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The 13 Best Eye Creams for Every Need

Starting at $11.
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It happens to the best of us. Wake up, look in the mirror, and wonder how and why our eyes look so puffy, dark and maybe even a bit crepey. There’s been a lot of debate recently about eye creams, and consumers, beauty editors and skin experts aren’t always in agreement on their necessity. But, can we all concede that the standard moisturizer-plus-concealer combo doesn’t always cut it?

I am firmly on Team Eye Cream, and have tried dozens over the years. Good news: There are a ton of really great ones out there. For everything from depuffing and firming to brightening, at every price point, these 13 picks are the next best thing to a full night’s rest.

1 / 13

Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Firming Eye Gel Cream ($62)

Selena Gomez is a big fan of this skin-smoothing eye gel cream that “visibly” firms and depuffs the undereye area. Antioxidant-rich resveratrol is the star ingredient. Along with firming powers, it’s also proven to reduce the look of wrinkles. In addition to its clean formula, it’s also fragrance-free, making it ideal for the sensitive skin around our eyes.

caudalie eye gel cream

Key ingredients

Resveratrol, hyaluronic acid, collagen alternative

Best for

Firming

2 / 13

SkinCeuticals A.G.E Advanced Eye Cream ($116)

For targeting overall aging concerns like crow’s feet, wrinkles, dark circles and drier skin, you can’t go wrong with SkinCeuticals’ dermatologist-recommended eye cream. “It helps with hydration and overall signs of aging,” confirms Palo Alto, CA facial plastic surgeon Jill L. Hessler, MD. Its rich and balmy texture delivers instant relief from dryness and a visible plumping effect. Plus, users, including Hilary Duff, swear the luminous formula brightens dark circles on contact.

skinceuticals-age-advanced-eye

Key ingredients

Concentrated ProxylaneTM , wild fruit flavonoid blend, Matrixyl 3000, glycyrrhetinic acid, inclusive optical effects, caffeine

Best for

Anti-aging

3 / 13

Dermalogica Phyto Nature Lifting Eye Cream ($115)

Dermalogica’s freshly-launched Phyto Nature Lifting Eye Cream is expert-approved to treat the entire eye area—including drooping upper eyelids. Its formula also firms and visibly reduces signs of eye aging such as fine lines and wrinkles, dryness and loss of elasticity. According to the brand, it takes just one use to see measurably lifted eyes.

PHYTO NATURE LIFTING EYE CREAM

Key ingredients

Quinoa seed extract, peptides, matcha butter, squalane, vitamin E, pro-vitamin B5, CoQ-10

Best for

Sagging upper eyelids

4 / 13

RoC Skincare Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream ($30)

For a budget-friendly (and Sarah Jessica Parker–loved) pick that boasts retinol, the superstar anti-aging ingredient, in its formula, grab this tried-and-true cream from RoC. (One tube sells every 30 seconds.) A pea size amount applied twice a day address the three most common signs of eye aging—puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles—while it smooths skin instantly.

ROC RETINOL EYE CREAM

Key ingredients

Retinol

Best for

Skin familiar with retinol

5 / 13

Naturium Multi-Peptide Eye Cream ($16)

Another effective and affordable eye cream comes recommended by makeup artist Natalie Dresher. “Its unique peptide, squalene and hyaluronic acid blend plumps up and brightens the area making it perfect for makeup application or even to face the day bare skinned! The plumping properties of the under eye cream allow concealer to glide right on and not sink into fine lines and expression lines!”

NATURIUM EYE CREAM

Key ingredients

Peptides, hyaluronic acid, squalane

Best for

Mature skin

6 / 13

The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream ($11)

Celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg calls this caffeine-rich eye cream “a gem.” According to Greenburg, it wears especially well under makeup “because it reduces puffiness and the appearance of dark circles” thanks to its blend of caffeine and hyaluronic acid-infused peptides, which help plump up fine lines and wrinkles with hydration.

THE INKEY LIST CAFFEINE EYE CREAM

Key ingredients

Caffeine, Matrixyl 3000 peptides

Best for

Smoothing

7 / 13

BeautyStat Universal C Eye Perfector Vitamin C ($65)

Harnessing the power of antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and CBD, there’s little this eye perfector doesn’t address. Five percent pure, ultra-stable vitamin C brightens undereyes instantly, hemp oil calms inflammation resulting in visible depuffing, hyaluronic acid hydrates and green tea extract stimulates collagen to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Award Photo: Universal C Eye Perfector
Award Photo: Universal C Eye Perfector

Key ingredients

Vitamin C, hemp oil, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract

Best for

Brightening

8 / 13

SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair ($106)

Several dermatologists recommend SkinMedica’s TNS Eye Repair. Glenn Dale, MD dermatologist Valerie Callender, MD names it her favorite because its formula “hydrates the skin around the eyes and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.” Delray Beach, FL dermatologist Janet Allenby, MD explains, “When a hollowness between the eye and orbital bone causes a depression, and therefore shadow, I use products that improve the way light reflects off the tissue to mask the shadowing, like this one that brightens the tissue.” “It is a wonderful product for hydrating the delicate eye area,” agrees New York plastic surgeon Mokhtar Asaadi, MD.

skinmedica tns eye repair

Key ingredients

Peptides, TNS, boron nitride

Best for

Under-eye hollows

9 / 13

OLEHENRIKSEN Wrinkle Blur Bakuchiol Eye Gel Crème ($52)

If you’re looking for an eye cream that helps to firm the skin under your eyes and render wrinkles unnoticeable, this is the product for you. Bakuchiol, a firming retinol alternative, peptides and orchid stem cells work their magic to effectively blur fine lines and wrinkles around the eye, resulting in smoother, tighter-looking skin instantly.

OLEHENRICKSEN EYE GEL

Key ingredients

Bakuchiol, orchid stem cells, peptides

Best for

Wrinkles

10 / 13

EltaMD UV AOX Tinted Eye Sunscreen SPF 30 ($50)

Sunscreen protection is essential skin care, but we sometimes forget that also extends to our undereyes. EltaMD’s eye formula has you covered with 100 percent mineral SPF 30, plus skin-enhancing antioxidants that visibly reduce signs of aging, dark circles and puffiness. With its universal tint, it may replace under-eye concealer altogether.

ELTAMD UV AOX TINTED EYE CREAM

Key ingredients

Zinc oxide, peptides, Persian silk tree extract, vitamin E, bisabolol

Best for

(Tinted) SPF protection

11 / 13

Supergoop! Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40 ($40)

Supergoop’s mineral SPF eye cream isn’t chalk-white like you’d expect from a non-nano zinc oxide formula. Instead, the universal hue instantly brightens the entire under eye area. With wild butterfly ginger flower, caffeine, probiotics and green tea extract, it also bocks blue light and depuffs tired skin.

supergoop bright eyed spf eye cream

Key ingredients

Caffeine, probiotics, pomegranate, green tea extract, wild butterfly ginger flower

Best for

(Non-tinted) SPF protection

12 / 13

Revision Skincare D.E.J Eye Cream ($118)

Melville, NY dermatologist Kally Papantoniou, MD says the peptide technology of this eye creams helps stimulate collagen production and rejuvenate the skin. “If we improve the quality of our skin and rebuild collagen, this can help reduce the transparency of skin, which helps reduce some of the appearance of discoloration and promotes healthy skin turn over,” she explains. “What is great about this cream is it does not dry out the skin,” adds the expert. New York plastic surgeon Melissa Doft, MD is also a fan of the peptide- and antioxidant-rich formula for firming and brightening.

revision dej eye cream

Key ingredients

Goji fruit extracts, tripeptides, prebiotics

Best for

Stimulating collagen

13 / 13

Dermalogica Awaken Peptide Eye Gel ($59)

Shoppers in their 40s swear this eye gel works overtime to revive tired eyes.  Thanks to a blend of caffeine, peptides, rosemary leaf extract (known for soothing and minimizing swelling) and lactic acid (hello, smooth skin), we can see why. Whether you’re up with kids, working late or enjoying a night on the town, this formula will awaken your eyes in just 10 minutes, according to the brand.

dermalogica awaken peptide eye gel

Key ingredients

Peptides, caffeine, rosemary leaf extract, lactic acid

Best for

Depuffing

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