Best Fragrance-Free: La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Yeux/Eyes Corrector
Why we love it: La Roche-Posay’s Pigmentclar Anti-Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream is basically a dark circle eraser in a tube. This creamy, fragrance-free formulation contains a skin-enhancing cocktail of brightening niacinamide, anti-inflammatory caffeine, and antioxidant-rich thermal spring water for moisture replenishment. Also on the brightening front is phe-resorcinol, which inhibits melanin production, similar to kojic acid. This one gets bonus points for its metal applicator, which conducts heat, thus feeling cool and refreshing on puffy, tired eyes. You don’t even need to keep it in the fridge!
Best Cooling Formula: Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb
Why we love it: Like a tall glass of water for your undereye area, Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb kicks hydration into overdrive to ensure no dry skin is left behind. The line-smoothing cream promises long-lasting moisture and a visibly radiant finish, thanks to powerhouse ingredients like soothing tiger grass, glycerin, squalane, and ceramides. This rich, hydrating formulation does wonders on flaky, irritated, and chapped skin without feeling heavy or thick — ideal for the colder months.
Best Budget: The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
Why we love it: Don’t be deceived by the price tag. The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream packs just as powerful a punch as the pricier options on this list. The caffeine in the cream helps flush away water retention that can cause puffiness, and peptides smooth over roughly textured skin on this delicate area of the face. If you tend to feel extra puffy in the A.M., try keeping this caffeinated eye cream in the fridge overnight for a cooling treat.
Eye Cream 101
What does eye cream do?
Here’s the deal: “Eyelid skin is thinner than the surrounding facial skin so it can be more prone to sensitivity and irritation,” Tiffany Jow Libby, MD, a Rhode Island-based, board-certified dermatologist at Brown Dermatology, previously explained. It makes sense that you’d want a concentrated cream to address this delicate area that’s susceptible to the formation of fine lines and crow’s feet.
What’s more: “As we hit our 30s, hyaluronic acid, our skin’s natural water absorber and plumper, begins to decline,” Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut, explains—which is why applying the ingredient topically and making up for lost hydration is of the essence. In fact, many of the best eye creams for wrinkles are packed with HA and other powerful ingredients like blood vessel-constricting caffeine and collagen-boosting peptides to help fake a full night’s rest.
How to apply eye cream
A common rule of thumb is using your ring fingers to gently tap the eye cream into your skin, since you’re dealing with the thinnest area on your face. Dr. Kim has a process that may reduce puffiness, or at the very least, feel calming. “I dot [eye cream] around the eyes, place my index finger on the upper eyelid area and third finger on the lower eyelid area, and rub it in as I’m doing a lymphatic massage,” he says.
Do eye creams really work?
Ultimately, it comes down to the level of prevention you desire. “Because they are landing on thinner skin, eye creams tend to be thicker—a higher amount of oil, less water—than facial moisturizers,” Dr. Gohara explains, comparing the use of an eye cream to “putting extra padding on a spin bike.” And that extra cushioning just might pay off, since it’s also known that the eye area is one of the first to show signs of aging such as sagging skin, fine lines, and crow’s feet.
