21 best eye creams for dark circles and wrinkles, reviewed
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn how we test.
Of all the skincare must-haves, eye creams are up there with your moisturiser and face SPF — a crucial, everyday part of your routine.
Be it in the form of a cream, a gel or a serum, the best eye cream for dark circles or fine lines can go a long way in ensuring that our under-eyes are well taken care of – whether it's to even skin tone or minimise under-eye puffiness.
And we know what you're thinking. The answer is yes, you do need a dedicated eye cream. Your normal face cream won't do.
“The skin under the eyes is thinner and drier than the rest of the face, so it requires a targeted treatment,” says Michael Detmar, dermatologist and co-founder of IRÄYE Skincare. "Plus, the skin is easily stressed there because it contains a large number of lymphatic vessels, which carry waste products, germs and damaged cells away from the body's tissues.”
If an eye cream isn't already a part of your skincare routine, it should be. Here's everything you need to know about the best eye creams on the market, plus expert advice from dermatologists on eye care.
SKIP TO FAQs: What does eye cream do? | What ingredients should I look for in an effective eye cream? | Are eye creams worth it? | When should I start using an eye cream? | What is the best eye cream for mature skin? | How to apply eye cream.
Meet the experts:
- Dr Michael Detmar, dermatologist and co-founder of IRÄYE Skincare.
- Dr Dendy Engelman, skincare specialist and consulting dermatologist at Elizabeth Arden.
- Kate Kerr, clinical facialist.
How we tested eye creams:
Over the years, our editors have tested hundreds of eye cream formulations, while paying close attention to how they manage to de-puff, hydrate and brighten our under-eyes. We also made sure to test said formulas on a variety of skin tones, including oily, dry and sensitive. Find out how we test here.
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Products displayed on the shelves courtesy of Oliver Bonas and Assouline.
Ahead, the very best eye creams, as reviewed by our beauty editors…
Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3
- Best for: Lessening the look of fine lines and puffiness.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Retinaldehyde, chamomile extract, hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
- Tester: Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR's Associate Beauty Director.
Why we love it: There's nothing quite like Medik8. The Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3 is a personal favourite of mine – it's formulated with a healthy helping of clinical-strength retinaldehyde (a type of retinoid), along with a blend of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. All-in-all, it's a great solution for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, crow's feet and fine lines while depuffing and hydrating the delicate eye area.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Supercharged Gel Eye Cream
- Best for: Revealing a radiant, well-rested eye area.
- Type: Gel-cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, peptides and caffeine.
- Tester: Elle Turner, GLAMOUR's Senior Beauty Editor.
Why we love it: When it comes to delicate yet potent overnight skincare, no brand does it better than Estée Lauder. This gentle under-eye water-gel cream contains a blend of hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, peptides and caffeine that helps reinvigorate your skin while you sleep, so you can awaken looking as fresh as a daisy. Instant radiance, unlocked.
- Best for: All day moisture and free radical protection.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Shea butter, glycerin, mulberry root extract and green tea leaf extract.
- Tester: Lian Brooks, GLAMOUR's Senior Audience Development Manager.
Why we love it: Infused with key ingredients such as mulberry root extract and green tea leaf extract, this botanical eye cream is designed to protect your complexion from free radicals. It's also seriously creamy and intensely rich in moisture, making it a great option for those with dry skin. It's boosted with antioxidants and caffeine to help reduce the appearance of puffiness, dark circles and fine lines, as well as kickstart your natural collagen production for brighter-looking eyes.
Enjoy exclusive offers when shopping for the best eye creams using these LookFantastic discount codes.
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème
- Best for: Luminosity and reducing signs of fatigue.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Gold-complexed vitamin C, shea and jojoba seed oils and banana powder inspired pigments.
- Tester: Denise Primbet, GLAMOUR's Beauty Commerce Writer.
Why we love it: This brightening eye cream from Ole Henriksen features light-reflecting, illuminating pigments inspired by banana powder (a makeup artist essential), that colour-correct and revive tired-looking eyes. It's crease-resistant and concealer-friendly too, on top of being fuelled by skincare-loving ingredients such as vitamin C, colloidal gold and orange extract.
The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream
- Best for: Energising and depuffing.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Caffeine and the plumping peptide Matrixyl 3000.
- Tester: Sophie Cockett, GLAMOUR's Senior European Commerce Editor.
Why we love it: We can all readily agree that £10 for an eye cream is an absolute steal. Powered by caffeine as an active ingredient, this affordable product helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark circles, giving you a much more even skin tone. Plus, it's small and portable, meaning it's easy to pop in your bag to help protect your delicate skin from environmental aggressors such as big-city London pollution.
111SKIN Black Diamond Eye Cream
- Best for: Radiance, firming, sculpting, lessening the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: NAC Y2™, granactive retinoid, black diamond powder.
Why we love it: There's nothing we love more than potent ingredients, intelligent formulas and real results, and 111SKIN has them all in one. Starring mineral-rich black diamond powder for luminosity and granactive retinoid to smooth and soften, this nourishing eye cream will benefit all under eyes. It also features the brand's NAC Y2™ (a proprietary complex made of NAC, escin and vitamin C) to firm, sculpt, and shield from environmental aggressors. If that wasn't enough, it also works over time to lessen the look of hyperpigmentation and fine lines and wrinkles. We're not surprised that a clinical trial saw wrinkles reduced by a whopping 42%.
- Best for: Moisturising and lessening dark circles.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
Why we love it: This affordable option from CeraVe is a bestseller for a reason. Not only is it widely available in most beauty stores and pharmacies, but it also features a dermatologist-approved formula that targets dark circles, eye bags and puffiness. Toss it in your handbag, apply whenever needed and dab it into your under-eye area using your ring finger once or twice a day. Simples.
Dr Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Triple Correction Eye Serum
- Best for: Firming, hydrating and lessening the look of fine lines.
- Type: Serum.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Retinol, bakuchiol, and ferulic acid.
Why we love it: The gold standard in firming, this 3-in-1 eye cream is packed with wrinkle-smoothing retinol, which works wonders on fine lines by firming and tightening your skin. With retinol, bakuchiol, and ferulic acid all working to enhance the performance of each other and deliver plump, luminous results, this is one smart eye cream. After all, the doc would know – he treats the great and good of Hollywood and his products are as close as we'll get to his clinic from home.
Save big when you shop for the best eye creams with these Cult Beauty discount codes.
La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Eye Serum
- Best for: Hydrating, soothing and nourishing.
- Type: Serum.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and caffeine.
Why we love it: You won't find any unnecessary filler ingredients in this product. This fragrance-free serum from La Roche-Posay contains vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid to plump, hydrate and help to prevent the development of wrinkles. Plus, it's great for sensitive skin, and melts into the under-eye to support natural cell renewal in a very soothing and gentle way.
Shiseido Exclusive Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Eye Concentrate
- Best for: Restoring, firming and strengthening.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: B-glucan, fermented roselle extract, and heart leaf extract.
Why we love it: This eye cream restores and strengthens the delicate skin around the eyes to improve firmness, reduce puffiness, and improve the appearance of lines and dark circles. It also stars the brand's ImuGeneration Red Technology, which is a potent blend of active ingredients. Consider your skin barrier protected, and your eye area smooth, radiant and firm.
Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
- Best for: Moisturising and smoothing.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 14g and 28g.
- Key ingredients: Avocado oil, beta-carotene and shea butter.
Why we love it: A creamy concoction that's almost good enough to eat (don't though…). I'm a big fan of this eye lotion – it's made with avocado oil, which helps it moisturise, brighten and smooth out your delicate under-eye skin. On top of being suitable for all skin types (including sensitive skin), it's also a very versatile formulation that's designed to address multiple skin concerns at once. Puffy eyes who?
Tata Harper Illuminating Eye Crème
- Best for: Smoothing, brightening, firming.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Diamond dust, shea butter, hyaluronic acid.
Why we love it: Our ears immediately prick up when we hear ‘diamonds’ and so we were excited to learn that this Tata Harper offering contains real diamond dust, used for its illuminating properties. Crafted from 33 ingredients that work to lessen the look of fine lines and wrinkles, under-eye bags, and dark circles, this nourishing eye cream is sure to transform the look of your eye area. The queen of clean has even developed a dual-purpose, universally flattering pink-gold tint, which can be applied under the eyes and on the eyelids as a subtle eyeshadow.
Tatcha The Brightening Eye Cream
- Best for: Brightening, lifting, firming.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Vitamin C, Japanese plum, niacinamide.
Why we love it: Want an eye cream that works to brighten your under-eyes literally all day? You’ve found it. This Tatcha treatment is developed with 12-hour time-release vitamin C, which works to brighten dark circles, even skin tone and promote a radiant, well-rested eye area. Japanese plum and bioferments help to soothe and reduce puffiness, and niacinamide lessens the appearance of hyperpigmentation. The result? Glowing luminosity, with increased firmness, smoothness and a stronger skin barrier.
- Best for: Smoothing, firming, nourishing.
- Type: Serum.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: DHK-3, a pro-collagen bio-ferment, a 5-ceramide complex, arctic sea water.
Why we love it: This eye cream is possibly what the gods use, as it’s packed with seriously impressive ingredients. It stars the bio-active ingredient DHK-3, which prevents collagen from breaking down and keeps your skin’s firmness and elasticity intact, alongside a pro-collagen bio-ferment, which also helps to preserve your collagen levels. There’s also a potent 5-ceramide complex to repair and strengthen the skin barrier, as well as smooth, brighten and depuff. And not forgetting arctic sea water to soothe and hydrate. Delivering an apt cooling effect, this hardworking formula also helps to prevent further damage from occurring, making it the gift that keeps on giving.
REN Clean Skincare Radiance Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream
- Best for: Lessening the look of dark circles.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml and 5ml.
- Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycogen, and elderberry flower extract.
Why we love it: One of our personal favourites (seriously, we have a back up in our bathroom cupboard at all times), this radiant REN offering is here to kiss goodbye to dark circles and welcome a luminous, soothed and hydrated eye area. Starring a potent formula of 95% bioactives (that’s the hyaluronic acid, glow-boosting glycogen and brightening elderberry flower extract), it swiftly hydrates, plumps, smooths and depuffs in one fell swoop. Plus, it’s delightfully creamy - but not so much so that you can’t apply makeup on top soon afterwards.
Sunday Riley Auto Correct Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream
- Best for: Reducing the appearance of puffiness and fine lines.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Caffeine, cocoa butter, shea butter, and ginseng root.
Why we love it: We've all had one too many late nights binging the latest Netflix hit, but Sunday Riley's iconic under eye cream is here to save the day (or the next morning) when you wake up looking exceptionally puffy. Starring smoothing butters for nourishment, caffeine and ginseng root for rejuvenation and depuffing, and watermelon extract for hydration, this is your answer to a soothed, smoothed and radiant under eye area.
Drunk Elephant Ceramighty AF Eye Balm
- Best for: Strengthening the skin barrier.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Ceramides, fatty acids, antioxidant-rich virgin marula oil, and avocado oil.
Why we love it: Brimming with nourishing ingredients, this vegan and cruelty-free eye cream stars a rich, buttery texture to keep your eye area super smooth, hydrated and comfortable from day to night. But that’s not all: this pocket-sized purple hero strengthens the skin barrier (that's the ceramides for you), improves the appearance of skin texture, restores skin elasticity, and calms and soothes. The result? A firmer, softer eye area with a reduced appearance in fine lines and wrinkles and signs of fatigue.
Peter Thomas Roth Instant FirmX Eye
- Best for: Tightening and firming.
- Type: Gel.
- Product size: 30ml.
- Key ingredients: ‘Firm-A-Tite' (three skin-tightening silicates), peptides and seaweed extract.
Why we love it: Looking to depuff your eyes with near-instant results? Say no more. This TikTok viral eye cream features a lightweight formula with a patented technology, which lifts, firms, and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Starring antioxidant-rich seaweed, plumping peptides and moisturising alfalfa extract, this is perfect for times when you need a quick-fix solution for tired eyes.
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Eye Base
- Best for: Smoothing and priming.
- Type: Cream.
- Product size: 15ml.
- Key ingredients: Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12, sodium hyaluronate, and shea butter.
Why we love it: Perfect for applying before makeup, this hydrating eye cream plumps and smooths the delicate eye area, nourishing it with sodium hyaluronate and shea butter. The result? No creasing or dryness, which helps this eye balm prime your skin to maximise concealer application, allowing your whole look to last longer. I've used this for years - and I come back to it time and time again. Plus, it smells divine.
L'Oréal Paris 2.5% Hyaluronic Acid Eye Serum
- Best for: Cooling and depuffing.
- Type: Serum.
- Product size: 20ml.
- Key ingredients: Niacinamide, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid.
Why we love it: Although this serum technically isn't an eye cream, it certainly does the job if you're looking for a more cooling, liquid texture to treat your under-eye area. It comes with a metal applicator that helps to gently massage the product into your dehydrated skin to help reduce any puffiness with ease, thanks to a powerhouse blend of caffeine and its namesake 2.5% hyaluronic acid.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
- Best for: Reducing the appearance of dark circles and puffiness.
- Type: Serum.
- Product size: 30ml.
- Key ingredients: Caffeine, EGCG, and hyaluronic acid.
Why we love it: Powered by a highly concentrated dose of caffeine and green tea-derived Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside (EGCG), these fast-absorbing under-eye drops are very effective when it comes to reducing eye contour and discolouration. Plus, it leaves your skin feeling refreshed and more hydrated with each use.
How is eye cream different from face cream?
Because eye cream is designed to target a smaller area, compared with covering the entire face, it contains more concentrated ingredients for focusing on eye area concerns, including fine lines, puffiness and dark circles. Often, key components found in an eye cream formula are exactly the same as those seen in face cream, but they can be richer for smoothing onto that delicate under-eye skin.
Do eye creams work?
They certainly do. Pretty much all formulas will hydrate and nourish to some degree, which can help to prevent fine lines, smooth and soften, and keep dryness at bay. But you can choose specific eye creams depending on your unique needs that are formulated with targeted ingredients. To see results you need to be consistent with your usage, as it can take up to 6 weeks to see a difference. Even then, it may not erase all concerns, so seek a dermatologist if you wish to address further issues.
What to look for in an eye cream
Most skincare experts and dermatologists advise that the common ingredients to look out for are hyaluronic acid (great for hydrating and nourishing), vitamin C, which is a champion for brightening and diminishing pigmentation and dark circles, ceramides to plump skin, calming vitamin E, soothing aloe vera, moisturising squalane and protecting glycerin. They all work to give your under-eyes the proper TLC they deserve.
The best caffeine eye creams are also great for reducing puffiness, while the best retinol eye creams are good for anti-ageing.
Speaking of retinol, clinical facialist Kate Kerr explains that “a retinol eye cream helps to stabilise melanocytes — the cells that create pigment in skin — in order to prevent hyperpigmentation. It also thickens the dermis, which can make veins appear less prominent, improves texture, and smooths fine lines and wrinkles."
Which is better, an eye gel or an eye cream?
It depends whether you prefer the refreshing, lightweight texture of a gel, or the more nourishing properties of an eye cream. Also, look at which concerns you want to address. Eye creams are a better to apply at night time, as they focus mainly on slower renewal of fine lines and wrinkles, dark circles and hyperpigmentation. Eye gels are more commonly used in the day time for hydration, de-puffing, and soothing effects.
Are eye creams worth it?
They definitely are according to Dr Dendy, who advises to always look at eye creams before moving to advanced treatments like injectables. And the expert reveals that the under eye area is also one of the first to show signs of ageing (just like your hands, sigh).
“You’re never too young for eye cream, because we know it’s going to be the first area to show crepiness, fine lines and wrinkles," she says. In short, an eye cream is not going to do you a disservice.
When should I start using an eye cream?
There's no definitive age that you should start using an eye cream, but it's recommended to start using one in your mid twenties, to keep the under eye area hydrated and to prevent early formulation of fine lines (if you want to). Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides for their hydrating, plumping properties.
Even if you feel you don't need an eye cream, they can definitely help with smoother, crease-free concealer application for those late nights and early mornings, which is always a win.
What is the best eye cream for mature skin?
Mature skin can be more on the dry side, with concerns including age spots and fine lines and wrinkles. Choose an eye cream with retinol, plumping peptides, depuffing caffeine, brightening vitamin C, and hydrating and moisturising ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and squalane.
The Paula's Choice Clinical Ceramide Eye Cream contains vitamin C, retinol, five different ceramides and glycerin, while the Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex stars microencapsulated retinol (which protects the retinol from dissipating after application) vitamin C, peptides and brightening niacinamide.
How to apply eye cream
As well as under the eyes, Dr Dendy recommends applying on the brow bone and down to the crease. As for where to avoid? "If you put eye cream on your lash line, it’s going to transfer into your eye while you sleep, which is irritating, and might mean you’ll rub and scratch it," says Dr Dendy.
