Our eyes may tell a story, but they cannot lie. Our eyes reveal a lot about us — those secrets we try to keep, such as staying up too late, eating poorly or sun worshiping. Our bad habits find themselves deep inside the lines around our eyes, bags under our eyes (the size of your Hartmann luggage) and dark circles.

The skin around our eyes is thin. It shows signs of aging and poor lifestyle long before other areas on our face. The fact of the matter is, the skin is far thicker and more resilient elsewhere on our face. The skin around our eyes is prone to irritation and tends to be sensitive. It’s no wonder women reach for eye treatments (creams, gels, lotions) more than any other anti-aging product. There are products that promise to firm, brighten, sooth, moisturize, prevent fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dark circles, and rid of puffiness.

We are not educated on proper skin care early enough in life. In fact, dermatologists agree that to get the most benefit from eye treatments, the optimum age to start using them is in our mid-twenties (earlier if you are a smoker or have been exposed to too much sun). I know what you are thinking … great, I never knew this and now I am so behind. I get it. I didn’t use eye treatment products until my early 30s.

After age 30, the repair process slows and our skin starts to lose elasticity, so the skin loses firmness. It is less able to hold hydration, no matter how much water we drink. However, there is hope and there are a lot of great eye treatment products on the market (this being my favorite). The key is finding a treatment that works well for you and your particular issues (bags, dark circles, fine lines — or all of the above) and sticking with it. Twice a day.

Should you have any doubts about how to best care for the skin around your eyes, consult with your dermatologist.