What Are Crow's Feet and How to Handle Them

When you’re trying to figure out someone’s age, the first place you probably look is their eyes—specifically, looking for crow’s feet around the eyes. This is because the delicate skin around the eye area is often one of the first places to show visible signs of aging, including the pesky fine lines and wrinkles we know as crow’s feet. Of course, crow's feet aren't just an indicator of age on other people; they're also something you'll have to deal with yourself. 

Whether you’ve noticed the hint of fine lines forming or you’ve been dealing with them for a while—either way—you might be wondering how to get rid of crow’s feet. We hate to break it to you, but sadly, you can’t snap your fingers and be done with crow’s feet. But, if you’re looking to help diminish their appearance, there are a few helpful steps you can take as part of your skin care routine, including using the right eye cream. But what is the best eye cream for wrinkles and crow’s feet? Below, we’re sharing all the details on this common skin care concern, including a breakdown of what causes crow’s feet. Let’s get to it!

WHAT ARE CROW’S FEET?

First thing’s first, what are crow’s feet? Crow’s feet are tiny wrinkles that can appear at the outer corners of your eyes. But why are they called crow’s feet? Well, it’s simple: they tend to resemble the shape of a crow’s footprint. Crow’s feet are a common sign of skin aging that can begin to appear on your skin as early as your mid or late 20s. As you age, you may notice crow’s feet becoming more visible around your eyes. That’s because as you age, skin becomes more and more depleted of its natural oils, which can lead to wrinkles around your eyes looking more noticeable.

Additionally, the skin around the eyes is structurally very thin, so it’s more prone to becoming dry, which leads to (you guessed it) crow’s feet. What’s more, normal facial expressions such as squinting contribute to the development of crow’s feet, too. Now that you know more about the issue, including what crow’s feet are, allow us to help you find the best eye cream for wrinkles and crow’s feet.

OUR BEST EYE CREAMS FOR WRINKLES AND CROW’S FEET

It’s time to address and help diminish the appearance of those crow's feet you just learned all about. To do so, look for an eye cream that’s formulated to help reduce the look of crow’s feet—and be consistent in using it twice per day, every single day. We’ll get to the best skin care routine for crow’s feet next, but first, take your pick from the following eye creams, choosing based on your age.

If you’re in your 20’s or 30’s…try the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Miracle Blur Eye. With age, skin can start to look and feel less firm and fine lines and wrinkles can appear more visible. As we mentioned, the delicate eye area is particularly susceptible to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and dark circles. This eye cream helps reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, dark circles, and puffiness with continued use over time.

How to use it: Dot on a small amount of eye cream to your eye area with fingertips and gently blend out. Apply daily on bare skin or as the last step in your skin care routine.

If you’re in your 40’s…try the L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Eye Renewal Eye Cream. As you age, you may notice a decrease in overall vitality, including around the eye area. That’s where this eye cream comes in. With a powerful skin-renewing formula, it helps reveal a more radiant-looking eye contour. Immediately, the eye area is hydrated, while with continued use, the appearance of crow’s feet is smoothed, dark circles are visibly minimized, and eyelid crepiness is reduced.

How to use it: Every morning and evening, apply a small amount of eye cream around the entire eye area using fingertips, then pat gently until thoroughly absorbed.

If you’re in your 50’s or older…try the L’Oréal Paris Wrinkle Expert 55+ Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment. The skin has evolving anti-wrinkle needs as it ages. Starting in your 50s, skin loses vital nourishment, which can lead to an increase in the appearance of wrinkles like crow’s feet. This eye cream formula with calcium helps to improve skin smoothness and visibly reduce the signs of aging, including crow’s feet, dryness, and skin texture, with continued use over time.

How to use it: Every morning and night, apply a small amount of eye cream around the entire eye area using fingertips and gently smooth until absorbed.

HOW TO CREATE A SKIN CARE ROUTINE FOR CROW’S FEET

Using an eye cream isn’t the only step you can take to address the appearance of crow’s feet. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, unprotected sun exposure is also a cause of early skin aging. So, make sure you take sun protection measures daily (whether or not you have crow’s feet).

Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher daily as directed and be sure to reapply at least every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating. You should also limit your amount of time in the sun (especially during peak hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.), seek shade when you’re outside, and cover up exposed areas. To protect your eye area in particular, make sure to wear UV-blocking sunglasses.

In addition to taking proper sun protection measures, for those with crow's feet, it will be a must to be gentle when you apply eye cream. Pat—don’t rub—your eye cream to help it absorb. Really, being gentle is the name of the game. Since rough fabrics can pull and tug at the delicate skin around your eyes, providing your skin with something softer to rest on, like silk pillowcases and a silk eye mask, can keep skin from getting aggravated by abrasive fabrics.

And that’s a wrap on crow’s feet! While you can’t get rid of crow’s feet instantly, now you know how to diminish their appearance. Now, onto another eye issue: puffy under-eye bags. Here are Our Best Eye Creams for Puffiness.

What Causes Crow's Feet?

Crow’s feet are a very common skin concern that many deal with. Here are two main causes that lead to their appearance.

Age

It’s a well-known fact that aging can lead to crow’s feet, but let’s get into a bit of the science behind why. According to the Cleveland Clinic, two proteins that help skin retain its plump, youthful appearance — collagen and elastin — naturally decrease as you age. The reason is that the body’s natural collagen and elastin production slows rapidly with age, which weakens and thins the skin. 

This leads to the formation of wrinkles and fine lines, because the skin surrounding your eyes is the thinnest on your face. The skin’s natural oils also deplete with age, which can also make fine lines and wrinkles more prominent. 

Sun Damage

Sun damage can lead to visible signs of aging, such as dark spots, uneven skin tone and crow’s feet. If you’re not diligent with a broad-spectrum SPF, you can experience these signs of aging much earlier and this means they’re only going to get more noticeable as you get older.

3 Ways to Prevent Crow’s Feet

While crow's feet are an inevitable part of aging for many, there are a few things you can do to slow down their formation. Here are three easy practices to adopt in your daily life to prevent their formation.

Wear SPF

As previously mentioned, sun damage can increase the visibility of crow’s feet so it’s imperative to diligently use sunscreen to prevent crow’s feet from occuring prematurely. That means applying a broad-spectrum SPF at least 15 minutes before you go outside and reapplying every two hours, per the Skin Cancer Foundation. 

To help with this, add the L'Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Lotion to your daily routine. It’s a lightweight sunblock with UVA and UVB filters to protect against the sun’s rays that contribute to aging and burning. The non-greasy formula lays on the skin without clogging pores and is formulated with vitamin C and vitamin E to prevent premature aging from free radicals.  

Protect Your Eyes With Protective Gear

Besides the obvious sunscreen, UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brim hat can help to keep your eyes (and the skin around them) shielded from the sun, which can help prevent crow’s feet. 

Add Retinol to Your Routine

Per the Cleveland Clinic, topical retinol stimulates the collagen and elastin that decrease with age, which can help to slow down the skin aging process while giving your skin a youthful appearance. Consider adding a retinol serum, like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Night Serum, 0.3% Pure Retinol, to your nightly skin care routine to soften skin texture and reduce signs of aging like crow’s feet. While it can’t fully prevent crow’s feet, retinol can help reduce their appearance and keep deep-set wrinkles at bay.

How to Get Rid of Crow's Feet

If you’re already dealing with wrinkles in your eye area, it’s possible to get rid of crow’s feet with the help of effective procedures. Here are two options to consider.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels, per the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS), can exfoliate dead skin cells that exacerbate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. When your skin is exfoliated, this can help to reduce the appearance of deep set lines and the texture of crow’s feet. Talk to your dermatologist to see if you’re a good candidate for a chemical peel. 

Botulinum Toxin Injections

Botulinum toxin injections paralyze the muscles that wrinkle when you squint your eyes, which can prevent the formation of crow’s feet, per the Cleveland Clinic. If you want to explore this option, talk to your doctor, as you should not attempt to do these injections yourself or allow anyone other than a professional to perform this type of procedure on your face. 

The Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles and Crow’s Feet

To tackle crow’s feet with your skin care routine, look for an eye cream that includes active ingredients that work to reduce fine lines and minimize visible signs of aging. Take your pick from the following eye creams for under-eye wrinkles and crow’s feet, below.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid + 1% Caffeine Eye Serum

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Eye Treatment

With age, skin can start to look and feel less firm, and fine lines and wrinkles can appear more visible. As previously mentioned, the delicate eye area is particularly susceptible to the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles because the skin is thin. In response to that, this eye cream includes Pro-Retinol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to hydrate the under-eye area while reducing the appearance of crow’s feet, dark circles, and puffiness with continued use over time.

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Anti-Aging Eye Cream Treatment

As you age, you may notice a decrease in the overall plumpness of your skin, especially around the eye area. That’s where this eye cream comes into play because it has a powerful, skin-renewing formula, that tackles dark circles, bags, puffiness, lines and crepey lids. Immediately after application, the eye area is hydrated, while with continued use, crow’s feet are smoothed, dark circles are visibly minimized, eyelid crepiness is reduced and the skin has an overall more youthful appearance.

L’Oréal Paris Wrinkle Expert 55+ Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment 

The skin has evolving anti-wrinkle needs as it ages. Starting in your 50s, skin loses vital nourishment, which can lead to an increase in the appearance of wrinkles like crow’s feet. This eye cream formula with calcium helps to improve skin smoothness and visibly reduce the look of crow’s feet, dryness and skin texture, with continued use over time.

How to Conceal Crow’s Feet With Makeup

Using an eye cream isn’t the only step you can take to address the appearance of crow’s feet. Crow’s feet are harder to conceal than dark spots but the right routine can help to smooth and minimize their appearance. Here are three key steps to follow. 

Step 1. Apply a Face Primer to Your Eye Area

After your sunscreen and eye cream dries you can begin your makeup routine. Start by priming your skin and eye area with the L’Oréal Paris Prime Lab Up to 24H Pore Minimizer because it has a blurring effect that smooths the skin. It also helps to extend your makeup wear for up to 24 hours.

Step 2. Layer On a Hydrating Concealer

Fine lines like crow’s feet are exacerbated by dryness. To avoid this, make sure that you’re using a hydrating under-eye concealer, like L’Oréal Paris True Match Eye Cream in a Concealer, 0.5% Hyaluronic Acid. This concealer contains hyaluronic acid to mimic the benefits of your favorite eye cream and pigment to offer coverage — it’s the perfect way to mask dark circles without calling attention to crow’s feet.

Step 3. Lightly Dust On Face Powder

Face powder is used to mattify the skin, which means it adds dryness and can emphasize texture and fine lines when you apply too much. To avoid this, look for a lightweight formula that has a translucent finish and Use a fluffy brush to lightly dust it on your face. 

Next: Is There a Difference Between Fine Lines and Wrinkles?

Photo Credit: Courtesy of L’Oréal