I’m a firm believer that one eye cream can’t do it all. Here I’ll discuss the thought process behind my Eye Cream System and how it marries clean beauty with eye care. As an eye doctor and an eye cream fanatic, I believe that a water based eye cream paired with an oil based eye cream (loaded with the right botanical actives) is the winning combination.

“A complementary system that pays homage to eyelid skin anatomy.”

ITEM 1: 

This is AM Eyelid Gel (7.5mL), a water based eye cream packed with botanical actives in effective concentrations – I did not skim!

Every morning, apply a thin layer under eye area. I love the analogy that AM Eyelid Gel is like drinking a tall glass of water first thing in the morning followed by a shot of espresso. Nothing better than hydrating and waking up your eyelid skin circulation first thing in the morning.

These are my favorite botanical actives and how they pay homage to eye anatomy:

• Green Coffee Seed Extract - caffeine content targets eyelid skin surface circulation;
• Moth Bean Extract - encourages eyelid epithelial skin-cell turnover without compromising meibomian gland health;
• Glucosyl Hesperidin - softens the appearance of dull, dark, & swelling of under eye circles;
• Ptychopetalum / Pfaffia / Lilium Extract Complex - lipolytic effect for under eye bags;
• Centella Asiatica Extract - rich in vitamins & carotene to brighten eyelid skin.

ITEM 2:

This is PM Eyelid Butter (7.5mL), a super rich oil based emollient formulated to perform one very specific task at night – protect transepidermal water loss.

Why is transepidermal water loss (TEWL) significant for eye care? The eyelid skin is 4x thinner than the face. The eyelid skin is so thin and delicate that water readily evaporates, leaving dryness that we see as fine lines & wrinkles. As a result, many of my dry eye patients tend to have damaged skin barriers with very sensitive skin. They think that hydration is what they are lacking, when in fact it’s both – hydration AND protection from TEWL.

Every night, apply a thin layer under the eye area. PM Eyelid Butter is naturally thick and sticky. Get full TEWL benefits by using it straight up. You can also add a smidge of AM Eyelid Gel to make it less sticky (scroll down for more on DIY EMULSIONS).

• Oryza Sativa Rice Bran Oil - ceramides to prevent TEWL;
• 3x Cholesterol Complex – cholesterols to prevent TEWL;
• Zea Mays Silk Corn Extract – fatty acids to prevent TEWL ;
• Spin Trap - a high tech active that grabs free radicals & converts them to usable oxygen for the eyelid skin.

“Now rolling your eyes isn’t considered rude.”

ITEM 3: 

This is Focused Eye Roll. Face rollers were just too big! Sized perfectly for the eyelids and anatomy of the orbital bones. Adjust the temperature and the rolling pattern to create the experience your eyes need.

After applying AM and/or PM eye creams. Use this stainless steel roller under the eyes to improve product absorption. You can also heat up the roller in warm water to promote absorption. Cool in cold water to create an astringent effect. 

“Make it your own – blend AM & PM to create your own DIY emulsion.”

Not every patient is the same. Not every morning is the same. Not every night is the same. Stayed up all night to binge watch Netflix? Drink an extra glass of wine yesterday? Your eyelid skin will have good and bad days. To address my good and bad days, I started mixing AM & PM eye creams to create a more customized experience. I loved it so much, I’m sharing the how and the why:

WHAT'S TO LOVE.

• Works in harmony to target fine lines, dark circles, & puffy eyelids;
• Add more AM for more hydration + caffeine;
• Add more PM to target TEWL (transepidermal water loss);
• Add some AM to PM to reduce stickiness while retaining the benefits of PM;
• Mixing it yourself eliminates the need to add more preservatives, solvents, emulsifiers, chelators, and pH adjusters which are not necessary healthy for the tear film.

"When it comes to clean beauty and eye care, what’s on the ingredient list is just as important as what’s NOT on the ingredient list."

Most of my dry eye and contact lens patients are shocked to discover that their existing face and eye products contain these ingredients. PS: We Love Eyes eye creams do not contain any of these ingredients. Yes, I did that on purpose 😄.

No retinol. Shown to damage the meibomian gland epithelium which impairs oil and tear function; may cause meibomian gland dysfunction and/or dry eye syndrome. As a precaution, I have all of my patients avoid retinol on the face as it can absorb and migrate into the meibomian glands. 

No phenoxyethanol. I'm currently working on a leave on formula for a future product and thought I'd put this to task. One bottle contained 1% phenoxyethanol and the other contained 1% of a natural preservative. It was interesting to note that the eye with the 1% phenoxyethanol felt a foreign body sensation all day. Over time the eye felt irritated and more dry that the other. The jury is still out, but I’m personally not a fan of this preservative for eye care.

No CBD. There are studies that may or may not suggest that CBD may or may not increase eye pressure. I know, super vague and iffy – but until I know that CBD definitely does not alter eye pressure, my patients are restricted from using CBD products around their eyes or face. 

No BAK. Benzalkonium chloride is the most common form of preservation in medicated eye drops and multi-purpose solution for contact lens disinfection. I have more patients allergic to BAK than I ever thought possible. And for some of my patients that are addicted to eye drops, having them discontinue the eye drop (hence eliminating the BAK) – fixes their dry eye problems!

Our philosophy is that clean eyes = a happy life. We Love Eyes products do not treat any eye disease. Although our founder is an Optometrist, We Love Eyes products do not replace your eye care professional. Always consult your eye care professional when using eye care products.

Love + Healthy Eyes,