25 best eye creams of all time for reducing fine lines, dark circles and puffiness
Applying one of the best eye creams should be just as crucial a skincare step as using your go-to moisturiser or a face serum. That's because the skin surrounding our eyes is considerably thinner and is closest to our blood vessels, which is why it warrants a product that's been especially formulated to suit its delicate needs. It's also "more prone to sagging and to the darkening of the skin,” says Dr Michael Detmar, dermatologist and co-founder of IRÄYE Skincare.
"Since there are no sebaceous glands, the skin around our eyes is also considered drier and it is easily stressed because contains a large number of lymphatic vessels,” he adds. And that's the exact reason why you should start taking care of it as early as possible. After all, it's also about time that we, once and for all, drop the myth about eye creams only being beneficial for mature skin.
So whether you're after a de-puffing, brightening or a firming formula to take care of puffiness, dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles – no need to worry, we've got you sorted. Here, we've put together a neat list of all the nourishing and skin-barrier-friendly eye creams for every skin type, based on our own first-hand experience and dermatologist recommendations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Is an eye cream necessary? | Why do you need a separate eye cream? | How to apply eye cream | What ingredients should we look for in our eye cream? | Our full reviews.
Best eye creams at a glance 2024:
- Best eye cream overall: Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye
- Best for fine lines: Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream Rich
- Best for puffy eyes: The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream
- Best for instant firming results: Peter Thomas Roth Instant FirmX Eye
- Best for dark circles: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright + Eye Crème
- Best for lifting: Murad Retinal ReSculpt Eye Lift Treatment
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
What does eye cream do?
"The thin skin around the eyes is the first to show signs of ageing, but if you induce collagen and elastin formation in thin skin, it very much translates clinically," says Dr Dendy. However, thin skin can mean regular skincare products such as moisturisers can be too irritating. "We have to make sure that the cream is formulated for the eye area so that it's not too irritating," she adds.
It's not just the density of our skin, that's different. "There are fewer sebaceous glands around the eye area than in oilier areas like the T-zone," says Dr Dendy. "Less oil means increased risk of wrinkling so I think you absolutely need the separate step of an eye cream to nourish," she says.
How do I apply eye cream?
As well as under the eyes, Dr Dendy recommends going up 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 through into your eye while you sleep, which is irritating and then you’ll rub and scratch it," says Dr Dendy.
Ahead, the best eye creams, reviewed by our beauty editors…
Best eye cream overall
Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye
Why we love it: The world's first clinic strength retinoid for under eyes, the Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye is a derm-loved breakthrough retinal eye cream which serves up targeted under eye rejuvenation. Featuring retinaldehyde, this formulahas been stabilised at a clinical strength and combined with ceramides and hyaluronic acid filling spheres. The result? An all-in-one solution which is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, wrinkles, fine linesand puffiness while gently hydrating the delicate eye area.
Best eye cream for sensitive skin
Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
Why we love it: This creamy concoction from Kiehl's features avocado oil as part of its formulation, which helps it gently moisturise, brighten and smooth out your delicate under-eye skin. The best part is on top of being able to deal with multiple skin concerns at once, it's also suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Puffy eyes? Don't know her.
Best eye cream for fine lines
Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream Rich
Why we love it: Suitable for use morning and night, this eye cream is infused with botanical ingredients – from mulberry root extract, caffeine and green tea leaf extract – to help protect against free radicals and reduce puffiness, dark circles and fine lines, all while boosting natural collagen production for revitalised, brighter eyes.
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Best eye cream for instant results
Peter Thomas Roth Instant FirmX Eye
Why we love it: Looking for near-instant results when it comes to reducing the look of puffy eyes? Say no more. This lightweight formula comes with a patented technology that lifts and firms the appearance of skin by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Perfect for times when you need a quick-fix solution to tired eyes.
Best lifting eye cream
Murad Retinal ReSculpt Eye Lift Treatment
Why we love it: Infused with retinal as well as gentian root extract and oat sugar extract that help amplify its benefits, this lifting eye cream is incredibly effective while still remaining gentle on the under-eye area. Exactly what you need for a more lifted, firmer and tightened appearance.
Best eye cream for puffy under-eyes
The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream
Why we love it: Regardless of whether or no, we can all readily agree that just under £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 you're free to pop it in your purse to help protect your delicate skin from environmental aggressors such as big-city London pollution.
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Best eye cream for dark circles
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright + Eye Crème
Why we love it: Exclusive to Boots, this brightening eye cream from Ole Henriksen features light-reflecting pigments 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 and orange extract.
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Best eye cream for over 50s
SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Eye Complex
Why we love it: This advanced eye cream from SkinCeuticals is powered by a potent blend of proxylane, peptides and a new glycyrrhetnic acid that diminish the appearance of unwanted fine line and dark circles. Incredibly effective and has a pleasantly rich texture that melts into your skin with each application.
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Best eye cream for 30s
ILIA Bright Start Retinol Alternative Eye Cream
Why we love it: Despite its popularity, sometimes retinol just isn't a viable option for everybody. That's where ILIA comes in – this potent eye cream uses sea fennel extract as a retinol alternative to brighten, firm and smooth your skin without being too harsh on your complexion.
Best eye serum for dry skin
L'Oréal Paris 2.5% Hyaluronic Acid Eye Serum
Why we love it: Sure, although this serum technically isn't an eye cream, it certainly does the job if you're looking for a more cooling and liquid texture to treat your under-eye area. This item comes with a metal applicator that helps gently massage the product into your dehydrated skin to help reduce any unwanted puffiness with ease.
Best eye cream with retinol
Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Line Erasing Eye Cream
Why we love it: This multi-tasking eye cream helps your under-eye area look as youthful as ever by targeting any and all fine lines, crow’s feet and dark circles. It achieves this thanks to a formula that’s filled to the brim with retinol, ceramides and niacinamide, which work in tandem to brighten and smoothen your skin with ease.
Best brightening eye cream
111Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel NAC Y2
Why we love it: Made by 111Skin, a brand beloved by celebrities and beauty experts alike, this innovative eye cream comes with a brightening formula that will blow your mind. It has the texture of a cooling gel, which makes it incredibly pleasant to use. It's also very effective when it comes to combatting dullness and reducing the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles.
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Best K-beauty eye cream
Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum
Why we love it: Korean skincare brands certainly know a thing or two when it comes to creating the complexion of your dreams. This mini eye lotion uses key ingredients such as ginseng and retinal to revive tired-looking eyes. The best part is that a little goes a long way with this product – just dab a little under your eye, work it in and let it do its magic. Great for use on mature skin.
Best eye cream for wearing under makeup
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Eye Base
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.
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Best eye cream for under-eye bags
Sunday Riley Auto Correct Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream
Why we love it: Eye cream? Contouring? Why not both? This product is infused with caffeine and Brazilian ginseng root, as well as concentrated horse chestnut and acmella oleracea extracts to smooth the appearance of crow’s feet and fine lines. Great for adding a brighter and more radiant look.
Best eye cream for wrinkles
Dr Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Triple Correction Eye Serum
Why we love it: The gold standard in firming, this 3-in-1 eye cream is packed with wrinkle-smoothing retinol, a substance derived from vitamin A that works wonders on fine lines by firming your skin. 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.
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Best hydrating eye serum
La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Eye Serum
Why we love it: This one from La Roche-Posay contains vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid to plump, hydrate and ward off wrinkles. It's great for sensitive skin and melts into your skin to kickstart a restorative process and support natural cell renewal in a very soothing and gentle way.
Best eye cream with a tri-ceramide complex
Byoma De-Puff + Brighten Eye Gel
Why we love it: You'd be mistaken for thinking that an eye cream that contains a unique tri-ceramide complex, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C would be expensive. Thankfully, Byoma specialises in high-quality products at an affordable price. Perfect for brightening the undereye area and easily one of our top picks.
Best collagen eye cream
Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Lifting Eye Cream
Why we love it: Looking for an eye cream that can reduce unwanted water loss and lift the skin under your eyes? This cream is certainly on the pricier side, but its collagen-producing formula includes a triple peptide complex, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, all of which work hard to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and crow's feet.
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Best lifting eye cream
Why we love it: Suitable for all skin types, this gel-cream formula is one of the best in the market when it comes to brightening the under-eye area, reducing puffiness and softening the appearance of fine lines and crow’s feet. The best part? It’s the ideal solution for anyone who wears contact lenses as the botanical-infused formula is gentle enough for daily use without causing irritation or dryness.
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Best peptide eye cream
Sarah Chapman Skinesis Eye Recovery
Why we love it: Who doesn't want an eye cream that's the answered to more energised-looking eyes? This eye cream contains cocktail of skin-plumping antioxidants, peptides, hyaluronic spheres and optical diffusers, all of which work together to boost your collagen production to firm up wrinkles.
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Best affordable eye cream
Why we love it: Specially designed to target dark circles and puffiness around the eyes, this eye cream melts upon application, reducing dark circles and restoring the skin's protective barrier with the help of a combination of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. It's also fragrance-free and suitable for all skin types. Also available on Amazon for next-day delivery.
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Best firming eye cream
Shiseido Exclusive Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Eye Concentrate
Why we love it: This eye cream is able to restore and strengthen the delicate skin around the eyes to improve firmness, reduce puffiness and improve the appearance of lines and dark circles. If you're shopping around the holidays, then keep a look out – Shiseido often includes it as part of their bestselling skincare gift sets.
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Best eye cream with niacinamide
Olay Retinol 24 Night Eye Cream With Retinol & Vitamin B3
Why we love it: This night eye cream from Olay contains a blend of retinol and niacinamide (vitamin B3) that hydrates your skin and evens out its texture while you sleep. It's also gentle on your skin and is free from fragrances and dyes. Just don't forget to apply your face SPF next morning.
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Best eye cream with vitamin C
Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
Why we love it: Ceramides, vitamin C and cucumber extract? Thanks to its ability to brighten and refresh your skin, this gentle yet powerful restorative eye cream is truly something to behold. Did we mention that it's fragrance-free too?
Is eye cream really necessary for the skin?
Eye creams and eye serums are unmatched in their ability to reduce the appearance of puffiness, under-eye circles and fine lines. Overall, they provide “a radiant and firmer appearing skin around the eyes,” shares Dr Michael Detmar, board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of IRÄYE Skincare. And despite popular belief, "effects of eye creams are observed independent of skin age.”
Still need convincing? We asked Dr Dendy Engelman, top skincare specialist and Elizabeth Arden's consulting New York dermatologist whether eye creams can really make a difference.
"I always say yes. Before you start thinking about injectables or anything like that, take a look at what you're doing with your skincare," says Dr Dendy. "You’re never too young for eye cream because we know it’s going to be the first area to really show crepiness, fine lines and wrinkles, so you do want to hydrate there." However, it's an area that can respond quickest to skincare, so you'll start to see results more quickly, which is encouraging.
What ingredients are best in an eye cream?
If you do decide to incorporate an eye cream into your skincare routine, there's a wide variety of ingredients that can be called upon to tackle eye-related concerns like appearance of dark circles, crow’s feet, lack of elasticity, dry skin and puffiness.
Most skincare experts and dermatologists advise that the most common ingredients to look out for are hyaluronic acid (great for hydrating and nourishing tired eyes), vitamin C, which is a champion for brightening skin and diminishing pigmentation and dark circles, ceramides to plump skin, vitamin E, aloe vera, squalane and glycerin. They all work to give your under-eyes the proper TLC that 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 is necessary to help stabilise melanocytes [the cells that create pigment in skin] in order to prevent hyperpigmentation. It also thickens the dermis [which can mean veins appear less prominent], improves texture, smooths lines and wrinkles and hides purple skin tones."
Feeling inspired to upgrade your skincare routine? Shop the best moisturiser for dry skin, best moisturiser for combination skin, and the best moisturiser for oily skin. We can also help you pick the best face masks, anti-ageing creams, face cleansers, hyaluronic acid serum and vitamin C serums.
For more shoppable beauty content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Twitter @deniseprimbet and Instagram @deniseprimbet.
