I’ll admit, even as a beauty editor, I was low-key skeptical about the necessity of eye cream in a skin care routine. As long as you’re applying your moisturizer to your under-eye area, you should be set, right? Well, after consulting eight dermatologists and one plastic surgeon, it’s clear that an eye treatment is pretty darn important, especially if your under-eye area is plagued with dark circles, crow’s feet, crepey skin or puffiness. From lightweight serums to rich creams, under-eye products pack in beneficial ingredients that can specifically target these issues, providing anti-aging benefits and sometimes even an immediate wake-up for tired eyes.
Ahead, find the experts’ favorite formulas for brightening and depuffing the under-eye area — starting at just $5. And stick around as they address commonly asked questions, like how often you should be using an eye cream and what else they recommend for treating dark circles.
Best eye creams for dark circles
Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, recommends this eye cream to combat dark circles and other signs of aging. "This gentle formulation includes a combination of both micro-encapsulated retinol and bakuchi seed, a gentle, plant-based retinol alternative," she says. The dermatologist also calls out its inclusion of antioxidant-rich saffron, smoothing niacinamide and brightening licorice root extract.
This serum is another product that doubles up on the benefits of retinol and bakuchiol. Double board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology Dr. Brendan Camp recommends this product "to tighten skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and dark circles."
"This eye cream contains vitamin C and caffeine," says?Dr. Mina Amin, a Los Angeles–based dermatologist at California Dermatology Specialists. "Vitamin C helps brighten the under-eyes, and caffeine helps depuff and constrict blood vessels, which can contribute to dark under-eyes."
Amin says this eye cream is "made with niacinamide and caffeine to help brighten under-eye circles." It comes with a cooling applicator to depuff too.
"This gel combines antioxidants and peptides to brighten the under-eye area, reduce fine lines and improve skin texture," says Dr. Anetta Reszko, board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon. "The powerful ingredients work in combination to diminish dark circles and puffiness."
Dr. Purvisha Patel, a double board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare, uses this fast-acting eye cream from her own line to combat dark circles and puffiness. According to the dermatologist, "Caffeine, hyaluronic acid and emblica extract tighten the skin and decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles."
Patel also recommends this bestselling formula that's hydrating and instantly gives the under-eye a boost.?"It has vitamin C for an antioxidant and a bright color that neutralizes eye skin discoloration," Patel says.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Alexis Stephens loves this lightweight eye serum, especially in warmer weather. "The serum contains potent ingredients such as vitamin C, aloe vera, caffeine, niacinamide and amino peptides," she says. "These ingredients work synergistically to brighten dark circles, reduce puffiness and prime your skin for makeup application."
Dr. Baljeet K. Purewal, a board-certified oculofacial plastic surgeon (meaning she specializes in the eyes), recommends this eye cream from her own line, noting that it treats dark circles and hyperpigmentation with a nonirritating retinoid as well as brightening ingredients arbutin and kojic acid. "It contains vitamin C and green tea to nourish and revitalize the under-eye area and specialized peptides that soften and condition the skin," Purewal says, adding that it's safe to apply to the upper and lower lids.
Best budget under-eye creams for dark circles
"This multipurpose formula works as a serum, night cream and eye cream," King says.?The budget-friendly pick is packed with antioxidants as well as retinol for anti-aging benefits.
"This formula uses niacinamide and sodium hyaluronate (a derivative of hyaluronic acid) to brighten and hydrate, while caffeine reduces puffiness," says Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, board-certified dermatologist and founder of La Jolla Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center. It also has some intense-sounding ingredients: "Ascorbyl glucoside enhances skin brightness, and hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane sulfonic acid adds hydration," she says, adding that they are actually quite gentle on the skin, making it a fit for sensitive under-eye areas too.
"This simple but useful eye cream is ophthalmologist-tested, fragrance-free and contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide," Purewal says. "For patients who have circles from lack of sleep and lack of hydration, this is an easy and accessible cream that will nourish the skin to brighten the under-eye area."
This eye cream is "a favorite among dermatologists and patients," according to Shirazi. "It is formulated with retinol designed for the eyelid skin to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles," she says, also calling out its ability to reduce crow's feet.
"This formula is a great pick for those who want to address puffiness and don’t want to spend a lot of money," says board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of?TRNR Skin,?Dr. Ryan Turner. "The star ingredients in this product are depuffing and brightening caffeine and proprietary peptide blend Matrixyl 3000, which helps smooth the look of wrinkles."
Another cheap product that Turner approves of, this gel formula is especially great for sensitive skin. He points out that it's dermatologist tested and fragrance-free, featuring "two weights of hyaluronic acid as well as panthenol and aloe to help hydrate and condition the skin under the eye, which promotes a brighter, smoother look."
Best under-eye creams for sensitive eyes
"Even though it contains retinol, the overall formulation is hydrating and moisturizing and should be suitable for sensitive skin," King says of this smoothing eye cream. Along with the anti-aging powerhouse, it also features skin-strengthening peptides, algae extract, antioxidants and moisturizing ingredients to address fine lines, crepeiness, dark circles and puffiness, according to the derm.
A serious game changer, this?eye cream?that Amin recommends contains five different types of vitamin C and a chain of eight peptides, "which helps rebuild and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," Amin says.
"For those with sensitive skin, ingredients like glycerin, squalane and panthenol help hydrate and soothe the skin around the eyes, reducing dark circles," Shirazi says. She also mentions it contains strengthening peptides to support "skin structure and elasticity, while antioxidants like tocopherol (vitamin E) and olive leaf extract protect and nourish the delicate under-eye area."
Reskzo says this eye cream is a great option for any signs of aging around the eye area, thanks to Augustinus Bader's signature TFC8 (Trigger Factor Complex) technology. "The eye cream also provides deep hydration and improves the overall texture and tone of the delicate skin around the eyes."
"This serum is formulated with Bioeffect's epidermal growth factor to rejuvenate the eye area," Reszko says. "It is lightweight, making it suitable for sensitive eyes, and effectively reduces puffiness, fine lines and dark circles while providing deep hydration."
"Niacinamide helps fade brown under-eye dark circles by reducing melanin production, while pumpkin seed extract soothes, depuffs and regulates blood flow, minimizing blue circles," Shirazi says. "Sodium hyaluronate boosts moisture, smoothing the skin and reducing fine lines, and caffeine acts as a vasoconstrictor to diminish puffiness and dark circles. These ingredients are gentle and nonirritating, making them suitable for sensitive skin."
Best under-eye creams for dark circles and puffiness
Both Camp and Turner love this effective eye cream for improving dark circles and bringing down puffiness. Plus, it targets wrinkles to boot. "This product was formulated to treat glycation, a form of aging caused by sugars. Though it’s a nice choice to target all concerns around the eye, I like it for dark circles because of the inclusion of brightening pigments, caffeine and glycyrrhetinic acid, a compound found in licorice that helps soothe, depuff and brighten," Turner says.
"Made with vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and peptides, this eye cream targets under-eye concerns to improve discoloration, dullness and firmness," Camp says. It's a great choice for both your day and nighttime routine.
Patel says this wrinkle-reducing serum "has magnesium aluminum silicate to help with puffiness," explaining, "this is a plastic-like substance that pushes the skin down temporarily." This means it'll give nearly instant results that will last for hours.
"This formula features a cooling rollerball applicator, which, combined with caffeine, sodium hyaluronate and botanical extracts like grape seed and pomegranate, effectively reduces puffiness and dark circles," Shirazi says. In addition to being dermatologist tested, it's also ophthalmologist tested so you can be assured its safe for sensitive eyes.
This antioxidant-infused eye gel reduces puffiness, crow’s feet and dark circles. The formula uses protective ingredients that defend against external factors that contribute to signs of aging, such as UV damage and pollution. It's one of the lighter-weight options I've tried so it's great for adding as a wake-up to your morning skin care.
"This product contains lily, ginseng and caffeine, ingredients that help support circulation, to help depuff the under-eye," Turner shares. "The cooling tip also helps to massage the under-eye, which helps to drain fluid and promotes a more sculpted appearance."
If puffiness is your main concern, this fast-acting eye gel is a great temporary fix. Its ability to visibly tighten the under-eye area has made it a viral hit, and it lived up to expectations when we put it to the test too.
"Gentle and effective, it helps diminish crow's feet and puffiness over time, making it suitable for sensitive skin," Shirazi says of this eye serum. The dermatologist says its combination of algae extract, sodium hyaluronate and bioactive peptides reduce puffiness and dark circles.
Best all-in-one concealer eye creams
Turner and Purewal agree that this is a fantastic product if you're looking for skin care benefits and under-eye coverage. "It’s the concealer I always recommend to cosmetic eyelid surgery patients when they’ve healed and can wear makeup again because it’s very safe but also effective," Purewal says. "It also features SPF 35, which I appreciate. The eye area is very delicate and often goes unprotected by SPF," Turner adds.
A great base for under-eye concealer, this color-correcting skin care stick delivers brightening vitamin C, illuminating pigments and caffeine to make the eye area appear more even and awake. I love to blend it on my under-eye area right before applying concealer for a seamless finish.
This multitasking product from Shirazi's own brand is a peptide serum, SPF and color corrector all in one. "It's formulated with multiple peptides to boost collagen and hydration while offering protection against damaging UV rays and visible light with mineral-based UV filters and iron oxide," she says. The cooling tip is a bonus to help depuff the eyes.
"This eye cream concealer comes in 14 shades, and the key ingredients include sodium hyaluronate for hydration, ascorbyl glucoside for brightening and glycerin for moisture," Shirazi says. You'll also see dimethicone and caprylyl methicone in the ingredient list, which smooth imperfections, as well as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol, which the dermatologist says "ensure safety."
