1. Eat your way to healthier eyes. Just like the skin and other organs, your eyes need certain nutrients to function properly and stay healthy. And now, with the American Optometric Association's Web site, Eye on Nutrition (aoa.org/eyeon nutrition), it's easy to find out if you're getting enough of the six most important ones: the antioxidant vitamins C and E; the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene; and the mineral zinc. Log on and answer a few questions about your health history, lifestyle and diet, and you'll get a personal evaluation and tips on ways to better maintain your eyes.
2. Keep the eye area moisturized. "The best thing you can do to improve the way your eyes look is to moisturize the skin around them," Brown says. Look for creams containing powerful moisturizers such as glycerin, sodium hyaluronate and vitamin E. Four favorites: Aveda Tourmaline Charged Eye Cream ($30; aveda.com), Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Recovery Complex ($45; esteelauder.com), Clinique Moisture Surge Eye Gel ($26; clinique.com) and Neutrogena Visibly Firm Eye Cream with active copper ($20; at drugstores).
3. Prevent wrinkles. Studies show that Retin-A can increase collagen thickness, says Ronald Moy, M.D., a dermatological surgeon at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center. Retinol--Retin-A's gentler, over-the-counter cousin--also may help. It's found in Therapy Systems Non Surgical Eye Lift ($65; 800-733-8606). For those with sensitive skin, try eye creams with the plant-based wrinkle-smoother kinetin, like Almay Kinetin Firming & Brightening Eye Cream ($16; at drugstores).
4. Help fade dark circles. Try to get enough sleep each night (between eight and nine hours), which can help minimize shadows and puffiness. Also, look for gentle eye creams that contain vitamin K and the natural skin-lighteners kojic acid and licorice extract. Some experts believe dark circles are caused by veins and capillaries showing through the thin undereye skin--why vitamin K, which seems to constrict capillaries, seems to help. Try M.D. Skincare Lift & Lighten Eye Cream ($28; mdskincare.com) or Chanel Precision Ultra Correction Eye Anti-Wrinkle Restructuring Eye Cream ($60; gloss.com), which also hydrates the skin with plant-derived fatty acids.
5. Get briqhter eyes instantly. A concealer or eye cream that has reflective pigments brightens the darkest areas under the eyes, says New York City-based makeup artist B.J. Gillian. Just apply an illuminating product like Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Defining Eye Brightener ($42.50; at department stores), then dab on a light-reflecting concealer where necessary. Clean & Clear Under Eye Brightening Stick ($6.50; at drugstores) and Cover Girl CG Smoothers Concealer ($4.75; at drugstores) both get the job done.
6. Make the skin look more radiant--and you more wide awake. Peels and eye creams with alpha- or polyhydroxy acids can aid in speeding the turnover of skin cells, helping to reveal smoother-looking skin underneath, Moy says. Try Lubriderm Skin Renewal Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream with polyhydroxy acids ($11; at drugstores) or Prada Lightening Serum/Eye with lactic acid and vitamin C ($75; neimanmarcus.com).
7. Protect your eyes from the sun's rays. "The skin around the eye area is thinner and less capable of manufacturing the firming tissue collagen than skin in other places," explains Dennis Gross, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. The best solution: Use eye creams with SPF 15 or higher every day to protect from the sun's collagen-depleting rays. We like DDE Protective Eye Cream SPF 15 ($45; sephora.com) and Murad Environmental Shield Age Proof Eye Creme SPF 15 ($50; murad.com).
8. Cover up. "Concealer is the secret of the beauty universe," Brown says. The trick is finding the shade that blends effortlessly: It should be one shade lighter than your foundation. Try Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit, which includes setting powder ($35; bobbibrown.com).
9. Make your eyes look biqqer. "Curling your eyelashes can instantly make eyes look larger by casting a shadow on the brow bone," Gillian says. For best results, curl lashes for 10 seconds before applying mascara. Editor's favorite: Revlon Beauty Shapers Extra Curl Eyelash Curler ($6; at drugstores).
10. Get sexy lashes in one step. Reach for mascara that's specifically designed to lengthen and curl lashes to get the fluttery look you're after. New York City-based makeup artist Ramy Gafni recommends applying mascara on the top lashes only, since adding anything dark under the eye can call attention to dark circles. For even more lift, add a second coat on the outer lashes. Try Lancome Flextencils Full Extension Curving Mascara ($20; lancome.com) or Rimmel Exaggerate Full Volume & Curl Mascara ($5; at Wal-Mart stores).
11. Know the power of a well-shaped brow. "Shaping the brows correctly can open the eye, make you look younger and give your face a lift," explains Gafni. But don't try to create a brow that's completely different from what you have. "Nature knows what it's doing, so follow your natural brow line," adds Gafni, who suggests simply tweezing of f enough to accent the arch and get rid of strays. Need some help? Look for brow guru Eliza Petrescu's Eyebrow Essentials To Go, which includes an instructional booklet and brow shaping and filling tools ($65; 888-577-AVON), or Gafni's own Rainy Beauty Therapy Miracle Brow, a gel-based shadow that helps fill in brows ($24; ramybeautytherapy.com).
12. Line your eyes. To make eyes appear larger, don't line them all the way around with the same color, Gillian advises. Instead, use a darker shade near the top lashes and a lighter shade as a smudge of color on the lower lash line. Ultima II ReFlektive Powder Shadow in Fall Foliage (which can be used as a shadow or powder liner) contains the perfect shades: warm brown and subtle gold ($15; at JCPenney stores).
RELATED ARTICLE: choose the right hue for you
"Eye makeup can backfire if you choose shades that compete with your eye color," says internationally renowned makeup artist Bobbi Brown. A good rule of thumb: Steer clear of anything too dark or bright. Use this guide to find an eye-popping hue for you.
* If you have blue eyes, swipe on ashy taupe, gray and heather shades. Product picks: Christian Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Street Casual ($49.50; at department stores) or The Body Shop Eye Color in Pearl Grey #15 ($8.50; bodyshop.com)
* If you have green eyes, apply yellowish taupe, camel and heather colors. Product picks: Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Vanilla ($18; bobbibrown.com) or L'Oreal Wear Infinite in Earthscape ($7; at drugstores)
* If you have brown eyes, stick with taupe, sable and mocha hues. Product picks: Physicians Formula Retro Glow Illuminating Eye Shadow in Timeless Taupe ($7; at drugstores) or Trish McEvoy Water Stix in Taupe ($20; 800-431-4306)
a surgical solution ... for puffy eyes
Sally Wadyka is a freelance writer living in New York City.
Sometimes the bags under your eyes are the product of your genes--not your lifestyle--and there is no miracle cream that will make them go away. If this is the case, one of the best solutions is blepharoplasty, a surgical procedure that removes the fat pads, explains New York City plastic surgeon Z. Paul Lorenc, M.D., who recommends this procedure for those as young as the 20s with genetic bags. "Younger women are perfect candidates because their skin is elastic and will heal quickly post-surgery." The cost: $4,500-$6,500; it takes about two weeks to see results.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
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