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.