SKINCARE

Placing pieces of cucumber on your eyelids is now not the coolest way to refresh your peepers _ a new facial at Anne Semonin Spa offers an icy sensation in wakening up tired eyes.

Lasting 45 minutes, the For Your Eyes Only treatment (3,200 baht) targets multiple problems including wrinkles, dark circles and puffiness that make the face look tired and much older than it should.

Originating from a beauty farm (predecessor of a spa), the French brand is famous for tailor-made treatments and combining essential oils with trace elements for skincare synergy.

Its spa treatments can be experienced in 45 countries including Thailand, where its Bangkok branch can be found on the fourth floor of the stylish Pullman Bangkok Hotel G in Silom.

The facial aims to wake up tired eyes with the Eye Express Radiance Ice Cube.

The spa menu there features various face and body treatments delivered in a luxurious setting with a contemporary Thai interior design.

The new facial focuses on the eye zone, which gets a soothing massage as well as a double mask, before cryotherapy using a skincare ice cube.

Rich in marine trace elements and minerals, the mineral mask is firstly applied around the eye contours before a gauze soaked with toner is used to cover the eyes.

The next step is a five-minute lymphatic eye massage with the therapist using a mix of Phytarosa Serum containing macadamia oil and Miracle Eye Contour Anti-Wrinkle Cream featuring sea retinol extracted from rock samphire.

Mixing different serums with a mask or cream is an example of Anne Semonin's customisation to tackle skin concerns. Dark circles and puffiness are counteracted by the second mask using Cream Mask mixed with Tissue Serum to help revitalise tired and puffy eyes.

Containing ginkgo biloba, gourd extract and hyaluronic acid, Eye Express Radiance Ice Cube is a quick fix for dark circles and puffiness. Frozen for at least three hours, the ice cube can then be wrapped in a gauze and glided around the eyes for a chilling mini-massage.

The eye pampering rounds off with a dab of the Miracle Eye Contour Anti-Wrinkle Cream, which is also recommended for daily use to help maintain bright and youthful looking-eyes.

While the eye zone deserves special attention, the facial also includes the massaging of hands, arms, neck and shoulder or a scalp massage in order to release body tension and enhance the relaxing experience.

Keeping peepers perfect

When did wrinkles first appear on your skin? You may not remember exactly when they made their "debut", but you probably remember where: the area around the eyes, right? For that, according to a scientific study, is the part of one's face that tends to attract the most attention.

Using a procedure called eye-tracking, researchers mapped out and analysed the eye movements of people while they were in close social contact with others. Their study found that 40% of the time one person focuses on the other person's eyes, while the mouth and nose only gained 26% and 21%, respectively, of the other's visual attention. This explains why any deterioration in the skin around one's eyes is so immediately noticeable and can have such a powerful impact on one's looks.

The first signs of ageing occur in this location because the delicate nature of the skin around the eyes makes it vulnerable to creasing, which becomes more pronounced with repetitive facial movements such as squinting and smiling. As we grow older, our skin gets progressively thinner and loses its elasticity and therefore its ability to bounce back and "reset" after we make a facial expression. The breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin's scaffolding is further accelerated by exposure to ultraviolet light.

And wrinkles are not the only problem in this area; dark circles, puffiness, bags and cross-hatching under the eyes, as well as "crepe-y" and droopy eyelids can all add years to your face.

French beauty brand Lancome has identified 10 factors that contribute to luminous-looking eyes. These include a smooth eye contour, the openness of the eyelids, the position of the eyebrow tail, the luminosity of the eyebrow arches and even the uniformity of the whiteness and shine of the eye.