This isn’t going to be the first time someone has told you how delicate the under-eye and eye-socket area is, but I’m going to say it to you anyway, and then I’m going to explain to you *why* this is and why holi (glow) is the solution.

One of my challenges with today’s skincare industry is that no one explains to you *why* this area is so delicate, and, in my experience, when you understand the why behind something, you are then more likely to be able to take the actions to help protect, or nurture the concern, because you really understand why this is happening and that you have the power to stop it from happening.

So, whether it is dark circles, dehydrated, thin skin, puffiness, early onset fine lines, and wrinkles, or just plain tired-looking skin, your eyes can show aging before any other part of your face.

Here are the reasons that the eye socket is particularly vulnerable:

1. The skin around the eye socket and under the eye area is thinner than on the rest of your face. It lacks the fat that the rest of our body uses as a cushion, meaning that it is a less protected area that is more prone to laxity and looseness. This, in turn, means that it is more likely to show up with fine lines and wrinkles than other areas of the face.
2. Similar to the low-fat levels, the skin around the eyes also has very little soft tissue or muscle, so again there are fewer structural and supporting elements in this area which make the area more vulnerable and more exposed to day-to-day life and to the process of dehydration and aging. 
3. The structural and anatomical setup of the eye socket also means that the skin is ultimately covering a hollow space which means that it is more on show and less filled out from within.

The above, plus the fact that constant smiling can lead to deepening of wrinkles and lines in the area, plus exposure to makeup, toxic cosmetic products, low humidity, dehydration, and more, means that you can cause exacerbated aging in this part of the body without even meaning to.

The good news is that there are tons of ways to prevent damage to the skin around the eyes, and it is a journey that I have gone on personally. It is also a journey that led me to create the most revolutionary eye product in the Agent Nateur range - holi (glow). People are obsessed with this product. I use it every single day without fail, and you can also lightly tap it over makeup for a natural luminescence that will essentially replace your highlighter. Double the power!

I actually started formulating holi (glow) (our ageless eye serum) after the wildfires in California in 2018. I was living in LA, and the skin around my eyes started to get way more dry than they usually did, and I started to develop fine lines that had never been there before. The crazy thing was that after traveling out of town, I would see a massive improvement, and then when I would return to LA, the lines would return too. I finally realized that the weather, the pollution, and the toxins in the wildfire air were impacting the change in my complexion and eye socket area.

And even if you don’t live in an area of wildfires, this doesn’t mean that this doesn’t apply to you. The levels of pollution (mainly urban pollution) today are astronomical, and these toxins and pollutants will lead to oxidative stress within the body, free radical damage, and the creation of reactive oxygen species within the body too. These, in turn, can drive inflammation in the body, which also interferes with the anti-aging process, leading to aging rather than prevention.

I developed holi (glow) for precisely this reason - to protect, nourish, nurture and drench the delicate skin around our eyes from free radical damage and pollution, as well as hydrating to the max and offering relief from dryness and thin skin. This product is one of our best sellers. I always tell my friends that you have to be so gentle when applying product to the eye area and holi (glow) is so perfect for this. It is a gel when pumped into the hand—but it dries like a balm when applied, leaving the skin hydrated, smooth, and luminous. It also smells like cucumber and is so delicious. Sometimes I actually apply it all over my face too.

The ingredient list is incredible. The hero ingredients are Hieracium Pilosella (Hawkweed) Extract, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, and Hylocereus Undatus (Pitaya) Plant Extract. Hawkweed extract and daisy flower extract encourage dermal draining to reduce puffiness and block the formation of melanin to brighten the skin under the eyes naturally. This means that as well as nourishing the eye socket, they also help fight against dark circles because they activate the breakdown of an iron-containing compound called heme, which is dark in color and commonly contributes to under-eye pigmentation. The pitaya extract is a potent concentration of vitamin C and polysaccharides. This directly fights against free radical damage and supports collagen synthesis to tighten the skin around the eyes.

holi (glow) is also packed full of:

• Cucumber - contains antioxidants and soothing properties that are effective in treating complexion issues such as redness, puffiness, and irritation of the eye area.
• Sodium hyaluronate - a natural compound that is easily absorbed by the skin and due to its high molecular weight, it binds with water to hydrate and plump the appearance of the skin; and
• Caffeine - is included in the formulation to stimulate vasoconstriction, the narrowing of blood vessels, and to stimulate lymphatic drainage, reducing puffiness around the eye socket. 

Alongside holi (glow), here are my other top tips to slow the premature aging of the eyes and to give them the love, care, and compassion that they deserve:

• Quit smoking! The toxins in cigarette smoke (and urban pollution) are one of the most aggressive ways to drive aging (and early onset aging) of the skin. Put the cigarette down ASAP if you even care vaguely about your skin health;
• Ditch the AC & instead consider a house humidifier or air filter. Our skin has a moisture barrier to fight against toxins, free radicals, etc., which can be significantly impacted if it is dried out through consistent exposure to dry or air-conditioned air. A humidifier will replace the moisture in the air, and you can also look into an air filter at the same time to help reduce the toxins that make it inside your home.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Dry skin will show up on your face, so managing your healthy hydration levels with good quality filtered or spring water is critical to keeping your face hydrated and healthy. Remember that alcohol and caffeine can also dehydrate the body, which in turn can provoke dry skin - so hydration through high-quality water is critical here, not just through any fluid or drink.

So, my friends, when it comes to preventing premature aging, using quality skincare and understanding what drives the aging process can make all the difference. Look after the skin around your eye area; it is thin, delicate and susceptible and needs extra love and support.

And by using holi (glow)? It offers a gentle barrier between the skin and toxins in the environment, it is deeply nurturing and it also offers a dewy, glowy, perfect finish.

Let me know if you’ve tried it.

You can shop holi (glow) here.

Love Jena x

***THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR REGULATED BY THE FDA. WE ARE NOT DOCTORS; THEREFORE ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.