When shopping for the best eye cream, experts I spoke to recommend considering the following factors:
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Below, I rounded up dermatologist-recommended eye creams, plus options that NBC Select editors have tested and love.
Finding an eye cream that won’t irritate your eyes can be tricky, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd. In her experience, people who are sensitive around the eye area can tolerate this Cerave formula well. It has ceramides that calms the skin and help with texture, hyaluronic acid to add moisture and niacinamide to brighten, according to the brand.
This gel-cream has niacinamide, shea butter and glycerin to help reduce irritation associated with dryness and sensitivity around the eyes and eyelids, according to the brand. NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio uses this eye cream daily in the winter to hydrate her dry under eyes. “It adds a great amount of hydration that I need during the colder months, and it doesn’t irritate my super sensitive skin,” she says.
This cream, which has a 4.4-star average rating from over 1,500 reviews on Amazon, is suitable for all skin types and helps moisturize the under-eye area without feeling too thick on the skin, according to the brand. It has glycerin, squalane and ceramides to help retain moisture and support your skin barrier, according to the brand. Reviewers also say it soothes sensitive skin and doesn’t cause any irritation.
This Colorescience eye cream has humectants like glycerin and emollients like squalane to improve texture on the under-eye skin, says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick. Not only does this help combat dryness, but it also helps firm the skin under the eyes, improve discoloration and reduce overall puffiness, she says.
This Glossier eye cream is meant to go on both your under-eye area and eyelids. “I love how creamy and lightweight this eye cream is — it absorbs quickly into my skin and feels instantly hydrating,” says Godio. “It also sits really well under makeup and never feels heavy on the thin skin around my eyes.” The gel-cream has a combination of hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to brighten and smooth out the area, according to the brand.
Kiehl’s is an editor-favorite brand for those with very dry, flaky skin. This eye cream, which has a 4.3-star average rating from over 800 reviews at Ulta, is great for those who prefer a thick, creamy consistency or one they can wear to sleep. Despite being one of the thicker eye creams on this list, reviewers say it absorbs quickly. It has a blend of several hydrating ingredients, including avocado oil and shea butter.
The moment I experience an eczema flare-up, my skin seems to lack all moisture; I use this eye cream because it doesn’t irritate my skin and instead has soothing ingredients like colloidal oatmeal and cucumber extract. I apply a pea-sized amount of this cream daily to my under eyes and eyelids, and I notice my skin immediately looks less dull and feels much more hydrated and plump.
This eye cream targets dark circles with ingredients like vitamin C, caffeine and peptides, according to the brand. Plus, it has growth hormones, which are proteins that help regulate good collagen processes to restore the skin and prevent collagen production from decreasing (which can contribute to thin, sagging skin), says Woolery-Lloyd. (Collagen keeps the structure of your skin firm and provides underlying support, according to experts.)
This cream comes recommended by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lily Talakoub for anyone looking to combat dark circles because it has vitamin C to brighten. Not only does the eye cream help with discoloration, but it also has hyaluronic acid, which helps prevent crepey skin, says Talakoub.
This lightweight cream is a favorite of NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin because it has vitamin C and caffeine to brighten and depuff her under eyes. Malin, who dabs less than ¼ of a teaspoon onto the skin, says a little goes a long with this eye cream, too.
This Colorscience eye cream is a tinted SPF for those who want to brighten and color correct the eye area while also protecting their skin from UVA and UVB exposure, says Talakoub. The cream, which comes in four shades (fair, medium, tan and deep), also has a cooling applicator to help reduce puffiness, according to Colorscience.
This eye cream has vitamin C and orange extract to help brighten the under-eye area. “I use this every morning because it makes a huge difference on my dark circles,” says Godio. “I’ve gotten multiple compliments on how bright my skin looks when I apply this eye cream, even without makeup on.” It also has jojoba seed oil, shea butter and beeswax, which are all gentle for the eye area and hydrate the skin, says Woolery-Lloyd.
When I want a makeup-free day or need help combatting discoloration, I apply this eye cream because it instantly brightens up my under-eye area. Unlike other eye creams I use, this one is a thick mousse, which is easy to blend and feels lightweight on my skin. It comes in two shades — light/medium and medium/dark — and it has buildable coverage, so it reduces darkness without feeling too heavy or drying.
This serum has a cooling applicator that has an instant calming effect and helps reduce puffiness, says Garshick. It also has a blend of caffeine and peptides, which leaves the under-eye area looking smoother, brighter and more refreshed, she says.
This eye gel, which is a favorite of former NBC Select editor Lindsay Schneider, is suitable for all skin types, according to the brand. “As an editor, I try out a ton of products — specifically eye creams quite regularly — and this Dr. Loretta gel is the one I always come back to time and time again,” says Schneider. “I’ve never tried another product that matches the feel of this gel; it’s incredibly cooling and lightweight on the skin. It’s also not sticky so I can wear it on its own or layer on makeup or concealer on top with no issue.”
For Malin, this cream (which also comes recommended by Garshick) is a staple for the winter season because of its thick consistency that helps seal in moisture and boost hydration. “I like that it’s a nongreasy formula made with oatmeal, I always find it soothing,” she says. The eye cream also has a cold metal applicator that Malin uses to help blend the product into her skin.
This eye cream is one of my newest obsessions, and my morning routine doesn’t feel complete without it. The pump dispenses a perfect, pea-sized amount of the product, and I massage it into my skin using the applicator; the ceramic tip and gel combination instantly depuffs, and my skin feels more awake because it has a cooling sensation.
Malin recommends this fragrance-free eye serum because it absorbs quickly and brightens her under-eye area almost immediately. “The applicator is my favorite part of using this product,” she says. “The wand has three little metal balls that stay cold and help you roll the serum into your skin. It’s like giving your under-eye area a little massage.”
This drugstore option is one of our favorite treatments for under-eye puffiness. It has caffeine to help reduce the appearance of under-eye bags by constructing the blood vessels, as well as vitamin C to brighten the under-eye area, according to Garshick. The cool roll-on applicator also works to reduce puffiness, says Garshick.
Even though this eye cream has retinol, it’s specifically made for the delicate skin around the eyes, making it a great option for all skin types, says Garshick. Experts recommend using it at night and, like all retinol products, avoid pairing it with AHAs and BHAs because it may cause irritation.
Talakoub recommends this Isdin overnight eye cream because it’s hydrating and great for dry and sensitive skin. The rich cream has caffeine to minimize the appearance of fine lines, according to the brand. Plus, it comes with a cooling applicator to help massage the product into your skin.
If you’re looking for a multipurpose eye cream that helps improve the appearance of fine lines and puffiness while still being gentle on the skin, consider this Cerave option recommended by Garshick. The lightweight cream has caffeine to target puffiness, hyaluronic acid to hydrate, and peptides and niacinamide to help combat fine lines, says Garshick.
This Ilia cream, which is a personal favorite of mine, has a plant-based retinol alternative to smooth the under-eye area, plus avocado extract and caffeine to depuff and brighten the skin around the eyes, according to the brand. I use this cream every other morning because it’s safe for my sensitive skin and doesn’t make my under eyes more prone to sun damage like other retinol products do. I also like how cooling the ceramic tip feels.
Former NBC Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg originally received this eye cream, which has retinol to reduce the appearance of fine lines, as a gift from the brand and is now on her way to purchase a refill. “It is by far the most moisturizing one I have tried, which is tricky with under-eye skin since it doesn’t absorb product as easily as other areas,” says Ginsberg. “It also has such a luxurious texture.”
This solid-to-liquid eye balm uses a granactive retinoid, a more gentle and less irritating retinoid than most traditional options like retinol, says Garshick. The balm also has hydrating ingredients such as vitamin E, shea butter, glycerin and black currant seed oil, according to Versed. The following morning after applying this eye cream, make sure to apply an SPF because retinoids may cause sun sensitivity, according to experts in our guide to building a skin care routine.
This Jones Road eye cream comes recommended by Schneider, who says it has a creamy, easily blendable consistency. “Unlike some other options I’ve tried, you don’t have to try too hard to pat it into your skin,” she says. “It absorbs quickly, so it’s great in the morning when I’m in a rush.”
While many of the eye creams on our list are safe to apply on your eyelids, this option heavily prioritizes this area. The thick cream minimizes the appearance of fine lines all around the eye while simultaneously lifting the eyelid to reduce eyelid folds, according to the brand. The eye cream has a 4.8-star average rating from over 200 reviews at Sephora.
Below, I break down how to decide which eye cream is best for you based on your specific skin concern.
One factor that most eye creams have in common is that they add hydration, so when targeting dryness, look for one that’s thick and creamy, says Talakoub. When any moisturizer has a thicker consistency, there are more lipids in the formula that lock in moisture, experts say. You may also want a thicker balm that will help lock in moisture rather than a lightweight serum, says Garshick.
These creams and balms tend to have ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin to add hydration, draw in moisture and maintain a healthy skin barrier, according to Garshick. Because you’re preventing dryness from worsening, the increased moisture and hydration from an eye cream will prevent the skin from becoming crepey, according to Talakoub. Other ingredients that may be helpful to soften and moisturize the skin include squalane and vitamin E, says Garshick.
For those hoping to brighten the under-eye area, look for vitamin C, which is a lightening agent that can help prevent discoloration and dark circles, according to Talakoub. “Vitamin C is a powerhouse ingredient in skin care, because it’s an antioxidant that has skin brightening properties so it protects and treats [the skin],” says Woolery-Lloyd. For those with purple and blue undertones around the eyes, Talakoub recommends products with vitamin K since it can brighten and make skin look firmer.
Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is another key ingredient to look for since it helps reduce hyperpigmentation by brightening the skin and improving its overall appearance, says Woolery-Lloyd. However, it can be drying, so make sure there are other moisturizing components like a humectant or emollient in it, she says.
Various factors, including allergies, fluid buildup and dietary reasons, can all cause puffiness around the eyes, says Talakoub. One of the main ingredients to depuff is caffeine, which helps keep the skin taut so it doesn’t get stretched, she says. It also constricts the blood vessels — by doing this, it increases circulation and acts as an anti-inflammatory to reduce puffiness under the eyes, says Woolery-Lloyd.
An eye cream with retinol can help smooth fine lines by increasing collagen production and decreasing collagen breakdown, according to experts. It can also increase cell turnover by replacing dead skin cells with newer and healthier ones, experts say. However, eye creams need to have a very mild and micronized version of retinol to actually smooth out these lines. Otherwise, it can irritate the under-eye area or make these fine lines worse, says Talakoub.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Bianca Alvarez is a former associate reporter at NBC Select who covered beauty and wellness, gift guides and new launches. For this story, she interviewed three dermatologists and included their recommendations for the best eye creams to shop, as well as NBC Select staff favorites that align with their guidance.
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