Esme Benjamin is a contributing writer for PEOPLE based in New York City. Having written about beauty for many years, she knows her way around an ingredients list and is adept at sifting through marketing speak to find products that really work.
In the hierarchy of beauty woes, puffy under-eyes rank highly. Even if you’re well-rested, eye bags and dark circles can make it seem like you’ve been up all night doom-scrolling. The good news is that while some under-eye concerns may require more invasive treatments, many can be addressed with an eye cream.
“Under-eye skin is thinner than the rest of the skin on the face,” notes board-certified dermatologist Cheryl Karcher, MD. This makes it more vulnerable to “fine lines and wrinkles, puffiness, dark circles, dryness, crepiness, and overall lack of firmness.” According to Dr Karcher, face moisturizer may not contain the specific ingredients to effectively treat the under-eye area, so selecting a formula specifically designed for eye bags is important.
To find the best eye cream, we tried 39 formulas priced from $6 to $135. Our team of testers applied each product daily for a month, evaluating their active ingredients, texture and absorbancy, ease of application, and immediate and long-term results, including how well they reduced puffiness and eye bags. We then whittled the list down to the eight best creams that get rid of eye bags – no cucumber slices required.
Our Stars
What to Know About Eye Creams, According to a Dermatologist
Dr. Cheryl Karcher, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and co-owner of Center Aesthetic in New York City. Her expertise in cosmetic and aesthetic dermatology has made her a sought-after expert for national media and beauty conferences, and she has served as the consulting dermatologist for the Miss Universe organization. We asked Dr. Karcher to weigh in on what to know about eye creams, from the most impactful ingredients to the best application technique.
- Immediate vs. long-term results: Some ingredients, like collagen-boosting retinol or peptides, need a month or two to yield results. Others, like tightening caffeine or depuffing arnica, make an instant difference. Ideally, find a formula that has both.
- How and when to apply eye cream: After cleansing and before moisturizing. “That way, the active ingredient can get into the skin better,” explains Dr. Karcher. She also advises using your weakest finger (likely the ring) to gently dab on the formula so you won’t tug at the fragile under-eye skin.
- Consider your under-eye needs: Picking the best eye cream for you will depend on what you’re trying to address. If it’s dehydration, you’ll need a moisturizing formula. If it’s puffiness, you’ll need one that reduces fluid retention. And for crepiness and dark circles, a collagen and elastin-enhancing formula will improve the situation.
Reviews
Best Overall: The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
Our best overall eye cream punches well above its price point, tackling puffiness, dark circles, and dryness with a blend of plumping peptides and exfoliating albizia julibrissin bark extract. It also contains caffeine, an unparalleled ingredient for quick results, according to Dr. Karcher. “Caffeine constricts blood vessels, so it decreases puffiness and dark circles caused by fluid retention,” she explains.
Our tester, who applied The Inkey List eye cream morning and night, noticed a big difference in the appearance of her under-eye area after four weeks of use. “It made my under-eyes seem smoother, with less wrinkly texture,” she explained. “My skin was tighter and firmer.”
After applying the creamy formula directly from the fridge (as per the brand’s instructions), our tester noted its cool, smooth texture and temporary tingling sensation. After around 10 minutes, the formula fully absorbed into her skin, creating a hydrated canvas for moisturizer and concealer.
Size: 0.5 ounces | Key Ingredients: Caffeine, peptides, albizia julibrissin bark extract | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, hydrates, primes
Best Overall, Runner-Up: Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream
Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream is a game changer, as far as our tester was concerned. The thick, oil-based, avocado formula is designed to provide long-lasting moisture, leaving the under-eye area smooth and nourished. It also contains caffeine for a speedy depuffing effect.
Our tester appreciated how quickly the formula worked, providing visible results from the very first use. “The cream effectively tightened and firmed the skin, creating a more youthful and rejuvenated look,” she said. It also wore nicely under makeup, creating a smooth, refreshed look that lasted from morning until evening. “It actually doubles as a makeup primer,” our tester added.
Size: 0.5 ounces | Key Ingredients: Caffeine, avocado oil, shea butter | Benefits: Hydrates, smoothes, brightens
Best Brightening: Ilia Bright Start Retinol Alternative Brightening Eye Cream
Need a remedy for dark circles and dull-looking under-eyes? Ilia’s Bright Star Eye Cream is formulated with caffeine and peptides to reduce visible puffiness and avocado extract for a hefty dose of moisture. But the star ingredient is sea fennel extract. Known as “nature’s retinol,” it fortifies the epidermis and promotes collagen production without irritating the delicate under-eye skin.
Our tester loved the cooling effect of the metal applicator, which helped gently massage and depuff the area. Most impressive, though, was the instant brightening effect: “The cream has a light orange color and a slight shimmer that really brightens the under eyes,” our tester explained. Lightweight and fast-absorbing, the product provided ample moisture for a “more lively and awake” look.
Size: 0.5 ounces | Key Ingredients: Caffeine, peptides, avocado extract, sea fennel extract | Benefits: Reduces fine lines and wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness
Best Hydrating: Dermalogica Awaken Peptide Eye Gel
When your under-eyes are dry, it exacerbates fine lines and wrinkles, making you appear more tired than you actually feel. This multitasking formula from Dermalogica softens and hydrates skin as well as depuffs, brightens, and exfoliates it.
According to our tester, it lives up to the hype. The silky serum-like formula left her under-eyes feeling super hydrated, soft, and bouncy. Best of all, it helped banish fluid retention. “I have chronic dark circles and puffy eyes,” she shared, “and I found that this has significantly reduced my puffiness on a day-to-day basis.” To amp up your results, she recommends layering under-eye mask patches over the formula.
Size: 0.5 ounces | Key Ingredients: Caffeine, rosemary leaf extract, lactic acid, peptides, succinic acid | Benefits: Reduces puffiness and fine lines, firms and smoothes texture
Best for Mature Skin: Olay Ultimate Eye Cream
Our under-eyes are prone to dryness, wrinkles, and puffiness earlier than the rest of our facial skin as it’s thinner and more delicate. If it’s time you showed your eye area some TLC, reach for this rich cream from Olay. It contains hydrating vitamin B3, collagen-boosting peptides, and skin-brightening niacinamide. Plus, subtle pigments make it double as a concealer.
Our tester liked this option’s immediate and long-term benefits. The rich, mousse-like formula felt smooth and hydrating and was gentle on her skin. While it took around two weeks to see depuffing benefits, she loved how the cream helped disguise dark circles and improved the overall appearance of her under-eyes. “The red undertone helps cancel out blue discoloration, giving an immediate brightening effect that also works as a subtle primer for makeup,” she said.
Size: 0.4 ounces | Key Ingredients: Vitamin B3, peptides, niacinamide | Benefits: Targets wrinkles, puffiness, dark circles, fine lines while multitasking as a concealer
Best for Sensitive Skin: Naturium Multi-Peptide Eye Cream
Introducing new beauty products to your routine when you have sensitive skin can feel like playing skincare roulette. With this gentle formula from Naturium, you’ll get all the benefits and none of the irritation. Made with peptides, vegan squalene, and jojoba oil, the formula treats dryness and fine lines, creating a refreshed, wide-awake look.
“The cream firms and smooths the eye area, with noticeable tightening effects, especially around the outer eye area,” our tester said. “It’s hydrating, making the skin feel softer, and does not irritate, even if it gets into the eyes.”
Size: 0.5 ounces | Key Ingredients: Peptides, vegan squalane, jojoba oil | Benefits: Hydrates, reduces fine lines
Best Dermatologist-Backed: Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin C Lactic Firm & Bright Eye Treatment
There’s peace of mind from knowing your eye cream was created by a dermatologist, especially one as renowned as Dr. Dennis Gross. His Firm and Bright Eye Treatment targets under-eye bags with moisturizing ceramides and vitamin C to address sun spots and encourage collagen production. It also contains lactic acid, a gentle exfoliator that helps the ingredients penetrate deeper. Our tester applied the creamy formula twice daily and appreciated how hydrated and soft it left his under-eyes feeling.
Size: 0.5 ounces | Key Ingredients: Ceramides, L-Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), lactic acid | Benefits: Improves puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles
Best Celebrity Line: Fenty Skin Thicc N Smooth Rich Peptide Eye Cream
This rich and luxurious (or “thicc,” in Fenty speak) cream is a one-stop under-eye solution. It’s got caffeine, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide for instant depuffing, plumping, moisturizing, and brightening — a powerhouse blend that immediately won our tester over.
She loved the product’s silky-soft consistency, which left her under-eyes looking dewy and feeling ultra-hydrated. After a few days of use, she woke up less puffy, and her skin was more supple: “I also swear my lines are less defined and [the skin] under my eyes [is] just overall smoother.”
Size: 0.5 ounces | Key Ingredients: Caffeine, peptides, illipe butter, persian silk tree, hyaluronic acid, kalahari melon and baobab oil, niacinamide | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, fine lines, and dryness
Other Eye Creams We Liked
We aim to keep our list of “star” products succinct so that you can make informed and efficient purchasing choices, but the eye cream category is full of strong contenders. Although they weren’t our absolute favorites, the following eight formulas impressed our testers with their ability to soothe and depuff the under-eye area, leaving it hydrated and glowy. Consider this a definitive “honorable mention” list.
How We Tested
To refine this list of the best eye creams for puffiness, we asked our team of expert testers to apply 39 top-rated formulas daily for a month. They were asked to evaluate each product on its active ingredients, texture, and application, as well as immediate and long-term results, including its efficacy at reducing puffiness and dark circles. After carefully analyzing all the data and feedback, we narrowed down the list to the eight absolute best eye creams for a wide variety of skin types and preferences.
Complete Your Routine
Now that you’ve landed on the best eye cream for your needs, it’s time to refine the rest of your beauty routine. Ahead is a curated selection of skincare formulas that come recommended by our team of testers, from a brightening vitamin C cleanser to a pore-refining retinol face cream and peptide-packed targeted skin patches. Trust us, you can’t go wrong with these beauty all-stars.
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