Dry, Flaky Skin Under the Eyes and on the Eyelids in Winter

✓ Verified • 2× money-backCerave Skin Renewing Eye Cream 14.2gFrom ৳2,674Buy →

The short answer

The skin under the eyes and on the eyelids is some of the thinnest on the body, so in winter it dries and flakes first. What to do: stop rubbing your eyes, remove makeup gently with micellar water, and morning and night apply a very small amount of fragrance-free cream with your ring finger. We stock the eye cream Cerave Skin Renewing Eye Cream 14.2g, and for eyelids at night the small fragrance-free tube of Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream Dry to Very Dry, Sensitive Skin. For makeup removal, Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water Makeup Remover. Dryness usually eases in 1 to 2 weeks. See a doctor for itching, swelling, red scaly patches or any problem with the eye itself.

Why the eye area gets so dry in winter

The skin around the eyes is several times thinner than the rest of the face. It has very few oil glands. You blink thousands of times a day and it creases when you smile, so this skin is always moving.

In winter several things happen at once:

• Dry northern wind pulls water out of the skin.
• Eye rubbing. Dust, cold, a runny nose or allergies make the eyes itch, and we rub them. Rubbing scrapes and reddens the skin.
• Washing the face with hot water. Hot water strips even the little oil the eye area has.
• Makeup and kajal. Heavy wedding-season makeup, waterproof mascara and kajal that has to be rubbed off. The skin suffers more.
• Face creams migrating into the eyes. Acid or anti-ageing creams applied too close to the eye cause stinging and peeling on the lids.

What to apply

An eye cream, or a plain fragrance-free cream?

For dryness, the real job is holding water in the skin. A good eye cream can do this, and so can a gentle fragrance-free moisturiser.

• Cerave Skin Renewing Eye Cream 14.2g: made for the under-eye area, light texture, blends easily. CeraVe products are generally made with ceramides and without fragrance. Still, check the ingredient list on the box once you buy it.
• Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream Dry to Very Dry, Sensitive Skin: for very dry or flaking eyelids, a very thin layer at night. Labelled fragrance-free, in a small 28 g tube.

For which eye cream suits whom, read our guide which eye cream is good.

What to avoid for now

While the skin is flaking or stinging, do not use retinol or retinal eye creams or serums. Our catalogue has some, but they are not for dry, peeling skin. Once the skin has fully healed, you can reintroduce them slowly. In the same way, do not apply face AHA/BHA toners or acne gels inside the eye bone.

Removing makeup

Soak a Athena Beaute Cotton Wool Cosmetic Pads pad with Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water Makeup Remover and hold it over the closed eye for 10 seconds. Then draw it gently downward. Do not rub. Use a second pad if you have kajal or mascara on. Then wash your face with a mild cleanser such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser Normal to Dry.

Routine: when, how much, in what order

1. Morning wash: lukewarm or room-temperature water. Do not rub cleanser around the eyes; just rinse with water and pat dry with a soft towel.
2. Eye cream: a grain-of-rice amount in total for both eyes. Take it on your ring finger and tap gently along the eye bone; do not drag. Do not put it on the very rim of the lid or on the lashes.
3. Face moisturiser, then sunscreen: sunscreen up to the eye bone; it is fine to skip the lids. Sunglasses protect the eye area from both sun and wind.
4. At night: if you wore makeup, micellar water first, then wash your face. Then eye cream again. If the lids are very dry, add a thin layer of fragrance-free cream on top.
5. Active face serums or acids: keep them at least a finger's width away from the eye bone.

To see where this fits in your whole day, read the 24-hour winter skincare routine.

When you will see results

• 2 to 3 days: tightness and stinging ease.
• 1 to 2 weeks: flaking stops and the lids feel soft.
• Dark circles are a separate issue from dryness. They come from genetics, sleep, allergies or rubbing. For that, read our guide to under-eye dark circles.

Common mistakes

• Rubbing your eyes. The biggest cause. When they itch, hold a cool damp cloth over them for a minute instead.
• Fragranced creams or body lotion near the eyes. Fragrance easily triggers allergy on thin skin.
• Heavy oil or ghee on the eyelids. It gets into the eye and blurs vision, and some people get small white bumps under the eyes. Read about these bumps in our milia guide.
• Rubbing off mascara and kajal. Soak with micellar water and hold, then lift.
• Old kajal or mascara. Eye makeup older than 3 to 6 months collects germs. Do not share kajal at weddings.
• Self-treating with ointments. Do not put leftover steroid or antibiotic ointments from home on your eyelids.

The Bangladesh reality

Winter means wedding season. Heavy parlour makeup, false-lash glue and kajal worn all night. Add dust and fog, and wind in the eyes on a bike or rickshaw. Many people put face cream or fairness cream under their eyes, which stings the lids. A simple rule: when you get home from a wedding, remove makeup with micellar water first, then eye cream. On a bike, wear glasses or use the helmet visor. For questions about other body areas, see the body areas section of our Winter FAQ.

When to see a doctor

See a dermatologist or an eye doctor if you notice:

• Red, scaly, itchy patches on the eyelids that do not improve with moisturiser in 2 weeks. This may be eyelid eczema or an allergy to a product (contact dermatitis). Hair dye, nail polish, kajal or a new cream can all cause it. For general eczema care, read our eczema guide.
• Swollen lids, oozing or crusting.
• Dandruff-like flakes at the lash line, red lid edges or repeated styes. This may be blepharitis.
• Red eyes, discharge, pain, sensitivity to light or blurred vision. These are problems inside the eye; see an eye doctor without delay.
• Red, rough patches around a child's eyes, especially if the cheeks or elbows are affected too.

Only a doctor should decide which medicine is safe on eyelid skin.

Why authentic products matter

A fake cream on the thin skin near your eyes means unknown fragrance, colour or harsh ingredients that easily cause allergy and swelling. TheSkinProof is an invoice-verified skincare marketplace. Every product's supply invoice is checked, and if a product is proven counterfeit you get 2× your money back when you claim within 7 days of delivery. Delivery across Bangladesh, cash on delivery available.

Prices as of 23 October 2026, from our live catalogue; the product page shows the current price.