A Refresher on Eye Cream + How to Prevent Concealer from Creasing

There’s already a mantra about eye cream: you have to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. And also the best time to start using an eye cream is yesterday. Eye creams are sometimes that forgotten about skincare product people don’t think about until it’s about too late. I, too, at one point many moons ago wasn’t sure I really needed an eye cream in my routine. But through my profession of writing about beauty, I’ve spoken to many derms and skincare experts over the years and have seen the light. The sensitive eye area which typically doesn’t get to see enough much-needed moisture, needs some major TLC (not the chasing waterfalls kind). And for some of you who have trouble preventing your under eye concealer from creasing, eye creams might be even more helpful.

So here’s the thing about the under eye area: it’s delicate, it needs moisture, and it’s one of the first areas to show the signs of aging. This is why eye cream is so important—sometimes our facial moisturizers aren’t the right candidate for under eye moisture because they can tend to contain ingredients that can irritate the sensitive eye area (um, and who wants to get your Vitamin C night cream or daytime SPF moisturizer near your eyeballs? Talk about OUCH). Pick an eye cream that speaks to your specific eye concerns (fine lines, dark circles, puffiness, etc.) and gently apply it to your eye area with your ring finger (because it’s typically the finger that will apply the least pressure to this gentle area) both day and night as per the instructions on your eye cream.

Three eye creams I’ve tried while working with RoC Skincare are:

RoC Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Eye Cream: improves the look of dark circles, puffiness, dryness, dull tone, and wrinkles

RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream: visibly reduces wrinkles around the eyes, crow’s feet, dark circles, puffiness

RoC Retinol Correxion Sensitive Eye Cream: anti-aging for retinol-sensitive skin

I mostly use the RoC Multi Correxion 5-in-1 Eye Cream as a preventative measure. I don’t really have crow’s feet or true dark circles (I do have some discoloration which is different than actual dark circles), or puffiness to deal with—I do have some wrinkles as well as creases (those I’ve had since forever—they’re apparent in pics of me from as young as 4). Sometimes I do use the RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream when I feel like I need an extra boost. Whichever one you need for your eye concerns, the important thing is to USE it both day and night. You can’t half-step—you have to be consistent if you want to see results and keep this delicate area moisturized.

So here’s the thing with seeing “results” from using an eye cream. If you’re using it as a preventative measure and don’t necessarily have any eye concerns to deal with, you might not see much of a difference. But keep using it—you’re doing good by keeping the area moisturized on a consistent basis. If you do have concerns, with continued and consistent use, you might notice some really good results. But remember, eye creams can only do so much before you might need filler or some sort of resurfacing treatment. This is exactly why it’s a good idea to start using an eye cream before you really need one. And use one consistently even when you need it.

Watch how to apply eye cream in my Summer Skincare video:

Watch the eye cream part at 6:23 here.

How to Prevent Concealer from Creasing

Now let’s talk about how to prevent concealer from creasing…

There could a number of reasons why your concealer might be creasing, so I’ll list out a few so you can rule out something you might or might not be doing as the culprit:

1. Your eye area needs moisture.

We’ve discussed already how delicate the eye area is and also because there aren’t any pores there, it can get pretty dry. And if that area is not properly hydrated, it can feel dry and rough making it hard for your concealer to stay put because it’s seeping into your lines. Make sure you’re applying eye cream to keep the area moisturized and make it less likely for your concealer to sink into your lines.

2. You’re not setting your concealer with powder.

Most concealers unless they specifically say otherwise, should be set with powder to keep it in place and help prevent it from moving around.

See also Because We’re Not All Banana: A Few Highlight Setting Powders for Dark Skin

3. You’re using the wrong type of concealer.

Concealers come in different formulas and textures to cater to various needs. Typically the more pronounced your under eye concerns are, you might need a more moisturizing concealer formula. And if you have heavy discoloration you might need something that provides full coverage.

I’ve reviewed a ton of concealers, so check them out here.

Here’s the ones pictured in this post:

Cover FX Cream Concealer (light to medium coverage)
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer (medium to full coverage)
BECCA Ultimate Coverage Concealing Creme (full coverage)
Laura Mercier High Coverage Concealer for Under Eye (super duper full coverage…lol)

Under eye concealer should be no more than 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone. Go any lighter and you might actually make what you’re trying to cover even more obvious.

If after reading my reviews and you’re still unsure of what to try, head to Sephora and play around with the testers. See which colors look best on you and which formulas are most appealing to your situation. Ask for samples (yes, you can get samples at Sephora) and test them out at home making sure you also take pictures in natural light to further test them out. Even if you’re on a drugstore budget, still head to Sephora and play around with colors and textures, get samples, and then look for similar colors and textures at the drugstore. If you have dark skin, check out my How to Shop Drugstore Makeup When You Have Dark Skin post.

4. You’re not using enough or you’re using too much concealer.

Use too little and you may not be properly concealing the area. Then of course as it wears on it may also wear off and look as if you never put any one. But if you apply too much, it may not blend properly and be more prone to creasing.

5. You might need a little extra help.

Hey, we all need a little extra help sometimes! Try something like RoC Smooth Perfexion Instant Line Corrector which helps to improve the look of skin so makeup becomes optional—it’s also safe for the eye area but don’t go putting it IN your eyes, folks…lol. You would apply this after your moisturizer to help visibly smooth pores and wrinkles so your makeup applies better and lasts longer.

So that’s that! Major take-aways from this post: 1. start using eye cream NOW and 2. make sure you’re properly using concealer so that it doesn’t crease.

What are you current eye concerns? What do you currently use on your under eye area? Tell me in the comments!

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Disclosure: This post was created in sponsorship with RoC Skincare. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.