Crow's Feet

What Are Crow's Feet?

Crow's feet are the fan of fine lines that spread from the outer corners of the eyes. They first appear when you smile, laugh, or squint, and over the years they can start to stay visible even when your face is relaxed. You cannot stop smiling, and you should not, but daily sun protection, wrinkle-relaxing peptides, retinol, and steady hydration can measurably soften how crow's feet look.

Why Crow's Feet Show Up

Three things meet at the corner of the eye:

• Constant movement. The ring-shaped muscle around the eye (the orbicularis oculi) contracts every time you smile or squint, folding the skin in the same lines thousands of times a day.
• Thin skin. Skin around the eyes is among the thinnest on the face and has few oil glands, so it dries out and loses bounce sooner than the cheeks or forehead.
• Sun. The eye area is rarely covered and often missed with sunscreen. Squinting in bright light adds even more folding. In a 4.5-year trial of 903 adults, people who used sunscreen daily showed no detectable increase in skin aging on the backs of the hands, while the comparison group did (Hughes and colleagues, 2013).

Moving lines or resting lines?

Look in a mirror with a relaxed face, then smile. If the lines appear only when you smile, they are dynamic lines, and wrinkle-relaxing peptides are the best fit. If you can see them with a relaxed face, they are set in, and you will want peptides plus retinol and firming ingredients.

The At-Home Routine for the Look of Crow's Feet

Morning

1. Peptide serum tapped onto the outer eye area with your ring finger, staying on the bone, not on the lid.
2. Eye cream or moisturizer. Dry or mature skin does best with a cream; normal to oily skin can use a gel.
3. Sunscreen right up to the outer corners, plus sunglasses so you squint less.

Evening

1. Peptide serum again, since most studies used twice-daily application.
2. Retinol two or three nights a week on the outer eye area, staying well away from the lash line. Build up slowly; this skin is easily irritated.
3. Richer cream to seal in moisture overnight.

Ingredients That Help the Look of Crow's Feet

Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8)

Argireline is the best-known topical Botox alternative. It is an amino acid sequence modeled on part of a protein involved in muscle contraction. It is not Botox and is gentler, but crow's feet are where it has been studied most. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, Wang and colleagues (2013) had 60 adults apply Argireline twice daily around the eyes for 4 weeks; the subjective assessment gave a total anti-wrinkle efficacy of 48.9% with Argireline and 0% with placebo, and skin replicas showed significantly reduced roughness. In the first published study, Blanes-Mira and colleagues (2002) had 10 women apply a cream with 10% Argireline, and wrinkle depth was reduced by up to 30% after four weeks; it was a small study.

Matrixyl Synthe'6 and other firming peptides

For lines that stay at rest, firming peptides add support. In Sederma's two-month study, women aged 42 to 70 applied a 2% Matrixyl Synthe'6 cream twice daily; on the crow's feet, wrinkle volume was 21.1% lower than with the placebo, and in 24 volunteers the surface occupied by deep wrinkles was 28.5% lower than placebo (supplier data).

Retinol

In a randomized, double-blind study, Kafi and colleagues (2007) had elderly adults apply 0.4% retinol lotion up to three times a week for 24 weeks, and fine wrinkling improved significantly more than on the plain-lotion side. Use retinol gently near the eyes: a small amount, two or three nights a week to start.

Hydration

Hyaluronic acid and a good eye cream plump dry, crepey lines within hours. In a 60-day study of 76 women, 0.1% hyaluronic acid creams applied around the eye improved hydration and elasticity compared with the vehicle cream (Pavicic and colleagues, 2011).

Realistic Timelines

• Same day: hydration softens dry, crepey lines.
• 4 weeks: the Argireline studies above measured changes at 4 weeks of twice-daily use.
• 2 months: firming peptides were measured at two months.
• 6 months: retinol studies run about 24 weeks.

How to Choose a Product for Crow's Feet

• Combine relaxing and firming peptides. Movement lines and resting lines have different needs, so a multi-peptide serum covers both.
• Check the percentages. The studies above used specific concentrations, for example 10% Argireline solution. Products that list their rates let you compare.
• Choose a texture for your skin. Gels and serums for normal to oily skin; creams for dry or mature skin.
• Sensitive eyes or skin: patch test on the inner arm for 24 hours, start with the lowest recommended rate, and keep products off the eyelid and out of the eyes.

Products in This Collection

The Wrinkle Eraser Supercharged Peptide Serum combines 11 peptides, including Argireline, Snap-8, and Matrixyl 3000, for the look of crow's feet, forehead lines, and the 11s. It is fragrance-free and pairs well with a cream on top for dry skin. For the full ingredient story, see our Argireline guide and the broader wrinkles guide, or read our deep wrinkle serum guide for crow's feet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes crow's feet?

Crow's feet come from repeated smiling and squinting combined with thin, dry eye-area skin that loses elasticity with age. Sun exposure speeds this up, which is why sunscreen and sunglasses matter so much for this area.

At what age do crow's feet appear?

Many people notice lines when they smile in their late 20s or 30s. Lines that stay visible at rest usually come later. People who spend a lot of time in the sun or smoke tend to see them earlier.

Can eye cream reduce crow's feet?

Yes, a well-formulated eye product can reduce how crow's feet look. Hydration gives a same-day softening, and peptides such as Argireline were measured to improve the look of lines around the eyes after 4 weeks of twice-daily use. Results build with consistent use.

How can I soften crow's feet without Botox?

Combine daily sunscreen and sunglasses, a wrinkle-relaxing peptide serum twice a day, retinol a few nights a week, and a hydrating eye cream. Topicals are gentler and slower than injections, but they need no needles and no appointments.

Is retinol safe to use around the eyes?

Many people use retinol on the outer eye area, staying off the lids and away from the lash line. Start with a small amount two or three nights a week, and stop if you see lasting redness or flaking. Skip it if you have sensitive skin.

Can crow's feet go away on their own?

Lines that only appear with a smile fade when your face relaxes, but set-in lines do not disappear on their own. Consistent care can make them look softer and keep them from looking deeper.

Sources

• Wang Y, Wang M, Xiao S, et al. The anti-wrinkle efficacy of Argireline, a synthetic hexapeptide, in Chinese subjects: a randomized, placebo-controlled study. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2013;14(2):147-153. doi:10.1007/s40257-013-0009-9
• Blanes-Mira C, Clemente J, Jodas G, et al. A synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) with antiwrinkle activity. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2002;24(5):303-310. doi:10.1046/j.1467-2494.2002.00153.x
• Kafi R, Kwak HS, Schumacher WE, et al. Improvement of naturally aged skin with vitamin A (retinol). Archives of Dermatology. 2007;143(5):606-612. doi:10.1001/archderm.143.5.606
• Pavicic T, Gauglitz GG, Lersch P, et al. Efficacy of cream-based novel formulations of hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights in anti-wrinkle treatment. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2011;10(9):990-1000. PubMed 22052267
• Hughes MCB, Williams GM, Baker P, Green AC. Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2013;158(11):781-790. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-11-201306040-00002
• Sederma, Matrixyl Synthe'6 technical document (supplier data).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.