The 9 Best Eye Creams That Keep You Looking Well-Rested And Radiant (2024)

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Vetted

Claire Epting

Forbes Staff

Forbes Vetted

Kim Peiffer

Forbes Staff

Forbes Vetted

In addition to a good cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen, a high-quality eye cream can boost your skin’s overall radiance and help you look well rested (regardless of how much sleep you got the night before). Whether you’re looking to treat dark circles, fine lines or general puffiness, the best eye creams feature nourishing formulas that won’t irritate the most delicate area of skin on your face. Following rigorous research, we named our winner the SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye Complex.

While all eye creams should moisturize, some are specifically designed to brighten the skin whereas others are more effective at targeting wrinkles and fine lines. After consulting with Vetted’s deputy editor Jane Sung and aesthetician Joanna Vargas, we selected the best eye creams that address a variety of skin concerns. Below, find our expert recommendations, as well as key considerations to keep in mind while shopping.

Best Eye Cream Overall

A Radiance Booster For All Skin Tones

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye Complex

Key ingredients: Proxylane, glycyrrhetinic acid, caffeine | Additional benefits: Reduces dark circles, evens skin tone | Cruelty-free: No

Featuring a powerhouse formula of effective ingredients, the A.G.E. Advanced Eye Complex from SkinCeuticals offers multiple benefits beyond hydration. It’s made with the brand’s own concentrated Proxylane—a skin-plumping derivative of beech wood—as well as a blend of flavinoids, biometric peptides and caffeine. Fragrance-free and suitable for all skin types, this eye cream addresses dryness, dark circles, fine lines and puffiness without any greasy residue. If you’re looking for a single eye cream that can do it all, this is the one we highly recommend.

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Best Value Eye Cream

A Skin-Smoothing Formula At A Great Price

MOST POPULAR

RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

Key ingredients: Retinol, mineral complex | Additional benefits: Reduces puffiness, smoothes wrinkles | Cruelty-free: No

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get an eye cream that delivers, and this wallet-friendly option from RoC uses retinol to reduce fine lines. A derivative of vitamin A, retinol is a potent anti-aging ingredient that helps boost collagen production so skin appears smooth and plump. Here, it’s combined with RoC’s signature mineral complex, resulting in a multitasking formula that decreases puffiness, smooths wrinkles and brightens complexions. Just keep in mind that retinol has the potential to irritate sensitive skin, so be sure to start out with a patch test before using this product regularly.

Best Luxury Eye Cream

An Ultra-Rich Cream That Sinks Right In

La Mer The Eye Concentrate

Key ingredients: Miracle Broth complex, algae extract, lime tea concentrate | Additional benefits: Reduces dark circles, prevents future skin damage | Cruelty-free: No

Crafted with high-quality ingredients, La Mer’s hydrating products are worth the splurge. The key addition to La Mer’s luscious eye cream formula is the brand’s signature Miracle Broth—a concoction of powerful antioxidants (including soothing green tea) that work to deeply moisturize skin, specifically targeting dark circles and fine lines around the eyes. And although many eye creams can take awhile to absorb into the delicate under-eye area, La Mer’s Eye Concentrate sinks in quickly, meaning you’ll waste no time waiting around for it to soak in before adding concealer. It also comes with a cooling metal wand for precise application.

Best Eye Cream For Puffiness

A Gently Exfoliating Pick

La Roche-Posay Redermic R Eye Cream

Key ingredients: Retinol, thermal spring water, caffeine | Additional benefits: Smooths wrinkles, increases firmness | Cruelty-free: No

The overall winner on our list of the Best Eye Creams For Puffiness, this formula from La Roche-Posay works to reduce swelling and fine lines around the eyes. Calming thermal spring water is combined with retinol, which acts as a mild exfoliant on delicate skin. Meanwhile, caffeine acts as an antioxidant, leaving the area around the eyes feeling firmer and brighter. As with all products that contain retinol, make sure you do a patch test to make sure your skin isn’t overly irritated by the ingredient.

Best Eye Cream For Dark Circles

A Color-Correcting Formula With Vitamin C

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème

Key ingredients: Vitamin C, collagen, hardy orange extract| Additional benefits: Reduces fine lines and wrinkles, color correction| Cruelty-free: Yes

Skin-brightening vitamin C pairs with plumping collagen in this eye cream, which works to reduce the appearance of dark circles as well as smooth out fine lines. What sets Ole Henriksen’s formula apart from the others, though, is the addition of light-reflecting yellow mineral pigments that instantly even out your skin tone. This eye cream earned the top spot on our list of the Best Eye Creams For Dark Circles, and we particularly like how well it plays with concealer and foundation. However, the brand states that the potent formula may aggravate sensitive skin, so make sure to test it out on a small patch before applying it under the eyes.

Best Eye Cream For Wrinkles

Naturally Rejuvenating Ingredients

Furtuna Skin Eye Revitalizing Cream

Key ingredients: Nigella damascena flower, lilac stem cells, hyaluronic acid | Additional benefits: Minimizes fine lines and wrinkles, brightens skin | Cruelty-free: Yes

The Furtuna Skin Eye Revitalizing Cream uses highly sought-after natural ingredients in its luxurious formula: Nigella damascena flower, which works to brighten the eye area, and lilac stem cells, which reduce discoloration. These botanicals are blended with hyaluronic acid, a gentle ingredient that helps bind water molecules to the skin. While this product may be more of a financial investment up front, a little of it goes a long way, according to Sung. She’s also a fan of the included metal scooper that conveniently attaches to the jar thanks to a hidden magnet in its lid.

Best Brightening Eye Cream

A Plant-Based Retinol Alternative

Ilia Bright Start Activated Eye Cream

Key ingredients: Sea fennel extract, avocado extract, caffeine | Additional benefits: Reduces wrinkles and puffiness | Cruelty-free: Yes

A retinol-based eye cream isn’t the only way to smooth and brighten your skin. Ilia has tapped into the rejuvenating effects of sea fennel extract, a plant-based retinol alternative that’s ideal for sensitive skin. Avocado extract works to brighten skin and reduce the appearance of dark circles, while a caffeine-peptide blend decreases puffiness and boosts moisture levels. Ilia’s innovative tube features a ceramic tip that acts as both an applicator and a massaging tool.

Best Anti-Aging Eye Cream

A Hard-Working Cream For Dryness And Wrinkles

Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Key ingredients: Persian silk tree extract, marine plankton, biomimetic lipids | Additional benefits: Reduces dark circles, firms skin | Cruelty-free: Yes

This ultra-rich formula from German skincare brand Dr. Barbara Sturm is an excellent choice for those who wish to specifically target signs of aging around the eyes—think wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots. Persian silk tree extract reduces the appearance of under-eye shadows, while marine plankton firms the delicate skin. Biomimetic lipids support your face’s moisture barrier for a more refreshed look overall.

Best Vitamin C Eye Cream

A Lightweight, Brightening Pick

BeautyStat Cosmetics C Eye Perfector Cream

Key ingredients: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, caffeine | Additional benefits: Reduces dark circles, blurs imperfections, anti-inflammatory | Cruelty-free: Yes

This lightweight eye cream from BeautyStat has a gel-cream texture, absorbing quickly and delivering quick results. It has a 5% concentration of vitamin C, which brightens the under-eye area; meanwhile, hyaluronic acid boosts moisture, caffeine reduces puffiness and anti-inflammatory green tea soothes irritation. Another highlight of BeautyStat’s formula is the addition of optical diffusers, which create a blurring effect over imperfections upon application.

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What To Consider When Buying An Eye Cream

We spoke with an expert aesthetician to gain insight on what to look for in an eye cream, including key ingredients and overall consistency. While browsing the top options above, keep the following in mind.

Formula

There are many active ingredients that work to correct various skincare concerns underneath the eyes, but there are a few star players that you’ll find in many formulas. “Look for ingredients like peptides to strengthen the delicate skin around the eye area, and hyaluronic acid is helpful to keep the area hydrated,” says New Jersey-based aesthetician Joanna Vargas. In addition, Vargas recommends vitamin C to boost skin’s brightness and elasticity.

Consistency

Eye cream formulas come in various consistencies—some feel more like a lightweight gel, while others are rich and thick. When choosing a consistency, consider your skin type and specific eye concerns first. Those with chronically dry skin should opt for a heavier cream, while oily skin types will be better off with a gel formula. Always make sure to conduct a patch test on a small area of skin before spreading it around your whole eye area.

Price

The price of eye cream falls on a spectrum, ranging anywhere from $20 to $200 (or more). Pricier formulas often feature higher concentrations of active ingredients or potent, hard-to-find botanicals. That being said, there are more affordable options that still deliver effective results, such as our best value pick the RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream. Since eye cream is ideally applied daily, make sure the product you pick falls comfortably within your beauty budget, as you’ll most likely need to stock up every few months.

Claire Epting

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