Caring for your skin is one of the most important steps in one’s daily beauty regimen. No matter what your age, taking care of your skin, and specifically around the eyes, is an exercise that can leave one feeling and looking their best. With the holidays just around the corner, we thought we would reach out to skin and eye care expert Danné Montague-King, botanical chemist and founder of DMK Skincare, to get some tips from the professional from slowing down the aging process to his personal favorite skincare product.

He has also provided a list of eye care myths that might surprise you. Whether you’ll be celebrating via a Zoom call, in small gatherings, or just looking for everyday eye care tips, you won’t want to miss this interview!

A brief history on Danné

Danné  grew up in Chicago in the 1950s. As a teenager he suffered from acne vulgaris and was bullied for it. Determined to find a solution to his condition, He began to experiment with various ingredients, and quickly earned the nickname of “kitchen chemist.”  By the 1980s Danné was viewed as a skin pioneer and began his career teaching skin revision in beauty schools. He left Chicago, making California his forever home as the host of a television series Skin Deep. 

Before starting DMK, Danné is best known for formulating BIOFREEZE™, a topical analgesic based on cryotherapy, which is now one of the most famous products in the world. In the past five years, DMK has grown over 500% and is currently a $50 million-dollar empire. Named as one of the fastest growing skincare companies in the United States, DMK can be found in over 30 counties, has 2,500 licensed estheticians and clinics, performed 2 million professional treatments, and has 80 make-up and skin care products. Since 2016, DMK has been the global ambassador for the Harvey Milk Foundation and donated $1 million to the organization. Recently, DMK received a commendation by South African Prince Buthelezi, Prime Minister to the Zulu Nation for their work championing the “Don’t Mess with my Skin” Campaign against harmful “Skin Whitening” products targeted at women of color. 

For 50 years Danné has lived by his motto: rebuilding skin, rebuilding lives. Dedicated to his craft, his practicing therapists, and his clients, Danné is the founder of the DMK family and is responsible for rebuilding skin, and rebuilding lives all over the world.

How should eyecare change (or should it) over time?

Eye care should be part of everyone’s daily skin care regimen. At DMK, skin care in general does not have an age limit or start. Instead, start to preserve the skin you want. One big mistake many make is not using eye creams/serums in the morning and at night. During the day you are applying to protect from premature aging, while at night, your skin will rebuild. 

What is your favorite daily skincare product?

SPF! If you only use one product consistently, please have it be sunscreen. It protects you from damaging UVA and UVB rays that contribute to premature aging and pigmentation. At DMK, we formulated our sunscreen to be water-resistant, meaning when you apply, it will feel light, non-greasy which is a great option for skin that is oily or acne-prone. The rule of thumb is, if you’re going to be outside, put on that sunscreen, 15 or 30 SPF. 

What product would you recommend to see the most immediate impact to your eyes and to your skin?

Aside from a daily SPF moisturizer that needs to be applied every morning before you leave the house, the DMK Eye Web is a product that everyone needs to have. It’s carefully formulated to strengthen, protect, and brighten the eye tissue thanks to its suspension technology, pigmentation erasers and deep active nutrients in a single 24-hour application. It works by creating this invisible web that retracts sagging tissue and fine lines. 

Can you ever really reverse the aging process? Or at least slow it down?

You can absolutely preserve the skin you want. You can always reduce the appearance of pigmentation, treat fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. Aside from having a good skin care regimen at home that includes a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer, also be sure to see a licensed esthetician on a monthly basis who can help care for your skin. Our skin changes every three weeks, so some months you’ll feel your skin to be a bit drier, while others your skin will be oilier, or you’ll see more breakouts. 

How do you define luxury?

Luxury to me means using the best ingredients available in the world that will compliment a body’s natural ecosystem. Our botanical-based paramedical products are designed to protect the skin and help to maintain a youthful appearance.

Eye care myths

By now, we all know that eye cream is important, and should be part of our daily skin care routine. But there are still many myths and rules that need to be broken when it comes to application. Below, Danné Montague-King, author, botanical chemist, and founder of DMK Skincare, share the biggest misconceptions when it comes to eye creams and serums. 

Myth1 : Eye creams and serums are best kept in the fridge.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. First, the colder temperature does not prolong your product’s shelf life. Two, your body is naturally 98.6 degrees. When you place your cold cream onto the skin, your body will immediately warm it up. If you want to address swelling, instead use a cold compress that is meant to be put in cold and will maintain its cold temperature even after placed into your warmed body.

Myth 2: Dark circles are a sign you’re tired.

Let’s talk about what causes the darkness around your eyes. It’s your blood and bodily fluids that aren’t circulating efficiently. While lack of sleep can cause that fluid to build up more making your eyes look puffy, it’s not the only issue. Many times, it could be your body telling you that you’re extremely fatigued, lack iron, or simply not getting enough oxygen. A solution, see an esthetician for an Enzyme & Oxygen therapy to help boost your circulation and release those dark tissues and blood vessels.   

Myth 3: Be gentle, the skin around your eyes is the most sensitive.

Actually, it’s the opposite. The skin around your eyes is stronger and more pliable, meaning it stretches. You don’t need any tools or tricks to apply your cream. Your fingers work best. Just make sure those fingers are clean before Applying anything to your face. Instead of focusing on the type of pressure you’re applying, focus on an even application.

Myth 4: Start a good eye regimen in your 30s.

Skincare has no age. The goal of a proper skin care routine is to preserve the skin you want. So, if you love your skin in your 20s, start, then, if you start to notice fine lines when you’re 18, start then. Or if you’re in your 40s and never thought about eye care, start now. It’s never too late to start a healthy journey with your skin.

Myth 5: Apply only at night.

Your skin has different needs. In the morning, you need to protect. At night, rebuild. So in the morning, you’ll want to use an eye cream that has SPF to protect you from the harmful rays that are also the leading cause of premature aging.

Thank you Danné for taking the time to share his skin care and eye care expertise with our readers. To find DMK products in your local area visit: https://www.dannemking.com/clinic-locator/.