Before we go on, we should note: Fine lines happen to us all at some point, and they are signs of a life well lived. Crow’s feet, for example, signal years spent laughing and smiling—and that’s a beautiful thing. “When we start to have less collagen and elastic fibers in skin as it ages, this very thin skin shows lines earliest,” explains board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD. That thin skin is also why the area is more sensitive to sun damage, pollution, and oxidative stress—all of which can contribute to sagging skin and wrinkles. For instance, while both tend to crop up around the eye area, “crow’s feet” is a more specific term for those crinkled edges radiating out from the corners of the eyes. Fine lines, on the other hand, can refer to any sort of wrinkled skin—be it on the eye, forehead, or décolletage. They can also differ in size: “Crow’s feet can be very thin, fine lines, or they can be very heavy and deep,” board-certified dermatologist Jeanine Downie, M.D., explains, whereas fine lines are, well, fine. It’s common to use the two interchangeably (and it’s totally OK if you do, says Downie); just know that crow’s feet are a little more specific anatomically. That said, look for formulas that promote cell turnover and collagen production; perhaps seek products with vitamin A (like retinoids), which can gently exfoliate the area and reveal smooth, younger-looking skin underneath. Ciraldo is also partial to peptides, as these can support your body’s natural production of collagen. “Many peptides have been developed specifically to be used around eyes,” she notes. In terms of antioxidants, vitamin C can also support collagen production, and vitamin B is great for toning and soothing the area. Astaxanthin is also a powerful antioxidant that can help manage free radicals from pollution and sun exposure (which, you’ll see below, is paramount for delaying crow’s feet).* Ciraldo also recommends protecting the entire crow’s-foot area with sunglasses—not only to lessen UV damage but also to keep you from squinting into the sun. Same goes for when you sleep: Try not to sleep with your face smashed into the pillow; or, if you’re an adamant stomach sleeper, you can invest in a silk pillowcase that won’t snag the skin. So in addition to loading up on eye creams with ceramides (reminder: Ceramides are a natural part of our skin structure that is able to retain water), perhaps support your body’s own ceramides with supplements that can help that barrier stay strong. In fact, studies have shown that oral administration of phytoceramides (which are just plant-based ceramides) improved skin smoothness and elasticity1 in just weeks. Find our favorite beauty supplements with ceramides here. Enter: face yoga. Much like a standard vinyasa class, this series of exercises can isolate and tone your muscles—except it’s custom-fit for the face. One 2018 study even found that daily face yoga could reduce signs of facial aging2; it does so by stimulating circulation, which can spur the production of collagen and keep your skin looking taut. Try a few exercises that target those delicate eye muscles, which you can find here. When it comes to applying concealer on fine lines, less is certainly more. You might think globbing on makeup is the key to covering up crow’s feet, but all that product can easily sink into those lines and exacerbate their appearance. Rather, makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran recommends spot concealing: Place little dots of product on the eyelids, inner and outer corner of the eyes, and any other areas you’d like to cover up. “Use a tiny amount of concealer on a small fluffy brush and lightly buff these areas,” Jaikaran once shared with mbg. You can apply more dots if you need, but remember to buff it gently between each layer. That way, the product fades into the skin quite nicely without separating.
