Do you really need a different moisturizer for your eyes?

Why do beauty experts promote eye cream usage? Eye creams usually contain emollients, or moisturizers, that can help hydrate the drier eye skin and help it to look smoother. To combat the appearance of wrinkles, eye creams can also contain ingredients that help boost collagen. Collagen is a major protein that's found in the fibers of connective tissue, cartilage and bone. It keeps skin strong and helps smooth out wrinkles, but your skin produces less of it as you get older. Eye creams with retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, are marketed to increase collagen production. Antioxidant ingredients, such as vitamin C, and peptides also assist in retaining collagen in the skin [source: Almasi].

Ingredients such as calendula are used to fight under-eye puffiness. Some creams can even contain caffeine, which can help reduce the appearance of bags under the eyes. Eye creams fight dark circles by temporarily puffing up skin so the blood vessels underneath aren't as prevalent. If you have oily skin, you may want to consider using an eye gel because it doesn't contain the same moisturizers, which could increase the oil production in your skin.

Many experts recommend using separate eye creams rather than just facial creams because eye creams are formulated to have more emollients, which cause the skin to swell enough to lessen the appearance of wrinkles. Eye creams also tend to be thicker than facial lotions, and the thicker product will stay on the thin, mobile skin a little better [source: Almasi]. Be sure to apply the cream before you put on your makeup so that your skin absorbs the active ingredients.

If you opt for using an eye cream, don't expect it to be a cure-all. A recent study of 107 people who tried 16 different eye creams found that none of them eliminated wrinkles outright. In fact, several of the changes noted were extremely subtle, and cheaper eye creams performed just as well, if not better, than more expensive products [source: Consumer Reports].

These findings match other expert beliefs that a separate eye cream isn't always absolutely necessary. Because facial moisturizers and eye creams have basically the same ingredients, those who have normal to oily facial skin and don't need a ton of moisturizer to begin with can probably get away with using an emollient-rich facial moisturizer around their eyes [source: Begoun]. However, some experts warn that a separate eye cream is necessary because ingredients in a facial cream, such as certain added sunscreens, can be too powerful for the delicate eye area and cause problems such as stinging or burning [source: Crean]. If you are prone to eye irritation and have very sensitive skin, you may want to consider using a separate eye cream just because it can be gentler.

Learn lots more about eye cream and facial moisturizer products by exploring the links on the next page.