Homemade Eye Cream in Three Easy Steps

I love skincare. Oh my, oh my…I am a skincare sucker. As far as products go: does it promise me eternal youth? Can it shrink my pores? Will it preserve my 20s for me even when I’m 50? I’ma buy it. Got $60 to my name? I DON’T NEED TO EAT.

I have had a love affair with high-end skincare since I was 19. It all started when an 80-year-old woman stopped me on the streets of NYC. She took my hand and looked into my eyes and said, “You look so angry, you’re furrowing your brow. Stop that or you’ll look like me in 10 years! Take care of your skin!” I kid you not. It haunts me to this day. Afterwards, I walked into Macy’s and bought everything I could find that said “anti-aging” on it. I didn’t know at the time there were ingredients in some of those products that were harmful to me. Like…really harmful.

Instead, I believed what it said on the (beautiful) bottles of serums, plumping agents and moisturizers…claims that are rarely ever true. Now, at nearly 29, I care far less about preserving my young face than I do about being really healthy and CLEAN about it. I don’t want to hurt animals, the environment, or use scary chemicals to make sure I am line-free. Plus, I happen to think my laugh lines are ridiculously adorable, thankyouverymuch.

Here is the all-natural, homemade eye cream I have been using to fight aging, puffiness and dark circles. For this recipe, you’ll need:

• Organic virgin coconut oil
• Vitamin E oil
• Evening primrose oil
• Essential oil(s) of your choice (optional)
• 2 oz. or smaller container (try and use an old eye cream container, preferably made of glass!)

The basic recipe is two parts virgin coconut oil, one part vitamin E oil, and one part evening primrose oil.

Start with the two parts of virgin organic coconut oil, liquid. If your coconut oil is solid due to the temperature in the room (76 degrees or less), simply scoop out the amount you’d like to use and put it in a pan on the burner, heating it up on low until it is liquefied (should take less than a minute). Pour the coconut oil into the container – voila, your base! Coconut oil improves and promotes the moisture in your skin. You’ll find that once you start using it, the more you use it, the less you actually need, because it literally builds up a protective layer. You can feel it after a few uses: you don’t lose moisture as easy. It is also anti-fungal, which means that it will actually stave off acne (which is weird, because it’s oil – but it actually has improved my skin, and I feel much more “glowy” using it, as opposed to my old moisturizers that had 20 ingredients. Simplification has really helped my skin. Just let it set in for a few minutes, ya know, so you don’t look like you’re a character melting at a wax museum. It needs some time to absorb! (I went to an audition immediately after applying this once, and I think they thought I was a mannequin. Whatever, their loss! I’m doin’ ME.)

Next, add one part vitamin E oil. If you are using caplets, use your own discretion – this is not an exact science. Vitamin E oil is a natural antioxidant. Which, hello, free radicals – be gone! My mother taught me to use straight vitamin e oil on scars or stretch marks. I have never forgotten that. As a person with relatively sensitive skin, when I get a pimple or a bug bite, the area stays pink for awhile. Using vitamin e has really helped me eradicate those problems, and it works so well with the coconut oil to create a sort of “smoothing over” effect over time. A natural Photoshop!

Your last key ingredient is the evening primrose oil – add one part. This is a fatty oil like the coconut oil. Evening primrose oil helps soothe sensitive skin, and also rehydrates your skin from below the surface. It may even help prevent clogged pores and acne.

If you have any essential oils, feel free to add them (a drop of lavender would be a nice addition to promote a restful night), but remember to use essential oils sparingly. As a general rule, they should be paired with a “fatty” oil like olive oil, coconut oil, etc., and should not be used alone.

I prefer to use this concoction at night before bed. My eyes are less tired looking in the morning, brighter, and fine lines are diminished quite a bit. I won’t lie, after I started using this concoction on my eyes and liked the way it felt, I started putting it on my forehead and then eventually pretty much over my entire face! I feel like this is the best thing I have done for my skin in a long time, and extremely cost effective. My skin feels plumper, firmer, and healthier!