Lotions and potions
What is an eye treatment good for?
Grooming
Armed with a pair of old tweezers and squinting through the one contact lens you still have in the other eye, plucking, tinting and shaping eyebrows can be a tricky business to undertake by yourself. A professional will do it more quickly, better and probably more safely than you could in your own bathroom.
A well-shaped eyebrow will balance and display your facial features to their best advantage, much like a good frame on a painting. Some places offer treatments now to curl or even perm your eyelashes to your best advantage.
Lotions and potions
At some point in our lives, most of us have used cheap and poorly-sliced cucumber, expensive creams or moistened fabrics on our eyes to try to make us look a little less ragged... with varying degrees of success. Why not lie back and let a professional do it better? Rich, gorgeous-smelling creams and oils are soothed into your skin, reducing puffiness and the appearance of fine lines around your eyes. Let someone else be in charge of whether you fall asleep in a clay mask! Refreshing eye-baths will brighten, soothe and refresh tired, red eyes.
Semi-surgical procedures
Whilst lotions and potions usually only claim to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, other treatments - such as Botox - can actually remove them. These treatments can provide temporary suspension of wrinkles and frown lines. This is definitely something only to be carried out by a trained professional.
Massage and electrotherapy
Some gentle massage is usually a part of any facial, even if it is only the circular motions used to exfoliate the skin. Acupressure massage around the eye socket and forehead can relieve tension in eyes that have been strained by staring at computer screens or too many late nights, and reduce headaches. Some centres will offer an electro-pulse "pen" to stimulate the skin and eye to achieve the same result.
Before you go
This depends a bit on what eye treatment you are going to have. It is a good idea to take off all your eye make-up beforehand, and possibly even to wash your face to prevent any molten foundation dripping into your eye at a tricky moment.
Precautions
Ask your salon, spa or treatment centre about any precautions you should take. Glasses and contact lenses are best left off and out while you're having an eye treatment.
Be sure to tell the person giving you the treatment if you have any problems with your eyes as this might mean that some treatments are not suitable for you.
Always let your therapist know if you have any allergies or if your eyes are particularly sensitive to light or creams.
Most importantly, remember that your eyes are very important. Make sure that you go to a reputable therapist and are confident in the person who is giving you the treatment. It's just not worth risking anything where your sight is concerned.
What to expect from an eye treatment
This depends on what kind of eye treatment you are having. A grooming procedure, such as eyebrow plucking or lash curling, is liable to feel uncomfortable but not painful and will be over in a matter of minutes, if that.
Eye masks, massage or creams are liable to feel soothing and you will sit or lie down on a massage table to receive them. Light massage and acupressure techniques (perhaps part of an Indian head massage) will relieve eye-strain, and help you to relax.
An eye treatment can last between a few minutes and an hour, depending on the treatment you're having.
You can have filler injections to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Hot tip!
Try Vaseline or any other petroleum jelly on your eyes. Some people don't like the idea of using petrol on their skin, but it is one of our Sporty Spy's favourites, and let's face it - natural mineral - products, and has been around for years. It's also cheap and multifunctional. Used on eyes, petroleum jelly removes make-up and eases the pain of plucking.
Afterwards
If you've had your eyebrows shaped, you'll be able to walk straight back out into the street afterwards and back to work. You'll also be able to use make-up right away. If you have had your eyebrows waxed, you will be advised to stay out of the sun for a few hours and your brows may look a little pink until the next day.
If you have work done on your eyelashes, you may be wise to leave them "naked" for a while depending on what's been done. Ask the person who is giving you the treatment.
Anyone giving you a procedure such as an eye-bath, eye mask or massage will give you appropriate advice on taking care of your eyes afterwards.
Courtesy of the Good Spa Guide
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