Part 1 of Style Flavors' Skin Care Guide covered cleansing, exfoliation and toning. Part 2 will cover eye care and serums.

Eyes take the hit of late nights, stress and the lack of sleep. As such, it's always better late than never to start taking care of the skin around your eyes.

Eye-Care:

Your eyes show the first signs of aging and tiredness. The delicate eye area is thin and fragile hence it does help to take extra care of this specific area. Dark eye circles are caused by various factors like heredity, allergies, age and fatigue.

Dark circles are an inherited trait - when blood passes through the veins under the eye area, a dark tint is produced and the transparency of the skin around your eye determines how visible the dark tint appears.

Constant rubbing and scratching your eyes will cause dilation of blood vessels and will lead to more visible dark circles. So refrain from rubbing your eyes just like you would refrain from touching your face or popping your zits.

Although there aren't any permanent solution to reducing and removing dark circles, there are products that will help improve the appearance of dark eye circles.caused by burst blood vessels and thin, worn out skin. Fine lines are caused by various factors like dehydration and sun exposure. Using a eye cream/gel twice a day will help reduce fine lines, puffiness and the appearance of dark circles.

I like Patricia Wexler's Instant De-Puff Eye Gel (0.5oz/ US$19.50). This works best cold so I store this in the fridge for a hit of refreshment. This reduces puffiness visibly while reducing the appearance of fine lines.

I like SK II Signs Eye Cream 15g/0.5oz US$99 at Strawberrynet.com. This rich cream works to combat the signs of aging - lines, wrinkles and bags. Its rich formula ensures optimal hydration throughout the day; great for winter vacations. The area around my eyes look brighter, softer and healthier. I take this whenever I travel.

I like Nuxe Contour des Yeux Prodigieux Anti-Aging Eye Cream (US$27). This anti-aging eye cream provides optimal moisturization and works to reduce puffiness and signs of aging. I like how this easily absorbs to soothe and protect the delicate eye area. 

 

I also like Lancome Blanc Expert NeuroWhite X3 Anti-Dark Circle Eye Treatment 15ml/0.5oz US$60.50 at Strawberrynet.com. This rich yet lightweight whitening treatment works deep to lighten eye bags and dark circles while promoting hydration and soothing the thin skin around your eyes. The lightening effect can be seen in 2 weeks of usage and a smoother, healthier eye area is your outcome.

I like Kiehls' Abyssine Eye Cream (0.5oz/14ml) (US$32). This marine extract eye cream helps to reduce fine lines and prevent the signs of aging. I like how easy this goes into my skin to hydrate and encourage healthier, fresher looking eyes.  

  


Serums:

Serums pack a higher dose of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins as compared to day/night moisturizers. Hence, serums are skin-savers that work effectively to regenerate skin cells, promote healthy skin growth, even out skin tone, banish zits and blackheads, intensively hydrate and prevent signs of aging. They go after your toner and before your moisturizer. 

Ingredients such as stabilized Vitamin C work to prevent and combat free radical damage. Salicylic Acid works deep into pores to prevent breakouts and blackheads. Potent exfoliators like Glycolic Acid work to reveal fresh, radiant skin while you sleep.

 

I like DERMAdoctor Ain't Misbehavin' Intensive Medicated Blackhead Treatment(1oz/30ml) (US$42). This serum penetrates the pores to remove clogging blackheads, kills bacteria and trapped dirt all while minimizing the appearance of pores. Blackheads appeared less frequently and my skin looked cleared and my pores more refined. I also like how this keeps zits at bay. 

 

I like Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Visible Skin Renewer 30ml/1oz US$54 from Straweberrynet.com. This time-released serum works to gently exfoliate and speeds up the cell renewal process revealing a brighter, fresher complexion with an even glow. I like how radiant my skin looks after this and how it evens out my complexion to remove traces of dullness.

I like Patricia Wexler's MMPi.20™ Skin Regenerating Serum (3.4oz/150ml) (US$150). This pink gel instantly hydrates while soothing fine lines and reversing the signs of aging to give you a healthy, glowing complexion. This also helps tame unruly brows so if you have them, just sweep a little over your brows and this serum will work like hair gel to keep your brows in place.

 

I like Clarins Double Serum Generation 6 Extra-Firming Botanical Intensive Care 2x15ml US$92 from Strawberrynet.com. This plant based serum is chock full of botanical benefits. The unique formula contains an oil and a water based serum that works together to bind essential moisture to hydrate and repair skin. Fine lines, wrinkles and dullness are erased. With regular use, my skin became softer, firmer and looked healthier. I take this to beach vacations where I slater this on twice daily after time spent in the sun. I know it sounds a tad passive-aggressive but this does help.

I also like Lancome High Resolution Collaser-48 Deep Collagen Anti-Wrinkle Serum 30ml/1oz US$45 from Strawberrynet.com. This rich anti-aging serum works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while plumping up skin to reveal younger, fuller looking skin. By stimulating collagen synthesis, this serum actively repairs and restores firmness and tone. I like how this instantly smoothes and hydrates, giving a healthy sheen. With regular use, my skin is firmer and healthier with reduction in lines.

I like Biotherm Line Peel Crystalescent Bio-Cellular Serum 30ml/1oz US$59 at Strawberrynet.com. This serum works to gently peel off surface layers of skin, promoting renewal and an even, healthier slate without fine lines and wrinkles. I like the glow I get from using this and the overall freshness and radiance this leaves me. 

 

Keep checking back for the next installment of Style Flavors' Skin Care Guide where we'll dive into moisturizers.  

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