Can you use oil around your eyes?

Oil to replace eye cream

Looks like I have to eat my words because what I am about to share today is contradicting what I’ve highlighted in my earlier entry about milia seeds. In the entry, I mentioned that I had developed a milia seed after using Rose Hip Oil around my eyes and my conclusion was that oil should not be used around the eyes to prevent milia seeds from forming.

Well, to a large extent, I still maintain my stand that oil used around the eye area can contribute to the growth of milia seeds.  However, that doesn’t mean that oil cannot be used around the eye area. You just need to choose the right oil and apply on the right areas.

And on what basis do I say this? On the basis that I’ve been using different types of oil around my eye area for around two months now.  Yes, even though after developing a milia seed, that has not detered me from experimenting.

My experiment using different oils around the eye area
I started with Camellia Oil and then switched to Sea Buckthorn Oil in early October after learning that it can help to reduce wrinkles from Leon of Beauty Secrets Revealed.  I applied it on the outer corners of my eyes in the hope that the oil can rid my fine lines and crow’s feet.  To be honest, I had to keep my fingers crossed all the time I was using the oil because of the fear of milia seeds.  Good thing nothing happened and I became bolder, extending the application of the oil to the top and under areas of my eyes. 

Sea Buckthorn Oil

Avoiding the inner corners of the eye area
It’s been two months now and besides Sea Buckthorn Oil, I’ve also used other oils around my eye areas without problems.  These include Evening Primrose Oil, Jojoba Oil, Grapeseed Oil and most recently, Neem Oil.  Anything but Rose Hip Oil which is too rich for the eye area.  And I’m glad to say that I did not develop milia seeds using these oils around my eye area.  Sometimes I even layer my oils such as applying Sea Buckthorn Oil over Evening Primrose Oil.  However, I am still careful not to use them on the inner eye area (nearest the nose bridge)  because it seems that is the area most proned to developing milia seeds for me.

So what about using oils around the eye area?  Are they better than eye creams or gels? 

Natural oils are not miracle alternatives
I won’t say that these natural carrier oils are the miracle alternatives to your eye creams or gels.  But, I would say that based on my personal experience, they have worked a tad better than my usual eye products.  The crow’s feet are still present with no signs of going away but some of the fine lines are noticeably reduced.  I used to see a lot of fine lines under my eyes when I smiled but they don’t look so horrendous these days.  That, or it is all part of my self illusion! 

Almond oil helps with dark circles?
But if you conduct a search on the Net, you should find some information about the usage of oil on the eye area.  Almond Oil especially, has been often cited as a good ingredient to eradicate undereye dark circles.  I guess I have to try it to know if it’s really effective.

So you can use oil to apply around your eye area.  Just remember to pick those that are not too rich, has a fine texture and will not clog pores.  In addition, look out for specific properties of the oils to know if it will help with the problem you’re trying to treat.

Comments

  1. Leon says:

    Hey Sesame, sweet almond oil works for dark circles but don’t expect an immediate result. It might take around 3 months to show a visible result. If you want immediate result then you could add a few drops of helichrysum essential oil to 5-6 tbsp. sweet almond oil.

    Leon: Thanks for letting me know about this! Helichrysum essential oil? That’s interesting. It must have quite a strong herbal smell. I’m currently using the hydrosol and it took me a while to get used to the smell.

  2. Leon says:

    And thanks a lot for the link love:)

    Leon: You’re welcome! ?

  3. Lydia says:

    Thanks for your interesting post!

    It never crossed my mind that I can apply almond oil around my eye area. I just know that it can be used to remove your eye make up such as eye shadow or mascara.

    Anyway, starting from today I’ll try using almond oil to reduce my dark circles. ;D

    Lydia: It’ll take awhile according to Leon. And did you read her suggestion of adding the helichrysum essential oil to get quicker results?

  4. andrea says:

    thats for posting this. where did you get that eyecream from, if you don’t mind me asking?

    Andrea: I got it from the Japanese pharmacy Nishino at Liang Court. I think it should be available at the one at Taka too. But it’s not great though.

  5. Leon says:

    Yes, it does have a strong herbal smell ?

    Leon: Heh… ?

  6. slp says:

    what is your take on grapeseed oil? is it ok for under eye treatment? thanks.

    slp: It’s a great oil! I love it! I was thinking of doing a review about this oil because it has great antioxidant benefits and feels light and yet nourishing on the skin. Good for my eyes, but don’t use too much…test a little first cos I’m not so sure if your eye area is proned to growing oil seeds.

  7. helloworld says:

    grapeseed oil and primrose oil – what brand and where do you get it from?

    thanks

    Helloworld: I get the grapeseed oil from a DIY supplier in Singapore. For primrose oil, I use a capsule from the supplement I take.

  8. bluerose says:

    Thank you for this post, it’s very informative. I recently started using an eye cream from Avon and unfortunately developed milia seeds, especially near the bridge of the nose.

    I am now interested to try the grapeseed oil, but this is rather hard to find in Malaysia. I found a rather big bottle in the oil section in a supermarket – can this be used?

  9. sesame says:

    Hi, you mean those for cooking. Well, I’m not exactly certain cos I’ve not tried but I read some pple use it. I’m not sure of the texture of those as they’re not cosmetic version. If you want to try, use only the organic version.

  10. bluerose says:

    Thank you, sesame!

  11. Pauline says:

    Almond oil is a wonderful oil to use under your eyes.

  12. sesame says:

    I’ve never tried applying it neat though…

  13. Elsie says:

    I went to a dermatologist about milia and they told me to gently massage grapeseed oil around my eyes morning and night. Since then my milia haven’t gone but have been shrinking and softening although the smaller ones eventually do go. I would reccommend this but don’t expect to see results straight away because it takes time ?

  14. sesame says:

    Oh? That’s so interesting! Thanks for sharing cos I didn’t know grapeseed oil can help milia…going to do some research on the topic and see if I can write something about this. Am sure many would be happy to know. ?

  15. Moon says:

    Hi, thks for sharing. I am currently using Eve Taylor Face Oil, no.1 (for sensitive skin) and sometimes I use no.4 (normal skin). I think it’s a lovely oil and it’s smell is extremely soothing & calming.. ?

  16. bunyip says:

    Have you tried using olive oil around the eyes? It’s extremely good for removing make up around the eyes completely, and it moisturises the area without clogging the pores!

  17. sesame says:

    Have tried olive cleansing oil but not olive oil per se.

  18. Rainbow says:

    Hello! I guess I am like you: I develop very very tiny milia just at the inner corner of my eyes, close to the nose bridge. I had a question: you say you use the oils only around the outer corners and under the eyes (makes sense to me! I dont have milia seeds there either). But what do you use for the inner corner of your eyes? I dont want to leave that area unmoisturized. Many thanks, for this reply, and for your great website!

  19. sesame says:

    Yes, I now use oil around my eyes…inner corner and outer. I just warm my hands with the oil and then use my palms to cup on my eyes. The oil I use now is an anti-aging one and I’ve got the review in the link below. It’s a mix of different oils but I’ve been able to use on my entire face without problems. In fact, I even started apply eye cream on the outer corner of my eyes on top of using the oil cos I want to rid the fine lines.

    https://www.vivawoman.net/2010/03/10/marie-veronique-organics-anti-aging-oil-plus/

  20. Rainbow says:

    Waouh, i am so happy I got a reply from you. Your blog is wonderful, thank you so much. What a nice coincidence, I purchased this anti-aging oil from Marie Veronique today! I was planing to use it on my face, but now I will try around the eyes as well!

  21. sesame says:

    I hope you’ll like Marie Veronique’s oil. It’s rather rich, but surprisingly, didn’t cause my skin to breakout. Some readers who have purchased have also like it. So I hope if you get it, it’ll work well for you.

  22. Sue says:

    I must say, thanks for sharing this. Your brave for experiementing on your face, I admire your courage. I been doing that too. I have sensitive skin and most product dont work for me, they sting my face or make it reddish. So I have to try out what works for me too.

  23. sesame says:

    I hope it’ll work well for you…maybe start off bit by bit and if there are no issues, then progress on your entire face.

  24. emma says:

    hi every1 i work in a herbal shop and the best thing to use around youre eyes is jojoba oil its brill and u will get good results give it a go and let me no also u can mix oils ie jojoba and olmond oil and grape oil in 1 bottle a use round eyes thats also good ?

  25. sesame says:

    Jojoba oil? I’ve give it a try next time. Thanks for the tip. ?

  26. Athena says:

    Hi! Thanks for this article. I have been using oils on my face for years as a moisturizer. I have used jojoba since my teens and it’s been good on my eyes, but I have been looking for something even better for my eyes to minimize dark circles and lines. I tried the Weleda Sweet Almond Oil mix and it gave me milia which has not happened to me before. It scarred me from trying other oils except jojoba in the eye area. Have you tried hemp seed oil? It’s supposedly very good for anti-aging but may also be too rich for the eye area.
    Athena last post is: Booking Through Thursday – Eternity

  27. Sesame says:

    I haven’t tried hemp seed oil alone…I’ve tried grapeseed oil around the eyes and they’re okay for mine.

  28. Nona says:

    Grapeseed oil is amazing. I am in my mid-twenties and I got eye lines from smiling and laughing like this XD :'( It was a horrible feeling when I noticed them in the mirror. So I started using sweet almond oil and sometimes olive oil just applying a little under the eye and on the outer corners. I found about grapeseed oil when I was looking for natural sunscreens and since then I use it around my eyes every night. My around eyes area now look better than my sister’s who is 19 #k8SjZc9Dxko#k8SjZc9Dxk Applying this oil before sleep is part of my routine now. I also use it before applying concealer or foundation.
    Neither grapeseed, sweet almond, oilve nor castor (for eyelashes) oils caused me milia seeds. With rich oils (olive & castor) I apply very lightly.
    Remember with natural oils it takes time to see results, 2 – 3 months.
    You are amazing for sharing your experience with other women of the world ?

  29. Sesame says:

    Glad you’ve found grapeseed oil amazing. It was the first standalone oil I use. I really think oils are great and though I have some lines around my eyes, I think they look okay compared to women my age.

  30. Hazel says:

    I use Human Nature sunflower oil for my undereye circles. A lot of ladies in the Philippines swear by the product not only for their undereye circles but also for making the skin look supple and healthy. I apply it before going to bed and the next morning after i wash my face, my facial skin feels great!
    Hazel last post is: Philippine Fashion Week 2012 – The Ramp Crossings + random snaps + announcement

  31. Sesame says:

    I see…it’s working well for you? That’s good.

  32. Thelma says:

    Hi,
    I have been just reading your blog about oils around the eye area. Are there certain oils that will really cause Milia around the eye area in time?
    Thanks,
    Thelma

  33. Sesame says:

    Some oils that are too rich might…my experience is rosehip oil.

  34. katherine says:

    I like Jojoba oil, but my favorite at the moment is olive squalane, which is very close to the consistency of the skin’s natural sebum. I either apply it sparingly or lather it on and then blot of the excess. Either way, it leaves the skin around the looking hydrated and dewy. Also, it does not cause any eye irritation for me. I also use it as a makeup remover for the eye area.

  35. Sesame says:

    I’ve not tried it alone but used it only in a product. Glad it works well for you.

  36. Psyxdrena says:

    I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil before around my eyes and suddenly lots of Milia appeared! Ive read that Olive Oil doesnt clog pores but now after trying it out, Im totally disappointed

  37. Ramiya Aysel says:

    Hi guys, I m so confused about oil, I bought a lot different oil for and eyes and started to uje it every night and after 1 week my under eyes skin became wrinkle and puffy it looks I m very tired, some of my friends said me u shouldn’t put oil on it eyes night time, day time is ok, before bed don’t use oil in ur eyes it’s not let u ur eyes take breeze, I don’t know so confused I m worry for my dark circles and wrinkle it’s getting more day by day, if u have any idea I m ready to hear from you, thanks

  38. Cindy says:

    Hi Sesame, have you tried Argan Oil around your eyes yet? I scare to have millet or breakout around eyes and on my face too, my skin is sensitive.

  39. Sesame says:

    No, never tried argan oil. Anyway, I now feel a gel or cream is better than using oil directly around the eye area.

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