When we’re talking to customers about choosing new glasses, many ladies (and a few men!) mention the problem of the under eye area. The stresses and strains of everyday life, late nights, smoking, alcohol, can all affect your skin. These factors contribute to dark circles, bags under the eyes, puffy areas and crows feet. Before you go under the Surgeons knife, have a think about what you can do in your choice of frames to help resolve the problem…

Firstly, a few lifestyle changes will benefit the under eye area and help you feel healthier generally. Smoking dulls your skin and can lead to the early onset of Age Related Macular Degeneration, so give up!! Drink more water, get plenty of sleep and work on your five-a-day of fruit and veg, boring but you’ll be more beautiful! Secondly shop around and try out some skin products. Don’t overload the delicate eye area, and never use heavy face creams around the eyes. Use specific products and pat in very gently – your ring finger will be the gentlest. Don’t drag the skin and remove all traces of make up before you go to sleep.

Make up around this area should be light and very well blended. Scrutinise your eyes and make sure eyeliner etc is kept soft and there are no hard edges. A sweep of a highlighter such as the iconic YSL Touche Eclat will reflect light back and camouflage problem areas. Bobbi Brown’s Tinted Eye Brightener is another great product that soothes the skin and will help to lighten dark shadows.

When you choose your new frames, go shallow, so that the under eye area is not within your frames, where it will be enhanced by the lenses! If you are long sighted your lenses will magnify the eyes, so choose a flatter lens. Make sure the bottom rim covers the lower edge of any baggy bits or wrinkles! Rimless or semi-rimless glasses will just add another set of lines and draw attention to shadows. Go for a bold rim in plastic or metal, that will draw attention to the frame and your eyes within it, not the area round the eye.