The skin around your eyes is thinner and more delicate than other areas of your face. This makes it likely to be more sensitive and is one of the first places to show signs that your skin barrier is under stress.
Rather than needing harsh routines or ingredients, irritated skin around the eyes usually responds best to a calmer, balancing approach. Here’s our guide on how to soothe irritated skin around the eyes.
At a glance:
- The skin around the eyes is thinner and more vulnerable to dryness and sensitivity
- Harsh ingredients, over-cleansing, rubbing, dehydration, environmental stressors, and reactions from skin care and make-up can all trigger irritation
- Irritated skin responds best to calming, fragrance-free skin care
- Best eye cream for soothing irritation: Green People Scent Free Eye Cream to restore calm and hydration
- Best mascara for easily irritated eyes: Green People Volumising Mascara - Black
- Consult a doctor if irritation persists or you are concerned
Why the eye area reacts so easily
The skin surrounding the eyes is different from the rest of your face. It’s thinner, contains fewer oil glands, and is constantly moving thanks to blinking and our facial expressions.
This makes it more vulnerable to becoming dry and being affected by the environment or ingredients. You might use products elsewhere on your face that your skin just can’t tolerate around the eyes.
You also probably touch this area way more than you think. This can lead to transfer of irritants or allergens as well as airborne reactions to ingredients your skin might be sensitive to.
Common causes of sensitivity around eyes
The area around your eyes can feel sensitive due to the skin care products you’re using. It’s a sensitive area so irritating ingredients like drying alcohol, sulphates, artificial fragrance or strong retinoids can affect this delicate area. Read more about why eye creams might be irritating your eyes.
The make-up you use on your eyes (and your make-up remover) can also contribute to irritation around the eyes. It may be that it has been open for too long or it may contain ingredients that are too harsh for your skin.
Being too rough when you cleanse or remove your makeup can cause a reaction too, especially if your skin is sensitive. Tugging, rubbing or repeatedly wiping the skin can lead to dryness and reactivity.
Dehydrated skin can also play a role, as it can throw your skin barrier out of balance, making it more susceptible to irritation. Things like cold weather, wind, indoor heating, pollution and allergens can make it worse.
Our best eye cream to soothe irritated skin around the eyes
When irritation appears, the instinct is often to “fix” it quickly, but it’s actually sometimes better to take it easy. If you’re concerned about irritated skin or a reaction around your eyes, consult a medical professional to make sure it isn’t anything more serious.
If your skin just needs soothing relief from irritation, start by completely simplifying your routine so that your skin’s natural barrier can get back into balance.
Our super-gentle, natural and certified organic Scent Free Eye Cream has been made for sensitive skin around the eyes. It’s dermatologically tested, hypoallergenic and completely fragrance free.
It pairs hydrating plant extracts like Aloe Vera, Shea Butter and Sunflower Oil with protective Prebiotics, vitality-boosting Seaweed and polyphenol-rich Everlasting Flower. This combination gently locks in hydration and targets crows’ feet, puffy eyes and eyelid wrinkles while keeping your skin soothed and in balance.
Augencreme ohne Duftstoffe 10ml
Rejuvenate and soothe with our gentlest eye cream for sensitive skin€26,95
The rest of your routine
If you’re experiencing irritation around your eyes, you may also want to check in on the rest of your skin care routine.
Your face wash and your make-up remover are great places to start streamlining your routine. Instead of using harsh washes that can dry out your skin, leaving your skin barrier disrupted and prone to irritation, choose a gentle cleanser that uses natural ingredients to keep things in balance.
Scent Free Cleanser
Our Scent Free Cleanser is kind and gentle for all skin types, plus it’s completely fragrance free, dermatologically tested and naturally non-irritating. Made with soothing Calendula, nourishing Shea Butter and balancing Inulin Prebiotics, it leaves your skin feeling clean and soothed without irritation.
Cleanser ohne Duftstoffe 150ml
This fragrance-free cleanser is a sensitive skin essential!€38,95
Scent Free 24-Hour Cream
Our Scent Free 24-Hour Cream is the perfect organic face cream if you are prone to irritation. Clinically proven to be kind to sensitive skin, it’s one of our bestsellers for a reason. Dermatologically tested, fragrance-free and made with gentle, natural ingredients to hydrate and soothe the skin, it’s gentle enough for all skin types.
24-Stunden-Creme ohne Duftstoffe 50ml
Healthy skin starts with our bestselling moisturiser for sensitive skinMany people with easily irritated skin find it difficult to find a sunscreen that their skin and eyes can tolerate.
For sun protection for sensitive skin, we recommend our Scent Free Facial Sun Cream SPF30. This beautifully gentle cream nourishes your skin defends against UV rays and sun damage. It’s naturally unscented and enhances your skin with nutrient-rich Aloe Vera, protective Cocoa Butter, antioxidant-rich Green Tea and balancing Prebiotics.
Sonnencreme ohne Duftstoffe für das Gesicht - LSF30 50 ml
Shield and hydrate with this facial SPF. Ideal for dry or sensitive skin.€38,95
For skin-calming hydration while you sleep, our soothing Scent Free Truffle Night Cream helps boost your skin barrier and is clinically proven to calm your skin. It’s fragrance-free and uses clinically proven Sugar Beets to protect against dehydration along with calming Northern Truffle and restorative Hemp to moisturiser.
Nachtcreme mit Schafporling ohne Duftstoffe 50ml
Soothe, calm and repair with this Ceramide and Truffle sleep cream€44,95
Want to find out more? Discover more of our scent free skin care range, made with ultra-sensitive skin in mind.
Choosing a gentle mascara
Your eye make-up can also cause irritation around your eyes. If your eye area is experiencing a flare-up, you may wish to go make-up free for a few days whilst your skin settles.
When you are ready, you may like to try our Volumising Mascara. Available in black and brown, this ultra-gentle mascara is made with mineral pigments and natural plant oils. It is suitable for sensitive eyes.
Volumen-Mascara - Schwarz 7ml
Get gorgeous lashes day or night with this natural mascara in black. Great for sensitive eyes!€30,95
Prefer a gentler contrast? See it in brown.
Read more about our mascaras for easily irritated, sensitive eyes.
Remember, if you do have concerns about your skin or eyes it’s always a good idea to speak to your doctor to make sure it isn’t anything serious.
Our risk-free guarantee
We speak to many people who have spent hundreds of pounds trying to find the right products for their allergy-prone skin.
So that you can try our products risk-free, we offer a 28-day returns guarantee so if you try our products and find they are not suitable for your skin, you can return them for a full refund.
Would you like help choosing the right eye cream for easily irritated skin around your eyes? Our friendly UK customer care team is happy to help with any questions about ingredients and can be contacted on 01403 740350
If you wish to republish this content, please credit Green People as the original creator with a link to 'How to soothe irritated skin around eyes.' Please do not use an affiliate link.
REVIEWED BY CHARLOTTE, FOUNDER OF GREEN PEOPLE
This blog post has been reviewed by Charlotte Vøhtz, founder of Green People, who has 25+ years of experience in the natural and organic beauty industry.
A recognised leader in the field of organic beauty, Charlotte helped inform the UK's first organic beauty standards and was voted the People’s Choice in the 2023 list of Who’s Who in Natural Beauty.
A published author, she wrote the organic beauty bible ‘Naturally Gorgeous’. Previously, she qualified as a nurse and spent over 10 years working in pharmaceuticals.
