Eye Serum vs Eye Cream — What is the Difference?

What Is Eye Serum?

Eye serums are lightweight skincare products formulated specifically for use around the eye area. Like eye creams, most eye serums are designed to help address eye-area skin concerns, such as dark under-eye circles, crow's feet, or puffiness.
Eye serums are highly concentrated in active ingredients, these ingredients are typically smaller in regard to molecular weight. This allows the active ingredient to better penetrate the skin’s surface.

What Is Eye Cream?

Eye creams are formulated specifically for the delicate skin around the eye, so they tend to be thicker. They contain more oil than a regular facial lotion, and they have a lot of active ingredients aimed at the problems we see around the eyes.
Eye creams don’t have as many active ingredients in them as eye serums, they are more of a moisturising agent as dry skin around the eyes can be a common problem and a lack in hydration can trigger a series of ageing concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles.

What Is The Main Difference Between Serums and Creams?

In terms of texture, eye serums have a lighter, watery texture. This lighter watery texture allows serums to effectively absorb into the skin. Whereas eye cream are heavier in texture and tends to feel thicker and creamier on your skin.
An eye serum can be used by most skin types particularly those with mature skin or oily skin types, however eye creams are more suitable to those with drier skin.

What Is The Purpose Of Eye Serums and Eye Creams

An eye serum is typically used as a treatment for specific eye care concerns, as we mentioned earlier. The ingredients used in an eye serum are typically of smaller molecular weight and this allows for quicker absorption in the skin layers where the serum can work its magic. Eye serums are often seen as reparative beauty products to tackle existing skincare issues.

An eye cream often has little to no active ingredients with its primary purpose being to hydrate the delicate skin around your eyes. Remember, optimal skin hydration is your best defence against signs of skin ageing so for that reason, eye creams are often used as a preventative treatment in the average skincare routine.

What Are The Benefits Of Eye Serums and Eye Creams

Eye creams and serums are both valuable products to have in your skincare routine. Neither is better than the other. However a serum may offer several benefits that a cream may not.

Let’s take a look…

Benefits of Eye Serum:

• Serums are layerable even under make up due to their water based, non greasy texture.
• They’re highly concentrated to address specific concerns. Their potency, along with their ability to be paired with heavier eye creams, means eye serums are highly effective in managing eye-area concerns like puffiness and crow’s feet.
• They are lightweight and absorb easily. The fact that they are liquidy allows them to absorb into the skin easily with a weightless feel.
• They work faster. Serums penetrate faster and deeper than creams so will tackle the concerns far more quickly.

We recommend trying DermaQuest Peptide Eye Firming Serum as it’s formulated to quickly penetrate the skin improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Obagi ELASTIderm Eye Treatment Gel and Obagi ELASTIderm Complex Eye Serum are also good eye serum options.

Benefits of Eye Cream:

• Keeps the skin around the eyes hydrated. This thin skin needs a specialised kind of hydration which eye cream provides. It does this with just the right concentration of ingredients that won't irritate the skin and dry it out further.
• It can strengthen and protect the delicate skin around your eyes as this is more vulnerable and prone to irritants more than the rest of your face.
• Can minimise puffiness. The best eye creams have ingredients that reduce these visible signs of fatigue.
• Minimises dark circles. Dark circles are caused by different reasons, but if yours are due to the generally thinner skin under the eye area, then eye cream will help to boost the skin’s depth.

Try Obagi ELASTIderm Eye Cream or DermaQuest Stem Cell 3D Eye Lift as the lightweight yet nourishing cream combines powerful antioxidants with Vitamin E to soften the skin and diminish the appearance of fine lines around the eyes.

Can I Use Eye Serum and Cream In My Routine?

The answer to this is simply yes! As long as your skin is comfortable and ok with it, you will see the benefits from them both. Don’t forget that eye creams and eye serums both have different purposes. Creams for hydration and moisturising purposes. Serums for reparative purposes such as skin brightening and firming. Both can tackle ageing concerns.

What Are The Disadvantages To Eye Serums and Creams

Like any skincare products, overusing when not necessary can cause skin blockages so be careful not to overdo it. The only disadvantage really would be using the wrong one for your skin so be sure to seek professional advice if you’re uncertain of which one to use. You can do that by speaking to our GlowBay skin expert on a 10 minute discovery call.

For more on this topic or to find the right serum or cream for you, book an online skin consultation with our GlowBay skin expert.