Home remedies for crow's feet

Shahnaz Husain *

Crow's feet are the fine lines that appear around your eyes and are a part of the gradual changes that your skin experiences as you become older. The lack of antioxidants and elasticity is the main reason why crow’s feet appear on the face. These fine lines and wrinkles referred to as “laugh lines,” are common sign of ageing.

As we get older, our skin loses elasticity, and you won’t replace dead skin cells so quickly resulting in crow’s feet, lines, and wrinkles. While the common notion is that crow’s feet occur majorly due to ageing, however in certain cases it could also be due to a stressful lifestyle, exposure to the sun, pollution, and general environmental damage.

If you are looking to prevent the onset of crow’s feet or at least delay its formation, then you can try some home remedies.

For crow’s feet and tiny wrinkles, apply pure almond oil daily around the eyes and massage lightly, using only the ring finger, for one minute around each eye. Massage in one direction only. Leave on for 15 minutes and wipe off gently with moist cotton wool.

Many anti-ageing ingredients are easily available at home:

Cucumber has an astringent effect, which tightens the skin. They also contain Vitamins and other nutrients that soothe and reduce ageing signs. Apply cucumber juice around the eyes and at the outer corners daily and rinse with plain water after 15 minutes.

Egg white can be applied around the eyes to tighten the skin. Beat egg white and apply around the eyes, especially on the outer corner of the eyes. Wash off with plain water after 15 minutes.

Green tea is a powerful antioxidant. Take half cup of water and 2 teaspoons of green tea. Bring the water to a boil. Put tea leaves in a ceramic bowl. Pour the hot water over it and keep for 2 minutes. Strain and cool the liquid.

Soak cotton wool pads in the tea and apply them as eyes pads over closed eyes. Leave it on for ten minutes. Lie down and relax while you do this. You may repeat the process again for another ten minutes.

Apply aloe vera gel around the eyes daily. Aloe Vera is an antioxidant and rich in Vitamins A, C, E and B 12. Rinse it off with plain water after 15 minutes.

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells and helps the regeneration of new cells. Crush sesame seeds (til) coarsely and mix it with honey. Apply on the face and rub gently on the face, including the skin on the outer eye region with small circular movements. Wash off with water.

Fruits like bananas, apples, papaya, and watermelon can be mixed together and applied as a mask around the eyes. Papaya, rich in enzymes, cleanses the skin of dead cells and helps cell renewal. Banana tightens the skin. Apples and oranges are rich in vitamins and minerals. Watermelon hydrates the skin. Apply and wash off after 15 minutes.

Or, take papaya pulp, and add lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric. Use this to massage the skin around the eyes lightly. This helps to brighten the skin around the eyes. Soak a few strands of saffron in milk for half an hour. Soak cotton wool pads and use them as eye pads. This relieves dryness and prevents wrinkles.

Never leave the house without sunscreen. This way, you minimize exposure to the sun – which is the leading cause of wrinkles and fine lines. Maintain a healthy sleep cycle. Sleep allows the body precious time to repair skin cells and rejuvenate them.

Follow a balanced diet that provides your body with vital proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, etc. Keep your skin moisturized at all times.