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Best Under Eye Cream

Candace Osmond

Did you know that the skin around our eyes is 10 times thinner than the skin on the rest of the face? Incorporating an under eye cream is absolutely critical in protecting and nurturing the sensitive skin under your eyes. The eye area has specific issues that are unique to that area. A good under eye cream can not only protect the skin but it also helps with firmness, dark circles, puffiness, dryness, and anti aging.

Applying an under eye cream at bedtime allows the skin time to rejuvenate itself. It is not enough to just use a regular moisturizer under the eyes. Regular moisturizers do not offer the targeted benefits that an eye-specific cream can provide. Plus, they aren’t ophthalmologists tested for eye safety.

We have compiled a list of the best under eye creams available online to bring you our recommendations and help you narrow down your options.

1. L’Oreal Paris Skincare Dermo-Expertise Eye Defense Eye Cream – Editor's Choice

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  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Gel
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Puffiness & Fine Lines

2. Revive Science Wake Up Eye Cream

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  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: Sensitive
  • Best For: Puffiness

3. Cerave Eye Repair Cream

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  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Dryness

4. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair

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  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: Mature
  • Best For: Wrinkles

5. Pure Biology Premium Total Eye Cream

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  • Special Ingredient: Aloe Vera
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Puffiness

6. RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Under Eye Cream

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  • Special Ingredient: Retinol
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Anti Aging

7. Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel Cream

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  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Gel
  • Skin Types: Normal
  • Best For: Hydration

8. Organys Spark Rejuvenating Eye Formula

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  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Dark Circles/Puffiness

Our Picks for the Best Under Eye Cream

We have compiled a list of the eight best under eye creams that you can buy online. Read on to find the one that best suits your needs.

1. L’Oreal Paris Skincare Dermo-Expertise Eye Defense Eye Cream – Editor's Choice

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Gel
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Puffiness & Fine Lines

Pros

  • Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid to fight the signs of aging.
  • Reduces puffiness, smoothes fines and wrinkles, and diminishes dark circles
  • Can be used in the morning or evening.
  • Can be worn underneath makeup.

Cons

  • It may cause light peeling around the eyes.

This light, non-greasy gel-cream from L’Oreal Paris is specially formulated to defend against the signs of premature aging around the eyes. The formula has Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid which penetrates into the skin’s surface to keep the under eye area hydrated and nurtured. This cream visibly reduces puffiness, smooths the look of fine lines and wrinkles, and diminishes the appearance of dark circles around the eyes.

What’s also great about this cream is that it is lightweight, non-greasy, and fragrance free. It is recommended for all skin types and is dermatologist tested for gentleness. It is also ophthalmologist tested and is safe for contact lens wearers.

2. Runner Up: Revive Science Wake Up Eye Cream

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: Sensitive
  • Best For: Puffiness

Pros

  • Fragrance free.
  • It may also be used on the forehead or entire face.
  • Doesn’t clog pores.

Cons

  • It might be too clumpy under makeup for some.
  • The dispenser does not work well.

Revive Science Wake Up Eye cream is fragrance free and perfect for those of you with sensitive skin. It is formulated with anti aging ingredients like Collagen, Niacinamide, Vitamin C and Probiotics to help rejuvenate, lift, and firm the delicate eye area. It contains four eye contouring clinical complexes made for sensitive skin to repair and reduce fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles.

This cream will instantly perk up your eyes by brightening and color correcting dark circles from a late night. It also helps to de-bloat tired and puffy eyes without clogging the skin.

To use the Wake Up Eye Cream, apply it in the morning and night over puffiness, dryness, and dark circles. A little bit of cream goes a long way. You can use this eye repair cream together with facial oils, creams and gels, as part of your daily routine.

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Dryness

Pros

  • Formulated with three essential ceramides
  • Reduces the look of dark circles and puffiness.
  • Repairs the skin.
  • Smooth, lightweight, non-greasy texture.

Cons

  • Some users reported that it irritated their skin.

Cerave Eye Repair Cream is one of the most popular under eye creams and for good reason. It reduces the look of dark circles and puffiness. It also moisturizes and helps restore the protective skin barrier. It is formulated with three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Ceramides help fill in the gaps between your skin cells so that your skin can seal moisture and keep impurities out.

This cream will restore and repair your under eye area while reducing the look of dark circles and puffiness. The end result for you is smoother, healthier looking eyes. This cream is gentle on your skin, fragrance free, hypoallergenic, and won’t clog pores. The cream has a smooth and lightweight texture that quickly absorbs into skin and leaves a non-greasy finish. All CeraVe products are developed with dermatologists. It has been opthamologist tested and is recognized as safe for use around the eye area.

To use, apply CeraVe Eye Repair Cream in small dots around the eye area and gently smooth until thoroughly absorbed. You can use it alone or under makeup once or twice a day in the morning and/or evening.

4. Best Anti-Wrinkle Under Eye Cream: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: Mature
  • Best For: Wrinkles

Pros

  • Visible results in one week.
  • Free of parabens and dyes.
  • #1 retinol brand used by dermatologists.

Cons

  • Can irritate eyes if you aren’t used to retinol.
  • Some users did not like the smell.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair cream is specially formulated for the delicate under eye area. It’s clinically proven to help leave skin feeling smoother while the anti-wrinkle formula contains retinol to fight fine lines, dullness, wrinkles and dark spots. This eye cream contains dermatologist-proven retinol and hyaluronic acid, which adds plumping moisture to help hydrate & rejuvenate the look of skin around the eyes. Plus, it is free of parabens, mineral oil, and dyes.

Rapid is in the name because it is a fast-acting retinol cream. It works quickly with visible results in just one week.  This cream helps fade the look of stubborn crow’s feet, brightens and evens skin tone in the under-eye area, helps smooth fine lines and texture, and reduces the look of dark circles. This formula contains accelerated Retinol SA with a unique combination of ingredients and is clinically proven to leave skin feeling smoother and looking younger.  This retinol cream is free of parabens, mineral oil, and dyes and comes from the #1 retinol brand used most by dermatologists.

Rapid Wrinkle Repair is the perfect addition to a daily at-home anti-age skincare routine. After cleansing your face, gently dab a small amount around the entire eye area, patting gently until the product is absorbed into the skin. If you’re new to using retinol, gradually phase it into your skin care routine.

5. Best Botanical: Pure Biology Premium Total Eye Cream

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Aloe Vera
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Puffiness

Pros

  • Made from an advanced botanical formula.
  • Made in the USA.
  • Fragrance, paraben, and cruelty free.
  • Most users saw rapid results.

Cons

  • Some users reported it worked great for puffiness but not wrinkles.

This eye cream is made from an advanced botanical formula with a blend of natural ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin B, Vitamin C & Vitamin E, Aloe Vera Gel, Argan Oil, Primrose Oil, Shea Butter & Caffeine. Pure Biology Premium Total Eye Cream will make your eyes look more awake and bright by reducing under eye puffiness and dark circles. The formula includes EyeBright, an exciting ingredient extracted naturally from plants. This ingredient is naturally astringent and can help nourish thin, delicate skin around the eyes to look more youthful and refreshed. It also includes Caffeine which penetrates the skin’s barrier and boosts antioxidants.  Vitamin B and Vitamin E help reduce UV damaged skin, and deeply moisturize and protect skin against damage caused by free radicals.

This is an amazing all-in-one eye serum blend that features SymLift, a natural anti-aging ingredient that can nurture & instantly lift the area around your eyes in five minutes. You can use this cream twice a day and it’s great for both men and women.

6. Best Anti-Aging: RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Under Eye Cream

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Retinol
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Anti Aging

Pros

  • Specially formulated for the delicate eye area.
  • Evens out dark circles and reduces puffiness in 4 weeks.
  • Addresses the 3 key signs of eye aging.

Cons

  • The results may take longer than the claims state.

RoC Retinol Correxion is specially formulated for the delicate eye area and it visibly reduces wrinkles around the eyes and crow’s feet in 12 weeks. In addition, it evens out dark circles and reduces puffiness in 4 weeks.

The special ingredient in this eye cream is Reinol is a derivative of vitamin A that naturally occurs in skin. This formula accelerates the removal of old, dull skin cells on the surface revealing fresh, new ones to reveal more vibrant and healthier-looking skin.

This cream addresses the three signs of aging including puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles. It provides dramatic results but is gentle enough for every day use.

7. Best Gel: Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel Cream

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Gel
  • Skin Types: Normal
  • Best For: Hydration

Pros

  • Great for sensitive skin and contact lenses.
  • 24 hour hydration.
  • Lightweight formula.
  • Quickly reduces redness and flakiness around the eyes.

Cons

  • May not be great for sensitive skin.

CETAPHIL is the #1 dermatologist recommended facial skincare brand. The Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel-Cream is good for all skin types and it gently hydrates the delicate skin around your eyes. You’ll receive immediate and intense hydration thanks to the Hyaluronic Acid and it lasts for 24 hours. This formula is a unique gel-cream that quickly absorbs like a gel but moisturizes deeply like a cream.

This formula contains Hyaluronic acid, a powerful moisturizing agent and an essential component of skin which acts as a moisture magnet to attract water to the skin, plus licorice extract and a complex of vitamins E and B3 to brighten and smooth.  The formula is lightweight and absorbs quickly and moisturizes deeply. It is hypoallergenic and non-irritating so it’s suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

8. Best Organic: Organys Spark Rejuvenating Eye Formula

Highlights

  • Special Ingredient: Hyaluronic Acid
  • Item Form: Cream
  • Skin Types: All
  • Best For: Dark Circles/Puffiness

Pros

  • No parabens, sulfates, or other harmful elements.
  • Absorbs quickly and leaves the skin hydrated.
  • Great for daily use.

Cons

  • Some users stated that this product only really helps with eye bags and not dark circles.
  • Takes a long time to see any results.

Are dark circles and puffy eyes making you look tired?  What about wrinkles and crow’s feet? Organys Eye Cream can help you lighten under eye dark circles and smooth fine lines and soothes puffiness and under eye bags. It is formulated with a pro collagen peptide to iron out the look of wrinkles and crow’s feet. Also, a soya based peptide to reduce the look of dark circles and eye bags. There is also Hyaluronic acid, which can hold up to 1,000x its own weight in water, to deeply moisturize dehydrated skin.

It is strong enough to be effective, yet gentle enough for the sensitive skin around the eyes. The cream absorbs quickly and leaves the skin soft allowing you to follow up with a moisturizer. You can apply underneath makeup without caking. This formula is great for men and women of all ages or skin types.

This product uses safe, natural ingredients and is Vegan and not tested on animals.

What To Look For in an Under Eye Cream 

When you’re shopping for an under eye cream, you want something that is delicate enough for the skin around the eye area while still being effective. Let’s dive into the things to keep in mind when shopping around for eye cream.

What is the Purpose of the Under Eye Cream?

Not all eye creams are created equal. There are creams that target anti-aging, fine lines/wrinkles, hydration, dark circles, brightening, or puffiness. What do you need from an under eye cream? Look for creams that target the specific skin problems you have. Some creams claim to protect against all of the above symptom. 

What is Your Skin Type?

Is your skin mature, oily, combination, dry or normal? Look for the skin type in the description to make sure you select an eye cream that will work with your natural skin type. 

What About Ingredients? 

Do you prefer an all natural organic under eye cream? A lot of eye creams include Hyaluronic Acid to target fine lines and wrinkles. This is a great ingredient but it can cause extreme drying and peeling if you’re not used to it. It’s suggested that you gradually incorporate it into your skincare routine to prevent issues. 

Final Thoughts 

We have provided you with lots of different options when it comes to searching for the best under eye cream. Make sure that you make a list of what you are looking for. That way, as you’re shopping you’ll know what is going to work best for your skin type and lifestyle. There is something for everyone on our list of the best under eye creams that are sure to meet your needs. Take all of our tips into consideration so that you can make the best choice when shopping online.