Your eye area is the most delicate part of your skin and therefore needs extra pampering. There are fewer fat deposits as well as less oil around your eye area. It's owing to this subtle structure and characteristics that it is most likely to display signs of aging and who would want that? Caring for your eyes becomes inevitable as you reach your mid-twenties and this requires specially formulated products, such as eye serum and eye cream.

What is eye serum?

Much like a face serum, eye serums are highly saturated with active ingredients. As they are small in molecular size and weight, they can easily penetrate through your skin's surface.

What is eye cream?

This is like a traditional face moisturizer but for your eyes. The ratio of active to non-active ingredients these eye creams possess is generally low. In some cases, there may be no actives in the ingredient list at all. Eye creams contain the following moisturizing ingredients:

Humectants: being natural humectants these suck in water from the surrounding air to keep your skin hydrated at all times. Some examples are aloe Vera and hyaluronic acid.

Emollients: some such as squalene and fatty acids, help in the promotion of smooth and silky skin.

Occlusive: the moisturizing property of these substances creates an impenetrable barrier on your skin's surface. This aids in minimizing moisture loss. Beeswax and plant-based oils are some common occlusive. 

How is an eye serum different from an eye cream?

Type of Skin

Owing to their lightweight texture eye serums are suitable for all skin types. If you tend to identify among those with oil skin type, or you experience specific eye care issues, then eye serums are ideal for you; this is one of the greatest benefits of eye serum.  

Eye serums are non-greasy, water or gel-based formulas. It is this formulation that renders them suitable to be layered with other products or even makeup without making your skin feel heavy or sticky. This is why they are used in reparative products to deal with skin issues. 

If you have a drier skin type and your skin needs more hydration than usual, then eye creams are best for you. The rich, moisturizing formula assists in quenching your skin's thirst effectively. Moreover, the advanced eye creams are formulated in particular with anti-aging ingredients. These work best against fine lines and wrinkles and even if your eyes have not yet started displaying signs of aging, an eye cream is a cost-effective way to prevent aging. 

One of the benefits of eye serum is that they usually contain hyaluronic acid, tripeptide, and vitamin C to smooth the under eyes for a refreshed appearance. You can apply it around your eyes in the morning as well as at night to promote bright eyes. 

You can also layer an eye cream over your eye serum for some hydration. After you apply eye serum you can use your fingers to pat a small amount of the cream on under the eyes to lock in hydration, priming the eyes for makeup, and an overall smooth appearance. 

The Purpose

The biggest advantage of eye serums is that they are highly concentrated. The potency as well as their ability to be layered with heavy eye cream suggests they are effective in dealing with eye concerns such as puffiness and crow's feet. 

On the contrary eye creams have little to no active ingredients, suggesting they are not concentrated. The main purpose is to hydrate your delicate skin around the eyes. Since skin hydration is the best defense against premature aging, eye creams can be used as a preventative method in your everyday skincare regime. 

What you can do is apply an eye cream on top of your eye serum. This is one of the benefits of eye cream, it strengthens and restores your eye area as you sleep and diminishes the appearance of puffiness and dark circles. You can then gently pat the indulgent eye cream on over the serum before bed for youthful and fresher eyes till daybreak. 

Consistency

Serums have a liquid consistency while creams are creamy. One of the benefits of eye serum is that it allows for quick absorption into your skin with a weightless feel. As such, these serums are highly suitable for ones with oily skin types, who need to hydrate their skin without any sticky feels. 

On the contrary eye creams are typically thick and heavy in consistency. This is why they form a hydrating barrier around your under eyes to ward off any dryness. The thick layer of the cream also retains moisture in your skin layers effectively. 

The Final Verdict

For those who question is eye cream and eye serum the same thing? No, it is not! Eye serums are packed with active ingredients while eye creams are not. For this reason, eye serums are used for addressing dark circles, puffiness, and dull eyes. 

The main purpose of eye creams is to provide utmost hydration to the delicate skin around your eyes. They contain minimal levels of active ingredients if at all. 

Coming to the final deal-do you need eye serum and eye cream? As well moisturized skin means a lower probability of premature lines and wrinkles, eye creams are a must-have arsenal in your skincare. It must be understood that eye serums are not surrogates for eye creams, and will only take your skincare to another level. So, whether you incorporate an eye cream or a serum in your skincare regime, it's entirely your call.