Pamper Your Peepers: a Guide to the Newest Eye Care Products

Plagued by puffiness? Bothered by bags? There's no reason to have to deal with less-than-perfect eyes, with new products containing the latest in eye care technology. Are you someone whose preference is organic or all-natural products? Or do you prefer to let science and technology work miracles? Either way, there are products reviewed here that you will want to try.

Let's start with something natural, "GinZing" eye cream from Origins. It's no secret that caffeine is the perk-up product of choice for many people in the USA. Sure, a cup of coffee perks up your mind, but your eyes too? Absolutely. This cream contains an exclusive complex of caffeine, Panax ginseng, magnolia extract, and natural brighteners to refresh and turn tired, puffy eyes into radiant, glowing eyes. The caffeine in the cream helps to tighten the skin around your eyes, making them much less puffy. It retails at $29.50 at Origins stores and online at www.origins.com If ordering from the website, you can include free samples with your order and you recieve free standard shipping for orders $50 and over. Origins has a really neat recycling program called the "Return to Origins" program. When finished with a cosmetic product, wash and make sure its empty, then bring it to your nearest Origins store and there will be a recycling container. It helps cut down on a ton of waste that could be used versus sitting in a landfill. It also cuts down on manufacturing costs, which saves money in the long run by keeping prices down. Good for the environment and your wallet!

If puffiness at the end of a long day gets you down, look no further than Ole Henrikson Ultimate Lift Eye Gel. It's made with cucumber extract, giving it natural cooling properties. It retails for $38.00, but lasts a long time because you only need to use a minimal amount to make a big difference in how refreshed your eyes look and feel. Ole Henrikson products are available at Sephora stores nationwide or at www.sephora.com. For a more cost-effective strategy, you can use chilled tea bags or cucumber slices and rest them on your eyelids for up to 3 minutes.

Trying to conceal dark circles but having no luck? Try Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Concealer. It has Olay face cream inside to tighten skin, and Covergirl concealer to mask bags while the cream is working. With repeated use, dark areas should disappear. I'd also recommend using a concealer with brighteners to lighten up the skin under the eyes where bags usually lurk. A low-cost way to hide bags temporarily calls for your everyday facial moisturizer, as it temporarily hides dark circles. The concealer can be found at your neighborhood supercenter or drugstore. A more natural way to hide those dark spots would be to soak a washcloth in cold milk (yeah, I know it doesn't sound too fun) and place it over your eyelids. The lactic acid found in milk is a natural skin-soother.

Did you have a late night last night? Is your eye makeup refusing to come off, no matter how hard you wipe your eyes? Check out a makeup remover designed especially for the sensitive, thin skin around your eyes. A low-cost one is Clean & Clear Soothing Eye Makeup Remover, $6.00 at drugstores or Walmarts nationwide. It's made for sensitive skin and is non-irritating. I've used Clean & Clear products for most of my adult life (along with other products) and have yet to have a problem with them. This particular formula is less harsh than most of their cleansers. If cloth wipes are more your style, then Pond's or Visine Total Eye Soothing Wipes are perfect for you. Both are non-irritating and pretty much one-step, although the Pond's wipes do need to be wet first under running water. The Visine wipes are pre-moistened and $7.00 nets you 30 wipes. Both products can be found at drugstores or local supercenters.

With all the cool products out there, there's no reason to let your best feature suffer needlessly. Look more alert and feel better with bright, beautiful eyes!