Discover SkinCeuticals sun protection for the skin surrounding the eyes. Learn about under-eye sunscreen and how to apply it for UV protection.

It goes without saying that sun protection is an absolute must in any skincare routine and needs to be worn year-round, rain or shine. Any dermatologist will tell you that the best step you can take for the health of your skin and the number one tip for aging gracefully is to wear sunscreen all over your face every day. Most chemical and mineral sunscreens offer UV protection—from both UVA and UVB rays, which can cause hyperpigmentation and skin cancer, break down collagen production and so much more. Layering on a minimum of SPF 30 (SPF 50 or higher is ideal, especially in the summer!) on the regular will do wonders for maintaining the health and integrity of your skin. It’s important to apply sunscreen to your entire face, but an area that often gets missed is around the eyes. Sometimes people are hesitant about applying sun protection around the eyes because some SPFs can cause the eyes to burn or sting. This can happen when we sweat, which causes the sunscreen we’re wearing to run into our eyes. But it doesn’t have to be this way with under-eye sunscreen! Read on for everything you need to know about applying sunscreen near your eyes and which SPF formulas are safest and most comfortable to wear.

Can you use sunscreen around the eyes?

The answer is yes! The skin around your eyes is delicate and considerably thinner than the skin on the rest of your face, so using UV protection is essential. Sun damage can decrease elasticity and cause uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation and other skin concerns, and because that skin is so thin, these types of issues show up easily. This is why the eye area is often the first to show signs of aging. Hence the importance of using sunscreen near the eyes. But when it comes to sun protection for the eyes, not all formulas are created equal. When you’re choosing UV protection for the eye area, a mineral sunscreen is always a safe bet because it’s less likely to irritate the eyes. SkinCeuticals Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50 is specifically formulated to use around the eyes. It’s ultra-gentle and can even be used on sensitive skin. It contains zinc oxide, a microfine sunscreen filter that provides broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays, and won’t leave behind a white residue.

How do you apply sunscreen around the eyes?

In addition to wearing a big pair of sunglasses, applying sunscreen near your eyes is a great way to keep that delicate skin protected. To avoid getting sunscreen in your eyes, there are a few handy tips to keep in mind. To ensure that you’re getting the most protection from your under-eye sunscreen or eye moisturizer with SPF, it should be the last step in your eye skincare routine. This means that if you wear an eye cream daily, you should apply that before going in with your eye sunscreen. Just like with the two-finger rule for applying the right amount of sun protection to your face, you want to ensure you’re applying enough under-eye sunscreen to maximize protection. After you’ve completed your morning skincare routine (including your facial sunscreen), squeeze a pea-size amount of SkinCeuticals Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50 onto your fingertips and gently dab it around your eye area, including under and around the eyes and on your eyelids. Gently massage your UV protection into your skin and wait a few minutes before applying any makeup overtop.

What’s the best sunscreen for sensitive eyes?

Like we mentioned earlier, selecting the right sunscreen for the eye area is important to ensure that you’re giving it broad-spectrum UV protection. Plus, using an SPF that’s not formulated for the eye area can cause irritation and might sting the eyes. But there are sunscreens that won’t burn the eyes. SkinCeuticals has a range of gentle sunscreens for sensitive skin, including a tinted mineral sunscreen and a non-tinted mineral SPF, along with a sunscreen that’s formulated specifically for the eye area. Formulated with 100% physical filters, SkinCeuticals Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50 is ophthalmologist-tested and the best mineral sunscreen for eye protection. The formula doesn’t contain any water, which makes it less likely to run into the eyes and cause irritation. It also smooths the skin and primes it perfectly for eye makeup.