I'm starting to see tiny lines around my eyes and I really want to prevent them from getting worse. Do I really need to use an eye cream?

In the past, I've fallen victim to the packaging of eye creams more times than I can count. If the eyes are the windows into our souls, then don't we all want our windows to look as fresh and sparkling as possible?

Eventually, I learned that I was just spending a lot of money for an unnecessary splurge. The current mania for eye creams taps into our general concerns and compels us to spend a lot of money for a very small amount of product. While it's true that the skin around our eyes is thinner than the skin on the rest of the face, there's no truth to the claim that we need to use specialty products to protect those areas. The lack of fat creates a prime condition for the appearance of early wrinkles and dark circles, but the skin around our eyes is still just skin.

Often, that tiny dab of eye cream you purchase is no different from less expensive anti-wrinkle treatments that you can slather over your entire face. If you really want to take care of your eye area and prevent the occurrence of wrinkles, stick with the tried-and-true anti-wrinkle ingredients that you apply to the rest of your face. In the morning, apply your regular moisturizer with at least an SPF 15. At night, use a small amount of cream that contains retinol. Be careful not to allow the product to get into the eyes since this can cause stinging and sensitivity.

Some companies claim that eye creams are beneficial because they are specially formulated to treat the delicate skin around the eyes. The truth, however, is that products marketed as eye creams are often more occlusive and pore-clogging than regular moisturizers. It may be easy to believe the false notion that the eye area contains no pores and needs extra moisture, but there is no research proving that this is the case.

In order to prevent wrinkles, you need to use a face moisturizer with a  proven anti-wrinkle ingredient-it does not matter whether or not the lotion is specifically marketed for use around the eyes. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream is not an eye cream, but still serves its purpose when used as one. Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ is another effective retinol cream that can be used on the entire face.

Instead of spending a great deal of money investing in eye creams with big promises, buy sunscreens and make it part of your daily routine. Heading off further signs of aging is much easier (and cheaper) in the long run.

Do you have an eye cream that you swear by?MySkinCareConnection.com is looking for the best skin care products on the market. You can email your nomination to Kate at Searby@THCN.com