Greetings I do hope you are well.
I absolutely apologise for not writing my column last week, technology can be quite treacherous especially when you need it to work.
This week I will focus on how you can look after the skin around your eyes.
I am sure that you have used products before that warn and caution you against applying around eye area.
Some weeks ago I got some cream there and gosh the rawness can be quite painful.
The eye area is extremely thin and sensitive and that is why you have to be extremely tender and gentle when handling it.
The older you grow the more fragile it gets and this is further aggravated by puffiness and dark circles in this area — caused by lack of sleep, excessive drinking (those late nights in smoky clubs) and even hereditary factors.
Other factors that are bad for your eye area skin according to http://www.mediniche.com/  are:
“Rubbing and tugging of the delicate skin under the eye due to allergies, crying, eye makeup removal and insertion and removal of contact lenses can contribute to sagging of the this area.
The skins elasticity is similar to a rubber band – constant tugging and pulling eventually causes loss of elasticity. Because the tissue around the eyes has very few oil glands, it lacks the natural moisture present on other parts of the body.”
Proper care can keep this skin looking smooth and youthful by reducing the damage.
First and most importantly drink a lot of water to keep your skin moisturised and ensure that it is two litres and above as recommended.
Water helps maintain and improve the elasticity of your skin.
Always remove makeup before you sleep and ensure that you remove the makeup around your eyes gently.
Use petroleum jelly instead of commercial makeup removers as these with their alcohol content can be quite harsh.
Use Petroleum jelly or coconut oil immersed in a cotton ball or soft cloth then rinse with luke warm water.
Hot water dries out the skin so when you rinse your face ensure that it is luke warm water and not scalding hot.
In choosing a product, it is important that it be oil-free. Products containing oil increase the likelihood of clogged glands around the eyes that can lead to styes and other ocular problems.
Avoid smoking cigarettes as Nicotine constricts blood vessels in the face and under the eyes and constricted vessels make it difficult for nutrients to be absorbed, which leads to a breakdown of collagen.
http://www.mediniche.com/ also advises staying out of the sun:
“Overexposure to ultraviolet rays causes melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells, to mature abnormally. This results in age spots and uneven pigmentation. UV rays are responsible for up to 90% of aging and can add several years to your appearance.”
Ensure that that you get plenty of rest as fatigue can cause your skin to look pale, tired, and gaunt.
If you had a long night reduce puffiness and discoloration under the eyes by placing a cold compress over the area for 15 to 20 minutes to bring down swelling.
You can substitute cold compresses with cold cucumbers or a bag of frozen vegetables.
Livestrong advises applying vitamin E oils or cream under your eyes daily to keep the skin moisturized to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin E helps protect your skin from UV rays.
You can also apply Shea butter around your eyes just mix it with some glycerine or coconut oil.
My friend Susan swears by glycerine and trusts me it works as she has gorgeous skin.
Plain glycerine is a great moisturiser because glycerine is a humectants, this means it draws in moisture and locks it in.
That’s it for this week, remember to keep in touch via my blog on divadiarys.blogspot.com and in my email address divadiarys@gmail.com and follow me on twitter @arushapot, and go pay my website www.nancyhandabile.com.