Sensitive Eye Contour Cream: A Homemade Skincare Recipe

A good eye contour cream isn’t easy to find for sensitive skin. Here is a DIY recipe to make one tailored to your needs.

Making this eye contour cream is a bit technical, but not very difficult; it’s simply a matter of staying organized. A kitchen thermometer is helpful to make it easier.

Eye contour cream for sensitive skin, the explained recipe

For this recipe, as with any cream, you’ll need an emulsifier since we mix two immiscible phases, that is, two liquids that don’t mix naturally. At the same time you can opt for an eye fatigue remedy and an eye contour cream for tired eyes.

Ingredients for the eye contour cream

There are several options, here is a proposed blend for 50 mL of product. In terms of container, you can reuse a 50 mL glass jar or a small bottle. This recipe yields an eye contour cream that is fairly rich and thick, but smooth and with a non-greasy feel. You should take your time for it to penetrate like any eye-care product. Be careful not to get product in the eye.

Aqueous phase :

• 26 mL of water
• 7 mL of organic cornflower hydrosol

Oil phase :

• 7 mL of a carrier oil suitable for sensitive, delicate skin such as the rice bran oil or calophyllum oil (tamanu oil).
• 4 mL of olive oil-based emulsifier (Olivem 1000 or equivalent).
• 8 mL of plant-based silicone, for example coco-caprylate, sometimes sold under the name coco silicone and whose synthesis isn’t as polluting comparatively.

Preservative : Leucidal 50 drops (= about 2 mL)

It’s obviously possible to add actives such as an anti-wrinkle ingredient, a hydrator, or a firming agent. You can vary the hydrosols according to the desired effect, but for an eye-care product, do not use essential oils as a precaution. Then you just need to implement the emulsion.

Two types of emulsions

There is, on one side, an oil phase, essential as it nourishes the skin, and an aqueous phase. For homemade preparations, we mix these two phases, as you would when making homemade mayonnaise. We distinguish two types of emulsion: the oil-in-water emulsion, which yields lighter textures, and the water-in-oil emulsion, for creams suited to very dry skin.

An emulsion is inherently somewhat unstable due to the attraction between molecules and density. It is therefore not uncommon for the oil phase to reform and rise above the aqueous phase. For some products, you even need to shake them before use. It is then possible to use a category of surfactant, the emulsifier, whose role is to stabilize the emulsion. That way, the cream stays creamy.

The plant emulsifier in focus

For sensitive eyes, an oil-based emulsifying wax is perfectly suitable. The emulsifying wax is more of a wax than an emulsifier, but it is relatively easy to use. Its emulsifying effect is sufficient for a light eye cream.

Be mindful of the composition and especially the source of the oil; some brands use palm oil or other oils with unclear traceability. A good solution is Olivem 1000 wax, or cetearyl olivate, an oil-based emulsifying wax, which acts as both a moisturizer and emulsion stabilizer. It is used in the oil phase. With it, you obtain a fairly rich texture, yet usable for an eye contour cream.

Preparing the eye contour cream

First, take care of the aqueous phase. For this, prepare the water and the hydrosol in a heatproof container that can go into a bain-marie (double boiler). In another container, prepare the oil phase, i.e., the carrier oil, the plant-based silicone, and the emulsifier.

Heat both bowls in the bain-marie until the mixture reaches about 70°C (about 158°F). The time depends, in fact, on the melting of the emulsifier on one side. Before it is completely melted, start whisking the mixture vigorously. The aqueous mixture should begin to simmer. Then remove the bowls from the bain-marie and continue whisking the oily phase.

Slowly pour the aqueous mixture into the other bowl while continuing to whisk vigorously for about 3 minutes. Place this bowl in a cold water bath and whisk until it cools. The mixture should reach about 30°C (86°F). Finally add the Leucidal and mix well; do not hesitate to let the mixture rest for about ten minutes before whisking again. The preparation is then complete and you can transfer it to a container.