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Image / Beauty

Crow’s Feet Be Gone


By Ellie Balfe
26th Apr 2016

Portrait of a female mountain biker in nature

Crow’s Feet Be Gone

Crow’s Feet. Don’t they just seem to appear overnight? Those tiny, little fine lines that all of a sudden surround the eyes – more prominent upon smiling, less so when in repose, but the thing is they are there! Undeniably there, and increasing too.

Just in?case you haven’t yet noticed their arrival (you must be under 30, or have a picture in your attic), the thing that’s happening to the area is that the skin there is slowly, but surely, losing elasticity. Each smile, and expression you make causes the muscle to move, and thus stretch the skin beyond its resting state. Now, yes, skin is generally supple and pliant, but around the eyes it is the thinnest skin on your face and as it ages, it loses moisture via collagen levels decreasing, resulting in lines. Or ‘crow’s feet’ – that phrase that I always think conjures?up something slightly sinister.

Here’s the thing though, I am slightly loath?to denounce these little lines as a horrible negative. They are signs of life; of laughing, living and expressing yourself. Sometimes, yes, they are signs of smoking and hard living and these must be classed indeed as horrible negatives, but also, they are part of living that glorious life of yours, no?

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One thing I will happily endorse though is the new Instant Brightening Beauty Shot from clean skincare brand, REN. Having tried many, many eye potions that promise lifting, lightening and tightening, and finding them mainly lacking, I was really quite gleeful?to see this little beauty shot having an effect as it does.

First impressions were of the?nice texture. It’s a gel-serum that feels light and non-tacky on the eye area, makeup slips on easily over it too. The secret to this is that it consists of a patented mix of hyaluronic acids which serve to increase the skin’s own moisture levels. Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times it’s own weight in water and is one of my personal favourite skin care super-hero ingredients, simply for the fact that it works.

As does this product! I’ve used it diligently for six weeks now and my eyes look remarkably less lined. They are still my usual 40 year old eyes, but I’m ok with them (and the living and laughing I’ve done to date) and I’m sure I could pass for 38 at a stretch.