The 9 Best Eye Creams, According to Dermatologists
Best under eye creams
Have you ever looked in the mirror to find your eyes shockingly swollen and dull-looking? There are any number of causes for your lackluster eyes—from that salty meal you indulged in to the movie you sobbed over the night before. And even though your eyes will generally return to normal eventually, what do you do if you have a meeting or lunch plans in 30 minutes and your eyes still look like you just rolled out of bed? Good news: There are plenty of clever strategies to return your eyes to their gorgeous status, and stat. Watch the video to learn eye-brightening tricks that will help you instantly look fresher and more awake.
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Eye cream for daytime use
To buy: Biopelle Radiance Eye Cream; $80, dermstore.com
"This is a wonderful eye cream for morning application. It contains all the ingredients I look for to help protect and rejuvenate the delicate eye area: growth factors to increase collagen, antioxidants to protect from UV and environmental damage, emollients and humectants to moisturize and plump, and a light tint for both cosmetic coverage and additional protection."
—Ted Lain, MD, a dermatologist based in Travis County, Texas
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Eye cream for dark circles
To buy: Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream; $97, dermstore.com
"It contains bisabolol, which can stimulate collagen production, as well as caffeine, which can constrict blood vessels, improving the appearance of dark circles. Bisabolol is an anti-inflammatory derived from chamomile, so it is soothing to the delicate eyelid skin. Lumiere also contains glycerin, which is extremely hydrating."
—Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist in the New York City area
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Eye cream for skin plumping
To buy: L'Oreal Revitalift Volume Filler Eye Treatment; $7, amazon.com
"This eye treatment is filled with hyaluronic acid, an ingredient found in injectable fillers. As an ingredient in topical serums, fragmented hyaluronic acid benefits the skin by drawing moisture to the epidermis, giving the eye area a plumper and more volumized appearance while filling in fine lines temporarily. This non-greasy formula also contains caffeine."
—S. Manjula Jegasothy, MD, a dermatologist based in Miami, Florida
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Eye cream for dark circles and fine lines
To buy: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye; $62, nordstrom.com
"I love this product. It's tried-and-true; the Night Repair line has been on the market for a long time and has proven itself with my patients. Most of my ethnic patients complain mainly of dark circles under the eyes, and have found this product to be really helpful in improving dark circles as well as fine lines."
—William Kwan, MD, a dermatologist based in San Francisco
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Eye cream for fine lines
To buy: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream; $24, amazon.com
"It contains retinol for anti-aging and hyaluronic acid for moisturization. Retinol is a vitamin A derivative that helps to slough off skin and stimulate collagen production."
—Dr. Jaliman
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Eye cream for fine lines
To buy: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum; $30, amazon.com
"It's fragrance-free, and contains niacinamide, antioxidants, and peptides—the perfect combination of ingredients for anti-aging."
—Dr. Jaliman
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Eye cream for dry, sensitive skin
To buy: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel; $20, amazon.com
"I recommend this particularly for those experiencing dryness and sensitivity around the eyes, since it does a great job increasing skin hydration and helping the skin repair itself. In addition, my patients prefer the lightweight gel during the summer months. This product absorbs quickly and allows quick application of makeup or sunscreen."
—Dr. Lain
8 of 10
Eye cream for sun damage
To buy: SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair; $102, dermstore.com
"This is meant for nighttime application, when skin cells activate the repair mechanisms to help undo damage from the sun and environment. Using growth factors, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid, TNS Eye Repair supports the skin's renewal process, all in a very elegant cream base. I particularly recommend this for urban Gen-X-ers and Millennials."
—Dr. Lain
9 of 10
Eye cream for people in their 20s and 30s
To buy: SkinCeuticals AOX Eye Gel; $94, dermstore.com
"It contains well-researched antioxidants—vitamin C and ferulic acid—to help prevent and correct signs of UV-induced aging. It also contains caffeine and ruscus aculeatus to reduce under eye puffiness and improve circulation. The active ingredients in this gel make it a good pick for smoothing the under eye area, reducing puffiness, and counteracting sun spots. The lightweight texture is also ideal for use under makeup."
—Dr. Jegasothy
