A good skincare routine is necessary for a fresh complexion and healthy skin. But let’s face it. Skin care products can be expensive, especially eye creams. So, you try to cut corners where you can, and eye creams might be the first thing to go. After all, eye creams are probably just a beauty industry scam, right? Wrong. If you skimp on eye creams and just make do with your facial moisturizer, you’re making a big beauty mistake.

Why are eye creams an important part of your skincare routine? It’s all because the skin around your eyes isn’t like the rest of your face.

According to New York-based dermatologist, Dr. Rachel Nazarian, “even though the skin around the eyes is still skin, it has some other concerns that are a little bit different than other areas of the body, primarily that it’s a little more sensitive [and] delicate.”

So, even though eye creams and facial moisturizers do the same thing – they hydrate, brighten and strengthen skin – eye creams are formulated to be much more gentle.

For example, the skin around the eyes is the thinnest type of skin on your entire body. Therefore, applying a formal facial moisturizer can simply be too harsh and potent. With eye creams, the ingredients are usually the same, but they’re toned down.

And because the eye area is so sensitive, it’s a good idea to avoid fragrant products, acne-fighting or anti-aging products. Instead, opt for fragrance-free and hypoallergenic products for the eye area, according to Dr. Fitzgeraldo Sanchez, the dermatology director of the Maiden Lane Medical Group in New York.