Clinical Methodology to Evaluate the Efficacy of a Topical Cosmetic Eye Formulation on the Appearance of Dynamic Periorbital Lines

May 2026 | Volume 25 | Issue 5 | 9461 | Copyright © May 2026


Published online April 29, 2026

Elizabeth Bruning LLBa, Martin Keh PhDa, Uma Santhanam PhDa, Kristine Schmalenberg PhDa, Claude Saliou PhDa, Zoe Diana Draelos MDb

aEstee Lauder Companies Inc., New York, NY
bDermatology Consulting Services, PLLC, High Point, NC

Abstract
Background: Dynamic lines in the periorbital region are the first signs of aging. Dynamic lines show only when emoting, possibly becoming static lines present with worsening with age.
Objective: This research was aimed at developing a novel methodology with the sensitivity to effectively evaluate the improvement of dynamic lines in the periorbital region by applying a topical cosmetic eye formulation.
Method: Female subjects aged 28–65 years with mild to moderate photoaging of all Fitzpatrick skin types were enrolled in a 12-week monadic study with evaluations at baseline and 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. A topical eye formulation was applied twice daily. Dermatologist evaluations of dynamic lines at maximum smile, static lines at neutral expression, and tactile evaluations of firmness and elasticity were obtained in addition to clinical photographs, subjective assessments, and instrumental noninvasive measurements of hydration and elasticity.
Results: After 12 weeks of twice-daily application, there was a statistically significant increase of 52% in cutaneous hydration, 183% improvement in viscoelasticity, 48% reduction in retraction time, and 58% in Young’s modulus, demonstrating improved elasticity in the crow’s feet area. 12-week investigator assessments revealed statistically significant improvements in the appearance of periorbital static lines (53%) and dynamic lines (33%). The tactile assessment methodology produced a 39% improvement in crow’s feet pinch and 47% improvement in pinch recoil as measures of elasticity/hydration, and a 45% improvement in touch rebound as an assessment of firmness/hydration.
Conclusions: This research established the value of a novel dynamic line evaluation methodology to assess a topical cosmetic.

INTRODUCTION

Dynamic lines in the context of aesthetic medicine can be defined as lines of facial expression and are typically treated with chemodenervation from injectable botulinum toxin.1 These lines are created by muscle movement and are thus challenging to improve with topical products.2 Consumer research shows that women are concerned with dynamic lines in the periorbital area, which may be one of the first visible signs of aging. At present, evaluation methods for topical treatments in this area are an unmet need.

The eye area is unique anatomically and socially. The periorbital skin is the thinnest on the entire body, making it the most susceptible to photoaging. However, the thinness is necessary to allow the eye to move, expressing emotion. The fine lines that appear under the eye and in the crow’s feet area in the late twenties and early thirties are a sign of aging. These dynamic lines appear initially only with movement, but later are also present at rest as static lines with advancing age in the later thirties, early forties, and beyond. These dynamic and static periorbital lines worsen with time and are the most sensitive indicator of perceived age.3 Minimizing and assessing the presence of these dynamic and static periorbital lines is an important unmet need in cosmetic science. This research was undertaken to establish the suitability of methodologies to evaluate periorbital lines in motion at maximum smile across a broad age range.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-nine healthy female subjects with mild to moderate photoaging of all Fitzpatrick skin types, ages 28-65 years, were enrolled in this single-site monadic study to evaluate the effect of a targeted topical eye moisturizer on dynamic periorbital eye area lines at maximum smile when applied twice daily for 12 weeks. The population was stratified into two groups: younger female subjects ages 28-40 years, focusing on dynamic lines with minimal static lines (Group D), and older female subjects ages 41-65 years, focusing on dynamic and established static wrinkles (Group SD). Subjects who signed informed consent (Allendale Institutional Review Board (AIRB), Old Lyme, CT) and met all inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria were enrolled at the baseline visit.