Eyelid & Under Eye Skin Care

There are various things we can do to optimise the appearance and health of the skin around our eyes.

This article will explain how to do this. It also lists the best products to use, and how to use them.

Understanding The Delicate Skin Around Our Eyes

Our eyelids, and the skin directly beneath our eyes, is more delicate than the skin found elsewhere on our face. This is because, at a 0.3–0.5 mm thickness, it can be four to five times thinner than the rest of our facial skin.

Facial skin is generally 1 mm to 2 mm thick, whereas periorbital skin, (skin covering the eye area), has fewer epidermal layers, and a much thinner stratum corneum, (outer layer of the skin).

The eyelids and under-eye zone also contain very little underlying subcutaneous fat, unlike the rest of the face. This layer of subcutaneous fat, found elsewhere, cushions and supports the skin, giving it a more plump and youthful appearance.

There are significantly fewer sebaceous glands, (oil-producing glands), around the eyes. This can mean that our periorbital skin may struggle to retain natural moisture and maintain a strong protective barrier.

In addition, the eye area possesses lower densities of collagen and elastin fibres, compared to the skin found on the rest of our face, which reduces structural strength and natural elasticity.

And, because blood vessels sit much closer to the surface of our skin this can cause us to develop dark rings, or a bluish tint, under our eyes. This is simply due to the fact that the skin is much thinner, so it tends to show the blood flowing through this area more distinctly than elsewhere.

Caring For The Delicate Skin Around Our Eyes

Many people use Facial Oil No. 2 or Facial Oil No. 8 to great effect on their eyelids and the delicate skin beneath their eyes.

Facial Oil No. 8 is the better option in several ways, especially as it is so lightweight, but Facial Oil No. 2 also provides benefits to the periorbital skin.

Customer feedback references the reduction of dark circles, and fine lines, etc…

However, whilst very beneficial, neither of these oils is specifically formulated to optimise outcomes for the delicate skin surrounding our eyes.

If you are someone with especially delicate skin in this area, or if you would like to individualise your approach, then using a single oil from the list below, and paying greater attention to hydration, maybe the way forward for you…?

Three Important Steps

To care for your eyelids and the delicate skin beneath your eyes, it is important to gently cleanse and hydrate this area of your face, before applying lightweight nutrient oils. This is especially true if you use makeup.

The steps for optimal eye skin care are as follows:

• Remove makeup
• Cleanse & hydrate
• Apply lightweight oil – please choose from the list below

Makeup Removal Protocol

It is really important to use products that are very gentle, but can still easily remove even the most persistent forms of makeup. If you use a foundation cream and eye makeup, particularly waterproof mascara and heavy eyeliners, then the Wild As The Wind Makeup Protocol is your first port of call.

The Wild As The Wind Makeup Protocol consists of two simple products:

Organic Jojoba Oil: An ideal oil for the skin around the eyes.
Hydrosol Toner: (Witch Hazel is recommended, but you can chose an alternative if you prefer.)

The key benefit of the Wild As The Wind Makeup Protocol is that it is an extremely gentle, but effective, means of removing makeup, that supports the health of delicate skin, and will not make your eyes sting.

The oil used in this protocol is one of the few optimal oils for application in the under-eye and eyelid area. Plus, a Hydrosol Toner is required to provide much needed hydration to the skin in this area. Consequently, both products in the Wild As The Wind Makeup Protocol are actively advocated for improving the condition of the skin around our eyes.

Please read the Makeup Removal Protocol product page for usage instructions.

Cleansing & Hydrating

It is really important to hydrate your skin prior to applying an oil to seal in the moisture. This will help plump and support the skin and slow signs of ageing.

Simply close your eyes and spritz with the Hydrosol Toner of your choice. (All Wild As The Wind Hydrosol Toners come in a glass bottle with an atomising spray cap.)

Slightly pat dry to remove excess toner, and then apply your oil to seal in the moisture, whilst your skin is still damp.

Alternatively, apply your Hydrosol Toner using a cotton pad or the soft, brushed cotton side of a two-sided muslin cloth. Then apply your oil.

Oils For Delicate Skin Around The Eyes

The best oils for eyelids and under-eye care are lightweight, nourishing carrier oils like:

• Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil
• Organic Rosehip Seed Oil
• Organic Argan Oil
• Organic Jojoba Oil

These oils also help to hydrate the delicate skin surrounding our eyes without clogging pores, especially when applied to slightly damp skin. Dampening the skin with a Hydrosol Toner prior to applying your lightweight oil is ideal.

It is imperative to provide this area of the face with as much nutritive support as possible, but nutrient-dense oils must also be sufficiently lightweight and easily absorbed.

Bioretinols are also excellent for the under-eye and eyelid area. In fact, they are often preferred over traditional retinol products for this specific region.

The scientific consensus preferring bioretinols (particularly Bakuchiol Oil) over traditional retinol creams for this delicate eye area of the face is anchored in peer-reviewed clinical trials evaluating skin tolerance and efficacy.

Synthetic retinoids used in eye creams frequently cause dry eye syndrome, flaking, or severe inflammation. (Please see information sources at the end of this article for more details.)

*The reason why Bakuchiol Oil is more frequently recommended for periorbital skin use rather than other bioretinol oils, is because of the massive volume of clinical research into Bakuchiol Oil. Becuase more benefits have been clinically proven, simply because more research has been conducted, Bakuchiol Oil is heavily favoured and commercialised over oils like Cacay Oil or Buriti Oil.

Carrier Oils For Eyelids & Under Eyes

Organic Argan Oil

Organic Argan Oil is lightweight and loaded with antioxidants and fatty acids to nourish the delicate eye area without feeling heavy. It balances deep emollient hydration with this remarkable payload of protective antioxidants.

While Jojoba Oil mimics human sebum, Organic Argan Oil specialises in cellular protection and restoring elasticity. Because the periorbital skin is thin and lacks sufficient lipid defense, Organic Argan Oil serves as a gentle, non-irritating treatment to fight crow’s feet and under-eye hollows.

Key Benefits:

• High-Density Vitamin E Shielding: Rricher in natural Vitamin E (tocopherols) than most other botanical oils – blocking oxidative stress slows the degradation of collagen and elastin around the eyes, preserving a smoother and more resilient structure.
• Significantly Increases Elasticity for Postmenopausal & Thin Skin: Clinical studies have shown that Argan Oil helps plump micro-gaps in the outer skin layer, making fine dehydration lines and crow’s feet look filled out and ironed over.
• Rich Emollient Texture: Locks in moisture and prevents trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and restores the delicate lipid barrier of the eyelids without creating a heavy film. This makes it incredibly soothing for individuals dealing with dry, flaky eyelids or eczema.
• Improves Microcirculation to Minimize Dark Circles: Plant sterols and polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties, help to calm morning puffiness and prevent fluid stagnation around the orbital bone.

Organic Rosehip Seed Oil

Organic Rosehip Seed Oil contains vitamins A and C to encourage gentle skin renewal and fade discoloration over time. It is excellent for eyelid and periorbital skin health because it functions as a lightweight, fast-absorbing “dry oil” that excels at brightening dark circles and repairing delicate, paper-thin tissue.

While ingredients like Cacay Oil offer heavy-hitting collagen renewal and Buriti Oil provides rich provitamin A density, Organic Rosehip Seed Oil specialises in pigment correction, cell turnover, and rapid barrier absorption. It addresses periorbital vulnerabilities through highly specific mechanisms…

Key Benefits:

• Low Comedogenic Value: Heavy oils cause congestion within the delicate skin around the eyes, that can result in milia. By contrast, Organic Rosehip Seed Oil has a remarkably low molecular weight which allows it to absorb rapidly into the epidermis without leaving a heavy residue and no risk of milia.
• Multi-Action Brightening for Dark Circles: Under-eye dark circles are frequently a mix of structural shadows and hyperpigmentation. Organic Rosehip Seed Oil deals with both causes simultaneously: The naturally occurring vitamin A precursors in Organic Rosehip Seed Oil gently promote epidermal cellular turnover, lifting dark pigment spots from the surface, & and high levels of antioxidants, (vitamin C, carotenoids & lycopene), work in tandem to suppress overactive melanin production, visibly brightening the entire periorbital area over time.
• Fades Crow’s Feet by Blocking Collagen Breakdown: Our skin naturally contains an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), which accelerates the breakdown of collagen as we age. Clinical observations reveal that Organic Rosehip Seed Oil actively inhibits the creation of the MMP-1 enzyme. By blocking this destructive process, it helps safeguard existing collagen around the eyes and smooths out the depth of crow’s feet and laughter lines. *No single constituent is responsible for this outcome. It is the unique combination of polyphenols, carotenoids, and specialised plant lipids that elicit this outcome.
• Deeply Anti-inflammatory: The natural profile of Organic Rosehip Seed Oil is highly anti-inflammatory and photostable. It can safely be patted onto the fragile eyelids and lower orbital bone during daytime routines without increasing the risk of UV irritation or sun damage.

Organic Jojoba Oil

Organic Jojoba Oil is highly beneficial for eyelid and periorbital (under-eye) health because it is not technically an oil. It is a liquid wax ester.

The molecular structure is Organic Jojoba Oil is 97% similar to human sebum, the natural oil produced by our skin. Because the delicate periorbital area lacks a high density of sebaceous glands and the skin is exceptionally thin, Organic Jojoba Oil functions as a safe, non-irritating biomimetic shield.

Key Benefits:

• Naturally hypoallergenic and highly stable.
• Absorbs seamlessly without trace.
• Rich in natural forms of vitamin E and vitamin B complex, alongside essential trace minerals like copper and zinc. Together, these nutrients neutralise free radicals and promote tissue repair. They also soothe inflammation caused by dryness, rubbing, or seasonal allergies.

Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil works exceptionally well for eyelids and under-eyes because it is a deeply hydrating, lightweight oil, packed with extremely high levels of vitamin E and vitamin K.

*No other carrier oil can truly compete with Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil for eyelid and periorbital skin care. It is the most lightweight and all-round effective oil for these delicate areas of the face.

Key Benefits:

• Improves skin integrity: Helps to brighten hyperpigmentation and support elasticity.
• Reduces dark circles: High vitamin K content helps improve micro-circulation and brighten stubborn shadows under the eye.
• Fights fine lines: Exceptional levels of vitamin E and essential fatty acids plump the skin and smooth out crow’s feet.
• Depuffs and tightens: The fast-absorbing, non-greasy oil tones fragile skin without causing milia or weighing the area down.

Bioretinol Oils For Eyelids & Under Eyes

Because the skin under our eyes is exceptionally thin, lacks oil glands, and is highly prone to dryness, standard vitamin A retinoids can easily trigger “retinol burn” causing redness, flaking, and a temporary crepey texture. Bioretinols are plant-based alternatives, and provide a gentle alternative, but with all of the same benefits of synthetic retinols.

Key Benefits:

• No Irritation or Peeling: Unlike traditional retinoids, bioretinols do not strip the skin barrier. They stimulate collagen synthesis and speed up cellular turnover without the harsh drying or inflammatory side effects.
• Meibomian Gland Safety: Eye doctors caution that standard retinol can migrate into the eye and damage the meibomian glands, (the oil glands in our eyelids), causing chronic dry eye. Plant-based bioretinols do not pose this same toxic risk.
• Daytime Stability: Traditional retinol breaks down in daylight and makes skin sun-sensitive. Most bioretinols are highly stable and safe to wear during the day. Buriti Oil even provides UV protection.

Learn more about Bioretinol Oils for collagen production and skin integrity: Why Is Collagen Important For Our Skin?

Buriti Oil

Buriti Oil is exceptionally good for eyelid and periorbital skin health because it perfectly targets the thin, delicate structural needs of the eye area. The skin surrounding the eyes lacks sebaceous (oil) glands, and undergoes near-constant movement. Buriti Oil addresses these vulnerabilities through highly targeted mechanisms.

Buriti Oil has a comedogenic value of 2, which makes it a little heavier than the other oils listed. It offers offers natural UV protection, although there is insufficient scientific research to establish a commonly agreed SPF value.

Key Benefits:

• Thickens Fine, Crepey Skin: The ultra-dense concentration of beta-carotene (which the skin converts dynamically into active vitamin A), gradually builds up dermal thickness and boosts collagen. This strengthens the translucent, thin skin matrix to visibly smooth away crepey textures and fine lines.
• Combats Dark Circles and Shadows: Periorbital darkness is typically caused by two factors: hyperpigmentation, or vascular pooling showing through transparent skin. Buriti Oil targets both: The natural vitamin A pathways lift excess melanin, helping to clear pigmentation & by stimulating cell regeneration and thickening the dermis, it provides a denser cushion over the tiny blood vessels underneath, making dark circles less visible.

Mimics Missing Sebaceous Moisture: Because the under-eye area naturally produces almost no sebum, it is prone to extreme dehydration lines. Buriti Oil features an excellent lipidic profile, heavily saturated with oleic acid (Omega-9) and palmitic acid. These fatty acids act as a “biomimetic lipid barrier,” sealing in water, preventing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), and plumping up dehydration lines instantaneously.

Reduces Morning Puffiness and Fluid Stagnation: The eye contour is incredibly reactive to environmental stressors and suffers from poor lymphatic drainage. Buriti Oil contains high levels of vitamin E (tocopherols), phytosterols, and natural anti-inflammatory compounds. When lightly massaged around the orbital bone, it helps calm inflammatory swelling, helping to flush stagnant fluids, and soothe daytime redness.

Cacay Oil

Cacay Oil, with a comedogenic value of 0, is an exceptionally fast absorbing oil. It is ideal for eyelid and under-eye skin health because it uses a non-migrating, highly stable molecular profile to address structural thinning, lack of natural lipids, and deep wrinkles.

Whilst Jojoba Oil mimics sebum and Argan Oil provides heavy emollience, Cacay Oil, by contrast, acts as a high-performance cellular rejuvenator. Its distinct biochemical layout offers targeted benefits for the most vulnerable skin on our face.

Key Benefits:

• High-Performance Skin Thickening (Pro-collagen Boost): The periorbital matrix naturally thins with age, creating a crepey texture and making dark circles look more prominent as under-eye blood vessels show through. Clinical evaluations demonstrate that the unique active profile of Cacay Oil can stimulate pro-collagen I expression by +278% and tropoelastin expression by +115%. This significantly firms the thin eye tissue, physically re-densifying the skin.
• Pro-vitamin A: Cacay Oil delivers three times the natural Vitamin A precursors of Rosehip Oil. Because the skin controls the enzymatic conversion pace of these natural precursors, it triggers healthy cell turnover and smooths out crow’s feet.
• High Linoleic Acid Content Prevents Milia: Heavy, occlusive oils frequently clog the tiny pores around the eye contour, forming stubborn white keratin bumps called milia. Cacay Oil is incredibly lightweight and fast-absorbing, providing deep hydration without suffocating the skin barrier or triggering milia.
• Exceptional Stability and UV Defence: The eye area undergoes constant environmental stress. Cacay Oil naturally contains 50% more Vitamin E (tocopherol) than Argan Oil. This mega-dose of antioxidants acts as a natural stabiliser, preventing the delicate vitamin A components of this oil from degrading in daylight. When applied as part of a morning routine, it continuously neutralises free radicals generated by daytime UV exposure.

Bakuchiol Oil

Bakuchiol Oil is highly valued for the periorbital area, under the eyes,and eyelids, because it triggers the same collagen-boosting pathways as retinol without the severe structural risks to eye health.

Our eyelids and under-eyes are famously reactive to active ingredients in conventional anti-ageing formulas, but as a natural, plant-based product, Bakuchiol Oil provides a safe mechanism that addresses crow’s feet and skin sagging through targeted biological actions…

Key Benefits:

Zero Risk of Retinol-Induced Dry Eye Syndrome: Traditional synthetic retinols applied, around the eyes, can migrate and cause severe damage to the meibomian glands (the tiny oil glands lining the rims of our eyelids). Disrupting these glands leads to chronic dry eyes, burning, and blurry vision. Bakuchiol Oil doesn’t cause meibomian gland toxicity or atrophy, making it a much safer anti-ageing intervention for the immediate eye contour.

Targets Tyrosinase to Lift Dark Circles: Many under-eye dark circles are caused by hyperpigmentation or sun damage. Clinical data suggests that Bakuchiol Oil helps inhibit tyrosinase, the primary enzyme responsible for overproducing melanin. By regulating this pathway, it works to gradually lighten darkness and even out the skin tone under the eyes.

Fills Out Crow’s Feet Via Retinol-Like Gene Expression: The periorbital area thins rapidly with age, causing skin to look crepey, allowing fine lines to set in. Because Bakuchiol Oil behaves as a true functional analog to retinol, it up-regulates types I, III, and IV collagen genes. This re-densifies the paper-thin skin matrix, visually flattening the depth of crow’s feet.

Bypasses the “Retinol Purge” on Thinned Tissue: The skin on the eyelids is several times thinner than the rest of the face, which means that synthetic retinols easily breach the surface barrier to cause red flaking, burning, and severe contact dermatitis. Bakuchiol Oil possesses inherent anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, allowing it to stimulate cellular turnover smoothly without stripping or irritating the delicate eye contour.

Further Reading:

Carrier Oils & Essential Oils For Natural Peptide & Collagen Support

Why Is Collagen Important For Our Skin?

Best Oils For Crepey Skin

Find more skincare articles here: Natural Health News Overview

Key Scientific Sources:

There are several important research papers that outline the adverse effects of using synthetic retinols:

Cellular Toxicity and Gene Alteration: A fundamental study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science: The Influence of 13-cis Retinoic Acid on Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cells, demonstrated that retinoic acid directly inhibits cell proliferation, induces cell death, and alters the expression of 6,726 genes within human meibomian glands. It was shown to promote inflammation and tissue-degrading proteases, explaining why the delicate tissue experiences burning and severe inflammation.

Gland Atrophy and Secretion Failure:
 Findings detailed in Meibomian gland disease: The Role of Gland Dysfunction in Dry Eye Disease, published on the National Institute of Health website, states the outcomes of synthetic retinoids binding to nuclear receptors inside the eyelid glands, demonstrating that they cause acinar cell degeneration and severe glandular atrophy. This markedly decreases the volume of mature, lipid-laden cells, causing meibum hyposecretion (lack of eye-lubricating oils) and evaporative dry eye.

The Problem of Topical Migration:
 While oral retinoids show the most severe adverse systemic gland outcomes, ophthalmology literature notes that topically applied retinols migrate. The skin of the periorbital region, [under the eye], is highly permeable. Reviewers in publications like Medical News Today highlight that retinoids commonly found in over-the-counter anti-ageing eye creams are absorbed into the eyelids, disrupting meibomian gland output and causing localised blepharoconjunctivitis (eyelid inflammation). Source: Can retinol cause dry eyes? How to avoid it.

Ocular Side Effect Prevalence: 
A comprehensive literature review indexed on PubMed states that side effects of retinoid therapy on the quality of vision concludes that ocular side effects, specifically dry eye syndrome, severe eye discomfort, and blepharoconjunctivitis, occur in 20% to 50% of patients undergoing retinoid treatment. Source: Side effects of retinoid therapy on the quality of vision

Further Research Indexed On PubMed: Impact of Eye Cosmetics on the Eye, Adnexa, and Ocular Surface

Disclaimer

This disclaimer provides supplemental information to the website disclaimer.

The information provided in this article is not intended to replace the medical directives of your healthcare provider. Nor is it meant for the diagnosis of health issues.

This article provides general insights that may not be applicable to you personally:

• If you are pregnant, have serious or multiple health concerns, consult with your healthcare provider before using carrier oils and essential oils.
• If you have known allergies, for example to nuts etc, this may mean that some of the carrier oils listed in this article should be avoided. Some people also have intollerances and allergies to some essential oils. Please avoid using all oils that you anticipate you will have a reaction to.
• If you do not have any known allergies it is still vital to perform a patch test prior to applying oils, for the first time, over large areas of you body.
• If you experience any complications or adverse reactions to using carrier oils and essential oils, contact your healthcare provider immediately.