Yes, You Can Prevent Under Eye Wrinkles! My 5 Best Tips (No Injections Required)

Tips for Preventing Under Eye Wrinkles

I’m all about aging gracefully and embracing the natural evolution of our bodies. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to embrace all the little fine lines developing on my face! Taking care of your skin is a normal, and in my opinion, necessary part of getting older. If your specific skincare goals involve reducing under-eye wrinkles, you can take non-invasive steps to minimize them by practicing a few preventive methods.

“The skin under the eyes is thinner than the rest of the face and therefore more susceptible to external factors that can increase signs of aging,” says Dr. Andrea Suarez (aka Dr. Dray), a board-certified dermatologist and skincare expert. Since collagen and elastin start to decline beginning in our 20s, we start forming lines and wrinkles by our 30s. Dr. Dray explains that there are three types of wrinkles can develop around the eyes:
1) Dynamic wrinkles form due to muscle contraction under the skin’s surface, like crow’s feet.
2) Static wrinkles are visible when your face is at rest. These are exacerbated by environmental factors like sun exposure.
3) Wrinkle folds are caused by loss of support and structure from the natural aging process causing sagging.

No matter what type you have, you can prevent under eye wrinkles! My 5 best tips (no injections required) are dermatologist-approved, so read on to learn more.

#1) Start Doing Facial Exercises

Facial exercises have been shown to be effective at stimulating blood flow and tightening the skin under your eyes. The most common, face yoga, is a series of massages that include moving and isolating facial muscles to tone and exercise. According to dermatologists, this is a good option for anyone afraid of botox and fillers.

Another great method is using the ancient beauty tool, Gua Sha. It was first discovered by traditional Eastern wellness practitioners. As acupuncturists treated patients with the cool, slim stone to increase circulation and blood flow, they noticed areas would also lose the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (yay)! My personal favorite exercise tool is the NuFace Mini that I’ve written about before. It’s literally fitness for your face. I’ve been using this facial stimulation device every day for the past 6 months, and I’ve noticed a remarkable reduction in my fine lines and wrinkles. There’s an attachment for the NuFace Trinity version that specifically targets eyes and lips.

You can check these tools out here…

#2) Gently Exfoliate Your Skin

Yes, the skin under your eyes is extremely delicate. And, yes, you should be exfoliating under your eyes anyway. But not by scrubbing! Use gentle exfoliants, very light pressure, and always follow with an eye moisturizer that supports the skin barrier. A gentle exfoliant around the eye area is necessary to remove the dryness and crepiness, so that fresher and plumper cells come to the surface. Under-eye skin is much too delicate for a regular exfoliating facial scrub so instead, use an exfoliator made of lactic and glycolic acids. Make sure you’re only applying in the outer eye area where lines and wrinkles are visible. You don’t want to exfoliate directly on the eyelids.

Some of my favorite picks…

#3) Gently Remove Your Makeup

Since we’ve already established that the skin under your eyes is extremely delicate, scouring the area with cotton pads or makeup-removing wipes is a no-go. Further, rubbing vigorously with soap can also be damaging and is completely unnecessary to get clean. For the purpose of anti-aging, most dermatologists recommend a cleansing balm gently massaged in circular motions. Once the makeup starts to break down, rinse with warm water.

These cleansing balms are my favorites…

#4) Invest in Pro-Aging Skincare

There are specific types of skincare to look for when addressing the under-eye area. Your best bet for preventing under-eye wrinkles is retinol, which is the undisputed anti-aging champion. It boosts your skin’s collagen production, making your overall complexion look firmer. If dark circles are a concern, you want to use an eye cream with vitamin C. Sunlight, blue light, and everyday pollutants create oxidative stress, which plays a major role in aging and pigmentation. Antioxidants like vitamin C neutralize free radicals and aid in the skin’s natural rejuvenation cycle. And speaking of sunlight, always make sure to apply SPF before any sun exposure if you want to minimize signs of aging. UV rays can burn the skin and reduce its elasticity, causing the skin to produce more melanin and leading to premature aging.

I love these eye cream products…

#5) Use Silk Pillowcases

A recommendation that has been gaining in popularity over the last few years by aestheticians and board-certified facial plastic surgeons is sleeping on your back. Professionals warn that side-sleeping can lead to wrinkles on your face and décolletage. A huge factor in aging during sleep is the damaging pressure created by the movement of skin against the pillow. You might not think that this is significant enough to make a real difference in your under eyes overnight, but multiply this over years and you can imagine how it could accelerate aging. If you find yourself sleeping on your side during the night, try investing in silk or satin pillowcases or a silk eye mask to prevent chafing and minimize these negative effects.

Here are some silky sleep helpers…

For some more fabulous makeup tips that won’t age your face, be sure to check out this post!

Do you have any tips for preventing under-eye wrinkles? Please share in the comments below! Don’t forget you can sign up for the newsletter to take advantage of some amazing resources here including a PDF with 20+ beauty tips to look younger! Thanks for reading!