Our eyes are one of the most fascinating and complex parts of the body. They are often called the windows to the soul and are considered to be our most attractive facial feature.

10 fascinating facts about the eyes

1. The eyes are the second most complex organ after the brain and are made up of over 2 million parts.
2. We actually see with our brain and not our eyes. Our eyes act as a camera, capturing light and sending data back to the visual cortex in the brain.
3. The data sent from our eyes is actually received upside down and the brain has to turn it the right way up for us to comprehend it.
4. Eyes are able to process 36,000 pieces of information in a single hour.
5. The eye muscles are the most active and fastest muscles in the human body and can blink up to five times in a single second.
6. The skin around the eyes is 40% thinner than the rest of the face.
7. It also loses moisture around 50% faster than the rest of our face.
8. 94% of visible premature aging around the eyes is caused by UV damage.
9. The purpose of eyelashes it to keep dirt out of our eyes. They have an average lifespan of five months and if we lined up all the eyelashes shed during our life, they would measure nearly 30 metres long.
10. We product 3 different types of tears – basal tears to protect against debris and keep the eyes lubricated and nourished; reflex tears which are produced when the eyes are exposed to irritants; and emotional tears which we produce when we are happy or sad! 

Caring for our eyes

Eating healthily, staying hydrated, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking is good for our whole body - especially our eyes – benefiting not only our eyesight, but also the delicate skin around the eyes.

As we mentioned above, the skin around the eyes is much thinner, drier, and less elastic than other parts of the face. It also naturally lacks essential supporting elements such as fat or muscle that make our skin strong and help prevent sagging. The fragility of this area is why it’s often the first part of our face to show signs of ageing.

Although there’s no magic potion that will stop the ageing process, it’s important to keep this delicate area nourished and hydrated to maintain elasticity and diminish signs of ageing. The eye area benefits from gentle, fragrance-free products and gel formulations are often recommended as they’re lighter and easily absorbed.

Gentle skincare for eyes

Base Formula produces a range of Aloe Vera eye gels which have been expertly formulated to gently moisturise, nourish, and revitalise the delicate eye area.

Aloe Vera contains a wealth of naturally active ingredients that are excellent for maintaining healthy skin. It is rich in antioxidant beta carotene*, vitamin C and E which can help fight free radical damage – one of the major causes of premature ageing. It also softens the skin, binds in moisture, and stimulates fibroblasts to produce collagen and elastin fibres that boost the skin’s elasticity and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

* Beta carotene is a precursor or vitamin A (retinol). Our body converts beta carotene into vitamin A which is needed for healthy skin and mucus membranes, a healthy immune system, and healthy eyes.

Fighting signs of ageing

Our eyes age the most between the ages of 20 and 50, so it’s never too early to start using an anti-ageing formula.

Our Age Defence Eye Gel is blended with Pomegranate juice and Chamomile essential oil. Pomegranate is a superb antioxidant and also contains vitamins B and C which help to regenerate and firm the skin. Chamomile soothes and replenishes the skin and can help to reduce puffiness or swelling. 

Minimising dark circles and puffiness

Puffy eyes, bags and dark circles are common problems and can have several causes. They can often be hereditary and passed down through your family, or they could be a sign of ageing as the skin loses elasticity and starts to sag. They can also be caused by sun exposure, allergies, and lifestyle factors such as stress, lack of sleep, excess alcohol, and high salt intake. 

• Dark circles occur when blood pools underneath the eyes. As the skin is very thin and delicate it is more visible, giving the under-eye area a bluish tinge.
• Dark circles can also be caused by hyperpigmentation which causes brown-tinted shadows. This is partly genetic and can be triggered by sun exposure.
• Puffiness can either be a sign of fluid retention or ageing and can also be hereditary.
• Age-related puffiness occurs when the tissue and muscles around the eyes weaken. This allows the fat deposits that usually support the eye to sag which causes a puffing effect. If this has happened, then creams and other potions unfortunately can’t help.
• Puffiness from fluid retention can be caused by too much salt in the diet, stress, allergies, or hormonal changes. 

Depending on the cause it can be possible to improve the appearance of puffiness and dark circles. Lifestyle changes, such as getting more sleep, reducing stress, reducing alcohol, increasing water intake, and improving diet can help, as can using sunscreen and gentle, soothing eyecare products (if your problems are hereditary there is unfortunately no amount of cream or potion that will help).

To help reduce puffiness and dark circles (and soothe sore, irritated eyes) try a cooling eye compress with either Chamomile or Rose Otto Hydrolat. Hydrolats are the natural waters that are collected when plants are steam distilled to extract their essential oil. They contain tiny amounts of essential oil and other water-soluble extracts that give them their therapeutic properties. They are extremely gentle which makes them ideal for skincare and safe for use around the eyes.

Simply pop the bottle in the fridge beforehand to chill, then soak a couple of cotton pads (look out for eco-friendly options) in your chosen hydrolat and place over the eyes. Sit back and relax for 5 minutes before removing. 

Aloe Vera Gel can also be helpful as it thought to help stimulate circulation and reduce inflammation. Try our Hydrating Eye Gel with cucumber extract to brighten and tighten the skin while hydrating and improving the skin’s softness and elasticity.

Our Aloe Vera, Elderflower & Seaweed Eye Gel is also great for minimising puffiness and dark shadows, as well as fine lines and wrinkles. Elderflower has traditionally been used for softening and lightening the skin. Seaweed (Chondrus Crispus) plays an important role in hydrating and firming and is reputed to help reduce puffiness and dark circles around the eye. Other natural extracts within the gel include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Sea Lavender (Limonium vulgare), useful for hydrating the skin, and Thyme (Thymus serpyllum), noted for its’ excellent antioxidant properties. 

Keep your eye gel in the fridge for an extra soothing, cooling effect and gently pat around the eye in an upwards direction.

Gentle facial massage including around your eyes can also help with signs of ageing, dark circles and puffiness by improving blood circulation and draining excess fluid. Read our previous blog on Gua Sha Facial Massage.

Finally, please remember that no cream or gel offers a miracle cure – you’ve also got to follow the basics of skincare, which are eating healthily, drinking lots of water, exercising, getting enough sleep and wearing sunscreen – sunglasses are also great for adding an extra layer of protection for the delicate eye area.