
So, how do we actually use it? Your eye care should fit in between your makeup removal and your serums, the Clarins team advise. “Use a gentle eye makeup remover to prep the area beforehand (ensure you are selecting an eye makeup remover that is ophthalmologically tested; the eye area is very delicate so choose something formulated for the eyes). Follow with your Total Eye Lift, then serum and either moisturiser, Beauty Flash Balm, and primer in the daytime, or night cream at the end of the day.”
Georgie Abay with Clarins Head Of Training Charlotte Turner. Watch Georgie in conversation with Charlotte over on @thegracetales
And with the eyes being the first place to give away your age (no matter how glowy, peptide-plumped your complexion may be), it’s no wonder that the Clarins Total Eye Lift flew off shelves faster than hand sanitiser in 2020. So, while we can probably skip the elaborate double-mask routine and the jade-roller-with-affirmations regime, we won’t be skipping the Clarins one-stop-anti-ageing step: Total Eye Lift. Ageing may be a privilege, but so is turning 21 for the 14th year in a row.
Purchase Clarins Total Eye Lift, $100, here