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Using an eye cream that’s not suitable for your skin can open up a new can of worms -filled with milia- and can make wrinkles the least of your problems. But the funny thing is that an eye cream -the right one- is also the solution to your problems. The best eye creams for milia target those white bumps under your eyes or on the eyelids that don’t seem to go away. They also make sure you don’t get new ones! Keep reading to find out how to deal with milia using eye creams.
What are Milia?
Milia, plural for milium, are tiny white/yellow bumps of accumulated skin flakes trapped under the skin (1). They’re solid cysts. They can form anywhere on the face as well as under the eyes and on the eyelids.
They look like whiteheads, but they’re nothing like whiteheads. Not that you should, but they’re almost impossible to squeeze out like a pimple. Milia go away on their own and they’re not something to worry about.
However, they can be annoying to look at because they give your skin a textured look. Plus, milia that are close to the inner corners of the eyes don’t help with creating a sleek makeup look and make it difficult to apply concealer.
What Causes Milia Under the Eyes?
There can be several causes of milia. Some skin types are simply prone to them. But the more common reasons for milia are skincare and makeup related (2).
If you don’t properly remove your makeup or regularly cleanse your face, dead skin cells can easily accumulate and form milia around the eyes.
Also, if you’re using highly occlusive products like a heavy eye cream or a thick concealer, you might be responsible for the forming of those milia.
What to Look for in an Eye Cream for Milia
In case you skipped our eye cream 101, there are things you need to keep in mind when looking for an eye cream for milia. This rule applies to eye products to use to prevent milia and not necessarily treat existing ones.
First of all, the texture is the most important thing. Instead of eye creams in heavy cream form, try eye serums and gels for your daily routine. Heavy creams refer to rich emollient creams.
These types of eye creams tend to be occlusive and formulated with occlusive ingredients like olive oil or avocado oil. These oils are rich in oleic acid. They’re not bad. In fact, they are great for dry skin to trap moisture in.
At the same time, they can be comedogenic for people with oily eyelids. That’s how occlusive eye creams cause milia. Try non-comedogenic eye serums or eye gels that still moisturize but don’t form a heavy layer on top of the skin.
To actively treat milia, look for eye creams made with ingredients that accelerate cell turnover. Faster skin turnover will constantly renew the top layer of your skin. That way, the skin that’s blanketing the milia will shed off layer by layer until they’re completely gone.
The best ingredients that speed skin turnover are chemical exfoliants and retinoids (3). One thing to keep in mind here. These are the eye creams you’ll be using to treat existing milia. So they don’t have to be in a serum or gel form.
The Best Eye Creams For Milia
As a general rule of thumb, use eye creams with retinoids to treat existing milia. If you don’t want to use retinoids regularly, switch to lightweight eye products once you’ve successfully removed milia.
We’ve considered both scenarios and listed below the best eye creams to treat and prevent milia.
1. First Aid Beauty FAB Skin Lab Retinol Eye Cream
This one is a retinol eye cream that’s going to remove those milia in no time! As retinol stimulates collagen production, the top layer of the skin renews constantly. The layer that covers milia thins out until the milia are exposed and finally gone.
By the way, retinol is encapsulated. This way, the cream won’t irritate the skin. Plus, the eye cream packs several antioxidants like vitamins C and E as well as soothing botanicals. The gentle yet potent formula is the best eye cream to treat milia. Not to mention, it’s incredibly anti-aging!
Key Ingredients: Encapsulated retinol, hyaluronic acid
Formulation: Cream
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, oil-free
2. Renee Rouleau Overnight Eye Serum
This one is an exfoliating eye serum formulated to smooth the skin texture around the eyes. It has glycolic and lactic acids to remove the dead skin cells on top of the skin. In doing so, it not only treats milia but also prevents it. It also has allantoin and aloe to calm and soothe the skin.
This is a treatment, so you’re advised to use an eye cream on top of it. This won’t replace your eye cream but will help a lot with getting rid of milia fast. Once they’re gone, you can switch to a lighter eye serum to maintain that smooth skin around the eyes.
Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, glycolic acid
Formulation: Serum
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, vegan, cruelty-free
3. Neostrata Brightening Eye Cream
Exfoliating the eye area might sound intimidating for people with sensitive skin. That’s what polyhydroxy acids are for! This eye cream is formulated with gluconolactone and lactobionic acid. These are PHAs and they’re the gentlest of all hydroxy acids that exfoliate the skin without irritation.
To safely remove milia when you have sensitive skin and can’t tolerate retinol or AHAs, you can opt-in for this one. The cream also has hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 for hydration. And it has antioxidants vitamins C and E to brighten and protect the eye area. Plus, it has peptides for collagen synthesis. Forget milia, this one’s going to transform your eyes.
Key Ingredients: Gluconolactone, lactobionic acid, vitamin C
Formulation: Cream
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
4. Exuviance All-Out Revitalizing Eye Mask
Speaking of gentle exfoliants, this one is an amazing eye mask that’s like an undereye peel. It’s formulated with 10% lactobionic acid (PHA) to peel off dead skin cells around the eyes. The exfoliating eye peel also contains a retinol ester, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
The potent eye mask is great for people who don’t want to regularly use active ingredients around the eyes. Pop a pair on whenever the eye area needs some exfoliation. The mask will help with milia as well as the look of fine lines and other signs of aging.
Key Ingredients: Lactobionic acid, vitamin C
Formulation: Pads
Size: 12 pairs
Good To Know: Fragrance-free
5. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel
This one is an oil-free eye gel formulated with hyaluronic acid to bind water to the skin for long-lasting hydration. It also has vitamin B5, another humectant with added soothing benefits.
It packs licorice extract as well as caffeine to increase microcirculation and reduce the look of dark circles. This is the type of eye cream that people with milia-prone skin should use.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, caffeine
Formulation: Gel
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free, cruelty-free, vegan
6. The Inkey List Retinol Eye Cream
This one is the most affordable retinol eye cream you can use to treat milia. It’s made with encapsulated retinol to avoid irritation while increasing skin turnover.
The cream also has hyaluronic acid to avoid drying the skin around the eyes. It’s the perfect nighttime eye treatment to rejuvenate the eye area, smooth out those bumps, and reduce the look of fine lines.
Key Ingredients: Encapsulated retinol, hyaluronic acid
Formulation: Cream
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, vegan, cruelty-free
7. iS Clinical C Eye Serum Advance Plus
This vitamin C eye serum is perfect for treating hyperpigmentation around the eyes. Besides the fact that it’s a potent anti-aging eye serum, it’s also super light and non-comedogenic. Hyaluronic acid replenishes the eye area while vitamin C increases collagen production and reduces pigmentation.
It also contains signal peptides to reduce wrinkles and crow’s feet. Once your milia are gone, this light-textured serum will care for the eye area and make sure you don’t have any new milia popping up under the eyes.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid
Formulation: Serum
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free
8. HydroPeptide Vital Eyes Instant Awakening Serum
Though retinol is the best when it comes to accelerating skin turnover, it does have alternatives. And bakuchiol reigns supreme. As a plant extract, Bakuchiol is as anti-aging as retinol but definitely not irritating. That’s why it’s great for people with sensitive skin.
This is an eye serum that rejuvenates the eye area with bakuchiol. So it’s going to help with existing milia. But as it’s super-light, it’s also a great one to prevent the formation of milia. The best part is that the serum contains Argireline, a neuropeptide that relaxes fine lines around the eyes. Plus, the applicator tip will do wonders for puffy eyes and under-eye bags.
Key Ingredients: Bakuchiol, caffeine
Formulation: Serum
Size: 0.3 oz/10 ml
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
9. La Roche Posay Redermic R Retinol Eye Cream
And lastly, this is a retinol eye cream you can use to treat and prevent milia. First off, it’s made with retinol to accelerate skin turnover around the eyes. So it’ll help you gently and slowly get rid of milia.
But additionally, it’s oil-free, so it’s already non-comedogenic. So you can safely target under-eye discolorations and fine lines and comfortably moisturize without worrying about causing new milia. It’s suitable to use for sensitive eyes as well!
Key Ingredients: Retinol, caffeine
Formulation: Cream
Size: 0.5 oz/15 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free
Tips to Treat and Prevent Milia Under the Eyes
- Don’t try to pop milia, especially the ones under the eyes. The thin skin there is too sensitive and prone to inflammation and redness.
- Regularly wash your face twice a day and never leave your makeup on any longer than you need to. Don’t sleep with your makeup on.
- If you’re prone to milia under the eyes, use a warm cloth to very gently exfoliate the under-eyes once a week. This will prevent dead skin cells from building up and forming milia.
- Stay away from occlusive eye creams that are comedogenic.
- Remember that milia go away on their own. But if you’re too bothered by them, see a dermatologist to safely get rid of them.
- When using eye products with exfoliants and retinoids, apply sunscreen around the eyes as the skin becomes more prone to sunburn.
References:
- Gallardo Avila PP, Mendez MD. Milia. [Updated 2022 Nov 15]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560481/
- What Are Milia? (2021, May 18). American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-are-milia
- Berk, D. R., & Bayliss, S. J. (2008). Milia: a review and classification. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 59(6), 1050–1063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2008.07.034
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