Natural Sunscreen

Dealing with eye wrinkles does not have to be complicated and time-consuming in order to make a difference in your skin’s appearance. Although wrinkling is inevitable, there are ways to slow down its progress. First and foremost, reduce the risk of accumulating further wrinkles by staying out of the sun.

Sunscreens, creams, blocks and lotions help shield the skin from damaging ultraviolet rays. But many rely on synthetic chemicals which may cause more harm than good. Substances such as para-aminobenzoic acid can cause allergic eczema; stearyl alcohol can dehydrate the skin; mineral oil prevents the skin from breathing; methyl anthranilate, which is made from coal and tar, can cause rashes; alcohol dehydrates the skin; and courarin can cause contact dermatitis.

If you are exposed only to moderate sunshine and do not have very fair or excessively dry skin, it can be enough to apply a natural vegetable oil with screening properties. The most effective are jojoba, which has a sun protection factor of 5-10; beeswax, whose high viscosity means it sticks on the skin’s surface; and shea butter, which is 50% fat, including essential fatty acids, so provides a good protective seal and antioxidant protection. Avocado, rosehip, sesame and wheatgerm oils are all rich in antioxidant vitamins, so are all natural free radical fighters. You can combine these in various ways, adding some vitamin E as a preservative, as in the Natural Sunscreen Recipe below:

3 tbsp wheatgerm oil
2 tbsp sesame oil or shea butter oil
3 tbsp avacado oil
3 tbsp jojoba oil
3 capsules of vitamin E oil

Pour all ingredients in a glass jar, put on the lid and shake well. Keep the oil in the refrigerator, as exposure to heat and light will destroy its antioxidant qualities. Apply regularly to the skin in warm sun, but do not consider it complete protection. An oil like this has an SPF of 4-5, so is a sun filter rather than a block.

Safe Sun

The single most effective way to prevent under eye wrinkles is to protect your skin from the sun. Begin slathering on a sunscreen with at least a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. Use sunscreen daily (rain or shine, since the sun’s rays can penetrate cloud cover) wherever you are, whether you’re at the beach or on the tennis court or simply walking to work, eating lunch outdoors or taking an afternoon jog. Because the thin, delicate skin around your eyes is especially affected by the sun, the sunscreen you dab under your eyes is more valuable than the priciest eye cream.

For further information read 5 Ways to Prevent Eye Wrinkles.