What cream can you recommend for under-eye wrinkles? If you can give other tips, too, that would be great. I’m 27 and kind of worried that they might get worse. Appreciate your help, thanks!—Sheena Enriquez

I am glad you want to start an anti-aging skincare regimen as early as now. Some women wait until their late 30s and early 40s, which may require more drastic measures and potent creams.

There’s no better time than today to start it, especially when it comes to taking care of your eye area. Skin around the eyes is thinner and more sensitive than the skin on the rest of our face. It lacks a protective fatty layer that gives skin its elasticity.

Also it has fewer oil glands, which makes the area more prone to dryness. Left untreated, the skin will most likely exhibit fine lines and wrinkles early on—which we don’t want to happen.

Find the right eye cream. Constantly keeping the area nourished and moisturized has proven to be an effective way to prevent wrinkles. There are so many creams to choose from, which can be a good thing (more options), but then again, it can also be quite confusing.

An important tip I’ve learned is to always read the label. Try to familiarize yourself with the different active ingredients found in products, and from there you’ll be able to find the right one to suit your needs.

Another thing to take note of is that there are many categories of eye cream. These are made to target specific problems and provide specific solutions, such as minimizing puffiness, lightening dark circles, erasing fine lines and wrinkles, or, for some, a combination of two or three things. So, read the label to be sure you’ve got the right one.

In your case, the active ingredients to watch out for are retinol and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). These give skin a renewed appearance, but depending on their potency, some products can make skin sensitive to the sun.

Another effective ingredient is vitamin C, which has been known to increase collagen production and protect the skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Aside from your daily dose of eye cream (during the day and before going to bed), there are other ways to prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Incorporating these good skin habits in your lifestyle will keep your skin looking naturally youthful. Start on these today.

Apply sunscreen. Excessive sun exposure is the No. 1 cause of wrinkles. Wearing sunscreen in the morning before heading outside is a must, and definitely worth the time and effort. These days you can find multitasking products that are formulated with SPF-foundation.

Face powders and BB creams now have sun protection. Using these may be a better option if you don’t like layering one product over the other.

Get enough sleep. It seems simple enough, but most of us don’t get the adequate number of sleeping hours a day. When we lack sleep, our body produces cortisol, a hormone that breaks down skin cells. This is the reason we get dark circles and eyebags, and, in the long run, causes our skin to wrinkle.

Quit smoking. Studies show that smoking quickly ages skin. This happens because the flow of blood and oxygen to the skin is restricted. Vitamin C also becomes deficient (one cigarette stick robs your body of 35 milligrams of vitamin C). Also, the constant puckering and squinting from smoking causes wrinkles to form around the mouth and eye area.

So quit smoking. Of course, if you don’t smoke, good for you. Just be wary of secondhand smoke, which can also be dangerous to your health.

Wear sunnies or reading/driving glasses. Again, constant squinting is a terrible habit, as it causes all these lines to form on your face. That’s why it is important to wear sunglasses when you’re outdoors. If you have bad eyesight, make sure to wear your glasses or opt for contact lenses.

Eat the right food. Diet plays a big factor in anti-aging. Eating the right food means you’re supplying your body the right stuff to fight damage caused by free radicals. Make sure you get enough fruits and vegetables daily, as these contain a lot of antioxidants. Also, salmon is a great source of omega-3, which gives skin a healthy, plump appearance. Other foods that protect skin from sun damage: soy and chocolate.

Correction: Nadine Tengco’s Ultimate Detox at the Neo Spa is only P15,000, not P21,000 as stated in my July 12 column. Also, Nadine Tengco is not “of the Sexy Chef” but only its independent consultant. Chef Barni of The Sexy Chef prepares meals for days 1 and 2, and not Nadine Tengco. The Ultimate Detox is a partnership of three companies: Neo Spa, The Sexy Chef and Nadine Tengco’s company, iHealth.

Got a beauty question? E-mail the author at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @kellymisa. Visit her blog, www.kellymisa.com.