Eye and lip contour, same fight?

Yes if we are talking about dehydration, nutrition, wrinkles and fine lines. No, if we are talking about bags, swelling… or eye contour to decongest. The"contour treatments" we are talking about today, we will have understood it, do not treat dark circles, bags… but are anti-aging treatments specific to the eye contour and lip contour, which act essentially on dryness and signs of aging (wrinkles, sagging, or even loss of density or volume).

" There is in fact a strong physiological similarity, unknown to the general public, between these two so-called"opening" zones, says Madie Fanguin, Pierre Fabre Dermo Cosmetics technical and marketing project manager. " The muscular carpet is identical, they are both governed by orbicular, very powerful skin muscles that form circles all around the mouth and eyes. These are constantly moving areas. The skin is constantly mobilized. Mouth with breathing, speech, taking food… Eyes with blinking. The orbicular muscles degrade with age, the skin mat collapses to form breaks perpendicular to the muscles. These treatments are to be used from the age of forty" .

Sensitive areas

The eye contour and the lip contour are part of the fragile areas of the face, often more marked after returning from holidays in the sun. That's why most of the new releases come out in September. These are also two sensitive areas that require even more drastic toxicological expertise and tests than for the rest of the face. Perfume and preservatives are minimized, because even if the formulas are intended to be applied on the skin and not on the mucous membranes, there is always a risk of migration. The choice of packaging is also important. Thus, airless pump bottles make it possible to reduce preservatives.

A real expectation

The lip contour area, little used up to now by the cosmetics industry, is the subject of high expectations on the part of women. The wrinkles of the"bar code" (above the upper lip), in particular, are among the most requested corrections, along with those of the crow's feet, in aesthetic medicine. The mouth does not age at the same rate as the rest of the face. Just like the eye contour area, it undergoes permanent muscular solicitations. 17 muscles come in for a simple smile, 7 for chewing gum! " Peri-labial wrinkles cause sagging lips and loss of volume, continues Madie Fanguin . "The lips become thinner due to gravity and when we act on the wrinkles that surround them, even if we do not apply the treatment on the lip mucosa, we notice that they find swelling. The anti-slackening action causes the lip to rise. That's what our studies showed in 21 days. Lip contour care is of particular interest to women who smoke. The heat of the cigarette, its smoke which always goes up, the folds of the lips caused by the fact of pulling on its cigarette… provoke a premature ageing of the contour of the lips… and eyes! Finally, the lip contour is an area that is more subject to dehydration. At the bottom of the nostrils, in fact, the pores are very often dilated, so there is a large air-water exchange zone and a greater loss of water.

Two key areas of youth

Seat of expressiveness, the eyes and mouth are the most mobile areas of the face, therefore the first to be marked. Over time, these expressions that make the face so alive are inscribed on the skin and imprint their"scratches". Valley of tears, puppet wrinkles, bitterness folds… the wrinkles that characterize them are not particularly positive! These two areas are also the first to attract attention.

According to Helena Rubinstein," they alone account for 70% of the attention paid to the face ". From September onwards, the brand will offer a treatment that combines the optical and"filling" effectiveness of a texture blur non-anhydrous (which allowed to incorporate in the aqueous phase a high concentration of anti-aging active ingredients) with a high content of hyaluronic acids of 3 different molecular sizes, for a gradual penetration into the skin. At the same time, a yeast extract stimulates hyaluronic acid self-synthesis in the skin, while a soy extract stimulates the contraction and reorganisation of collagen fibres and boosts collagen I synthesis. On the optical side, soft-focus charges and ultra-flat lamellar pearls (5 times thinner than the standard) have been integrated to reflect light on the surface and visually smooth the skin. Silicones, on the other hand, create a blurred silk veil. As for the packaging, clearly inspired by the hyaluronic acid syringes used in medical offices, it allows a precise and targeted application (Re-Plasty Pro Filler[Eye & Lip Contour Serum-In-Blur], 15 ml, 140 €, on the brand's website).

From 40 years old

In October, it's Galénic's turn to launch, in its new Cell Capital anti-ageing range with native argan cells, intended for quadras, the Liftant Eye-Lip Care (bottle-pump airless 15 ml, 36 €) which reduces wrinkles, redensifies the skin and is accompanied by a lifting effect thanks to hydroxyproline, a tightening amino acid. This fine but nourishing emulsion (argan oil enriched with vitamin E, argan peptides, hydrating vegetable glycerin…) smoothes and smoothes the eye contour as well as the lip contour. Native argan cells (the brand preferred the term"native cells" to that of"stem cells" which can be frightening), obtained from an argan leaf using a particularly sophisticated plant biotechnology process, are one of the pride of Pierre Fabre Research. They concentrate, in fact, all the genetic heritage of the plant, its quintessence, its power of regeneration. There are no less than 8 million native argan cells per 15 ml bottle!

High-performance innovations also in certified organic brands

Organic brands are not left out and also offer these expert treatments. This is the case with Weleda and its Organic Evening Primrose Redensifying Eye and Lip Care (10 ml tube, 25.20 €, from September), intended for mature skin. Based on vegetable oils (organic evening primrose oil, organic Sacha Inchi oil) and centella asiatica extract, this treatment reduces fine lines and wrinkles, firms and protects the eye and lip contours. As for the Douces Angevines, they have just relaunched Lia, Smoothing Eye and Lip Contour Fluid (glass dropper bottle 15 ml, 65 €) in a new"premium" packaging. It is one of the most complete care because not only it nourishes and preserves these fragile zones with great reinforcement of vegetable extracts (hazelnut, musky rose, verbena, camomile, cistus…) and antioxidant substances (black cumin, argan oil, green tea…), but it is one of the rare to act also on the rings, thanks to the presence of helichrysis. The latest originality: its floral fragrance (100% natural) puts you in a good mood… Something to look at with a new eye!

Ariane Le Febvre