15 Best Anti-Aging Eye Creams Worth Your Money
Updated: Sep. 15, 2022The best anti-aging eye creams do more than turn back the clock. These powerhouses also brighten eyes, reduce puffiness, and repair delicate under-eye skin.
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Turning back the clock
Your eyes are among the first things—if not the first things—people notice about you. Unfortunately, they’re also one of the first places to show signs of aging, not to mention stress and exhaustion. That’s why finding the right anti-aging eye cream is so important, and why using it diligently should be part of your everyday skin-care routine.
“The skin under the eyes is thin, delicate, and not as resilient as the skin elsewhere on our face, and it also has fewer oil glands, so it is naturally less moisturized and supported,” explains Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital. “The fat pads that support the thin under-eye skin break down gradually as we age, leaving the skin lax and more transparent to the blood vessels beneath. Eye cream can help minimize the appearance of these wrinkles, while addressing other common concerns like dryness, puffiness, dark circles, and pigmentation.”
The only problem? Like the plethora of anti-aging creams and face serums on the market, there are so many products out there, and if you believe their marketing claims, they’re all amazing. Of course, they don’t all live up to their hype, and even if they did, they’re not all right for you. To help you sort through the options, we spoke with skin care experts to find out which eye creams truly deliver and address your specific concerns. Get ready to tap into the fountain of youth.
Note: Prices listed were accurate as of press time; pricing fluctuations may occur.
Best overall anti-aging eye cream: DefenAge 3D Eye Radiance Cream
This award-winning eye cream for retinol-sensitive skin leaves nothing to chance. It’s loaded with anti-aging skin-care tech that’s specifically formulated to soothe and rejuvenate the thin, delicate skin around the eyes. That’s why it’s a favorite of Texas-based dermatologist Vivian Bucay, MD. “DefenAge 3D Eye contains age-repair defensins that target a group of dormant stem cells, which go to work to replenish the upper layer of skin, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” she explains. “Peptides, like palmitoyl tripeptide-7, increase the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid for more youthful looking skin, and a blend of amino acids and lipids support a healthy skin barrier, promoting skin hydration and minimizing skin discoloration for brighter, smoother skin.”
If it sounds like there’s a lot going on there, that’s because there is. But all you have to do is apply a thin layer of it once or twice a day to get amazing results. Choosing the right eye cream, by the way, is one of the secrets of women who always look put together.
Best holistic eye cream: Theraderm Peptide Repair Eye Crème
This peptide powerhouse is formulated to reduce the appearance of fine lines, discoloration, and swelling under the eyes, says New York City plastic surgeon and oculoplastic surgeon Glenn Jelks, MD. “It is unique among eye creams with its patented Soluble Keratin Peptides, which are absorbed into the skin to help make delicate eyelid skin appear firmer and more youthful,” he says. “The unique peptide Argireline has a relaxing effect on muscles similar to neurotoxin.” Other age-defying ingredients improve dark circles and puffiness, and the hyaluronic acid draws in moisture to soften and smooth skin. To further eradicate dark circles, you might also want to pick up this under-$8 concealer that has over 43,000 near-perfect reviews on Amazon.
Best eye cream for green beauty fans: DRMTLGY Age Reversal Eye Cream
DRMTLGY’s Age Reversal Eye Cream is packed with powerful peptides and vitamins that promote collagen growth, strengthen blood vessels, and boost circulation around the eye. In case you were wondering, collagen is the main protein that gives skin its youthful properties, but production dwindles with age. This anti-aging eye cream will give you just the right boost to turn back the clock. It’s also a Green Leaf Product, which means it’s free of harmful chemicals.
Best eye cream for total eye rejuvenation: Lumière Firm
Calling this anti-aging eye cream “a powerhouse for eye rejuvenation,” Roberta Del Campo, MD, a dermatologist in North Miami, Florida, explains that Lumière Firm combines proprietary peptides to firm up and brighten skin. It also contains human-derived growth factors to build collagen and improve overall skin resilience. “What other product can address so many under-eye skin concerns such as darkness, puffiness, laxity, fine lines, and wrinkles in one product?” Dr. Del Campo says. “And it’s safe on all skin types.” You’ll also find a hefty dose of collagen boosters in this Korean face mask that Amazon shoppers adore.
Best eye cream for wrinkle reduction: Verso Super Eye Serum
This eye cream doesn’t mess around. It’s formulated with anti-wrinkle powerhouse Retinol 8, which is eight times as effective as traditional retinol and reduces the risk of irritated skin by 50 percent. Its peptides also work to strengthen tissue and reduce puffiness, circles, and lines, while the hyaluronic acid plumps up skin. For more anti-aging benefits, adds Dr. Robinson, you can look for a retinol or retinol derivative in a moisturizing base. Don’t forget to browse the best retinol serums for anti-aging results.
Best on-the-go eye cream: Crepe Erase 4-in-1 Eye Renewal Capsules
This fan favorite isn’t a cream at all. Instead, it’s a smoothing serum in individually portioned capsules that helps fade fine lines and crepey skin on the eyes, including crow’s feet. It promises to help boost your supply of elastin, which, along with collagen, serves as a building block for healthy, bouncy skin. These capsules are a winner due to this unique delivery system, which also makes them perfect for travel.
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Best eye cream for tired eyes: Mario Badescu Caffeine Eye Cream
Your brain isn’t the only thing that could use some caffeine in the morning. Your eyes may also need a jolt. This high-octane Mario Badescu eye cream is powered by caffeine—which is known to shrink blood vessels and is one of the key ingredients to look for in an eye cream, says Dr. Robinson—and as a result, it de-puffs your under-eye area. It also contains a hydrating, rejuvenating blend of terminalia arjuna extract, squalane, lecithin, sodium hyaluronate, and jojoba. Make sure you also check out some of the best body scrubs for the smoothest skin.
Best eye cream for deleting crow’s feet: SkinBetter Science InterFuse Treatment Cream
This SkinBetter Science eye cream is a go-to for Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, MD, founder of Entière Dermatology. It promises to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet almost immediately, with the help of nerve-relaxing peptides—similar to how Botox softens wrinkles. On top of that, caffeine reduces puffiness, and vitamin C brightens skin while helping to fight off future damage. Here are more surefire tricks to reduce puffy eyes.
Best eye cream for brightening: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex
“SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex is a balmy formula with optical diffusers that reflect light away from the eye area so it’s instantly illuminating,” says Marnie B. Nussbaum, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist. “It works below the surface to fight signs of aging and deeper causes of dark circles and advanced aging.” The formula contains blueberry extract to improve skin cell structure, preventing wrinkles and saggy skin.
Most hydrating eye cream: SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair
The “Tissue Nutrient Solution” (TNS) in this eye cream contains a special type of protein that encourages healthy skin, keeping it plump and reducing wrinkles. That technology is supported by tried-and-true skin saviors vitamins A and C, and its hydration level is a real standout, says Jeanine Downie, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with Image Dermatology. “[My patients] really like the way the eyes look brighter,” she says. Slathering on the right eye cream is just one of the everyday habits that can make you look younger.
Best eye cream for sensitive skin: CeraVe Eye Repair Cream
Not only does CeraVe Eye Repair Cream contain the effective moisturizer hyaluronic acid, but it also contains molecules called ceramides that boost the skin’s natural barrier to make eyes look bright and refreshed. “That anti-inflammatory property helps to rejuvenate skin,” says Chicago dermatologist Edidiong Kaminska, MD, founder of Kaminska Dermatology. This gentle moisturizer could be the best eye cream for those with sensitive skin; it’s hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, plus it won’t clog pores. It’s also an amazing value at just over $10.
Best eye cream to reverse UV damage: Revision Skin Care D.E.J. Eye Cream
Revision uses clinical data to make sure its products do what they promise, which is why Dr. Kaminska recommends the company’s D.E.J. Eye Cream as one of her picks for best anti-aging eye cream. Revision’s D.E.J. uses prebiotics to feed the skin’s “good” bacteria. “This prebiotic technology is supposed to balance the skin’s own immune system,” she says. “We need [bacteria] to keep the skin healthy, and they need us to keep them alive.” Those prebiotic peptides, paired with vitamin C and goji berry extract, help reverse UV damage, fade fine lines, and make the skin look and feel firmer.
Best eye cream to combat dark circles: Senté Illuminé Eye Cream
This gentle eye cream doesn’t just hydrate and reduce puffiness—it also lightens under-eye circles before you even reach for the concealer. “It really does help even out the area around the eyes better than most,” says Dr. Downie, who lists Illuminé as one of her top picks in this category. It also pairs nicely with ice globes to effectively reduce under-eye circles.
Best budget-friendly eye cream: Garnier SkinActive Ultra-Lift
Like other anti-aging eye creams, this one uses retinol to fade fine lines and wrinkles while also firming skin. What sets this Amazon’s Choice eye cream apart from the fray is how it uses caffeine to fade dark circles. “As we age, the skin things and the blood vessels get closer to the surface of the skin, and that results in discoloration,” says Dr. Kaminska. “Caffeine restricts blood vessels, so you should get improvement of discoloration under the eyes.” And you can’t beat the under-$8 price tag!
Best eye cream for reducing puffiness: GlyDerm Hydrating Eye Cream
Vitamin K is the key ingredient in GlyDerm Hydrating Eye Cream. “It decreases fine lines as well as under-eye darkness in addition to hydrating skin,” says Dr. Nussbaum. The ultra-moisturizing formula has an anti-inflammatory effect, making you look bright-eyed. Make sure to protect your eyes year-round with the best face sunscreens you’ll be happy to wear every day.
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Sources:
- Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital
- Vivian Bucay, MD, a dermatologist based in San Antonio, Texas
- Glenn Jelks, MD, a plastic surgeon and oculoplastic surgeon based in New York City
- Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, MD, New York City dermatologist and founder of Entière Dermatology
- Marnie B. Nussbaum, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist
- Jeanine Downie, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with Image Dermatology
- Edidiong Kaminska, MD, founder of Kaminska Dermatology
