Beauty resolutions for 2016: Eyes

In this four-part series, we show you the areas to consider paying a little more attention to this year. Read part one here.

This week, we focus on: Eyes

If you spend at least nine hours a day staring at your computer screen - read on!

Not only do we need to take care of our eyesight by looking away from our screens every now and then, the skin around our eyes should be treated with much care, both when applying or removing eye make-up.

At the very least, always remove every bit of your eye make-up at the end of the day. The leftover gunk that you fail to remove will cause skin complications and might contribute to early signs of wrinkles. Not a good sign.

Photo: Banila Co.
BEAUTY PICKS: Banila Co. Clean It Zero cleansing balm - This contains mineral oil, which is nourishing for our skin - score! ($22, Qoo10.sg)

While it is important to remove eye make-up, it is equally important to do it gently since some of us might be guilty of using too much strength. If you use a liquid eye make-up remover, just apply about two dollops of the liquid onto a cotton pad, rest it on one eye first for around 10 seconds and gently wipe off the make-up. Repeat on the other eye.

When it comes to applying eyeliner, especially if you are going for the winged tip look, do avoid pulling on the corners of your eyes because it only loosens the skin in that area.

Photo: Shutterstock

Instead, use one finger to gently press down on the outer corner of your eyelid and use your free hand to draw on your liner as per normal. If you think you have what it takes, skip the skin-pulling and try applying the eyeliner with only one hand. It takes a while to master this make-up skill but it comes in handy! Plus, if it helps you in stalling the appearance of wrinkles, why not pick it up?

Another important note when it comes to eyeliners: Do not use them past their expiration dates! Using old eyeliners increases the risk of eye infections.


Photo: Sephora
BEAUTY PICKS: Smashbox Limitless Liquid Liner Pen ($37)

No clue on how to hide your dark under-eye circles? That concealer you're using on its own might not be doing anything for you. Applying a colour corrector underneath your concealer will help brighten and neutralise any discolouration under the eyes.

Photo: Bobbi Brown
BEAUTY PICKS: (From L-R) Creamy Concealer Kit ($62) and Bobbi Brown Corrector ($45) 

Eye creams are also tricky to deal with and it could involve quite a fair deal of trial-and-error because not all of us may react the same way to a certain product. It is always a good idea to do patch tests for at least a week or longer to observe how your skin reacts.

Photo: Sephora
BEAUTY PICKS: bareMinerals Renew & Hydrate Eye Cream (Price Unavailable)

It is common to have trouble falling asleep but putting on a scented steam eye mask might do you some good. These self-warming steam masks help to calm our eyes and relieve eye fatigue.

The best part about such masks is not having to take them off before you go into a deep slumber as they are made of cotton and are disposable.

Photo: Watsons
BEAUTY PICKS: Megrhythm Steam Mask - Four types available: Lavender, Chamomile, Rose, Unscented ($6.50, Watsons)

These eye masks aren't just for the insomniacs amongst us but really for anyone who wants to feel relaxed as they fall asleep - especially after a long work day in front of our computer screens.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg