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#SkinSchool: The best eye creams for brighter, fresher-looking eyes
From dark circles to loss of volume, lines and puffiness, find the topical treatment to suit you
The best eye cream is the one that is tailored to your specific concern. Which is why it pays to do your research – in 2025, we're spoilt for choice when it comes to innovative formulas with clever actives that can tackle everything from dryness and puffiness, to dark circles and crow's feet.
It's likely you've noticed the skin around your eyes tends to crinkle and crease more easily than that on the rest of your face – and there's good reason for it. The periorbital skin is 40 per cent thinner than elsewhere on your complexion, making it more susceptible to environmental damage. There are not as many support fibres around the eyes either, yet they’re under constant strain from 22 muscles in perpetual motion while we blink around 10,000 times a day. As biomedical scientist and brand founder Professor Augustinus Bader explains, "the eye area is a delicate one, so signs of ageing such as lines and wrinkles, as well as dryness, are much more noticeable."
When it comes to eye products, our demands are manifold – and so they should be, when you consider these little pots are often the smallest (and most expensive) formulations in our beauty arsenal.
The best eye creams, at a glance
Meet the experts
- Professor Augustinus Bader, co-founder of the namesake brand, is a globally renowned biomedical scientist and physician, with extensive experience in the field of stem cell biology.
- Facialist Joanne Evans has over 30 years experience as a skin expert, laser specialist and aesthetician. Her studio, Skin Matters, in Holland Park is a go-to for the London A-list.
Does everyone need to use an eye cream?
While not everyone wholeheartedly believes in the concept of an eye cream (if you're only after essential hydration, your regular face moisturiser will likely suffice), a targeted product is a good idea if you're hoping to tackle any particular concerns. "We want to ensure the eye area receives special, targeted care due to its delicate nature, specific needs (for example sagging skin, puffiness, and fine lines) and its proximity to the eyes. The skin here should be supported in a very dedicated way, with care being taken to avoid irritation," says Bader.
What ingredients should you look for in an eye cream?
- If fine lines are an issue, look for cell-regenerating ingredients – studies have shown retinoids to excel in this area.
- A formula for 'bags' under the eyes (mild swelling or puffiness) will focus on tightening and shifting excess fluid – "caffeine is a great ingredient to help with circulation," says Joanne Evans.
- For laxity, an antioxidant-rich eye cream is your best ally in the fight against free radicals, which harm the integrity of skin's collagen and lipids.
- Meanwhile, light-reflecting pigments are key to brightening dark circles – although no product will make them disappear for good (nothing beats a restful night of sleep).
- Finally, the best eye cream for dry or dehydrated skin showing lines will be packed with powerful hydrators – here, hyaluronic acid, squalane and niacinamide are useful.
How we test
Any product that comes Bazaar-recommended will have been thoroughly put through its paces: that means ingredients lists are scrutinised, promises are unpacked, and formulas are diligently slathered on. The eye creams we're spotlighting here come expert recommended – some are even formulated by our go-to skin experts themselves – and approved of by the beauty team, too.
The best eye creams to buy now
Key ingredients: 12-hour release vitamin C, niacinamide and pro-glutathione
Formula: a sorbet-like formula
Product size: 15ml
New from Tokyo-based beauty brand Tatcha is The Brightening Eye Cream. It's formulated with slow-release vitamin C that works over 12 hours (hence why day and night application yields optimum results), powered by encapsulated niacinamide and antioxidant peptide pro-glutathione. In tandem, they work to brighten dark circles and target hyperpigmentation.
The clinicals are impressive too the Japanese brand's studies showed that after just one week every single participant – of which there were 45 – had a visible reduction in puffiness and darkness under the eye.
Key ingredients: peptides, caffeine and niacinamide
Formula: gel-like mask
Product size: 20ml
Eye masks and eye patches may seem superfluous, and while they're certainly not staples of a skincare routine, sometimes a regime is as much about ceremony as it is about functionality.
Happily, Laneige's Bouncy & Firm Eye Sleeping Mask ticks both boxes – it's as enjoyable to apply pre-bed as a cosseting facial oil or rich body butter. And, thanks to a peony and collagen complex, plenty of peptides, and a potent dose of firming caffeine and niacinamide, it does just what it says on the jar. Expect to wake up feeling and looking refreshed.
Key ingredients: vitamin C
Formula: a sorbet-like easy-to-apply formula that really limits waste and excess product
Product size: 15ml, but it'll last the year, we promise
When it comes to viral products, this one really does deserve its flowers. With a peachy hue, this eye cream packs a surprising amount of power when it comes to minimising the look of dull, dark under-eyes, immediately brightening and helping to improve the look of sallow skin over time due to a combination of vitamin C and antioxidant-rich colloidal gold.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid and vegan squalane
Formula: cream
Product size: 15ml
The best everyday eye creams are the ones that play well under make-up, toe the line between being lightweight and nourishing, and contain all the essential ingredients to keep the under-eye area smooth. This little tube ticks all the boxes. It has hydrating glycerin, squalane and hyaluronic acid, while a peptide complex does the heavy-lifting to keep fine lines at bay. It sinks in quickly, too.
Key ingredients: retinal and gentle-release vitamin A
Formula: silky serum
Product size: 15ml
Retinol eye creams aren't hugely commonplace, because it takes weighty formulation knowledge to create one that proves both effective and non-irritating. But Medik8 – a brand revered for its vitamin A excellence – has mastered the balance.
The first eye-focused addition to the cult Crystal Retinal collection, it can take on crow's feet and discolouration with remarkable efficacy. Combining encapsulated retinaldehyde with calming chamomile and ceramides to rebuild the barrier, it's a transformative option that won't induce redness or an uncomfortable 'retinol purge'. Begin with number 3, before working up to the incrementally higher strengths, 6 and 10.
Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Firming Eye Gel
Key ingredients: micro-hyaluronic acid and vine stalk extracts
Formula: a cooling gel
Product size: 15ml
With a built-in curved metal applicator that helps to soothe and depuff the skin as you apply, this nifty gel cream is a great multitasker for those seeking more supple skin. It's formulated with Caudalie's patented resveratrol complex and draws on vegan collagen, biomimetic peptides and hyaluronic acid to smooth and tighten under-eye skin, resulting in less puffiness and a firmer appearance.
Key ingredients: Bader's famed TFC8 nutrient complex
Formula: the clue is in the name; this is a rich and luxurious cream
Product size: 15ml
The results of Augustinus Bader’s storied TFC8 nutrient complex are well extolled, and its popularity has spurred a succession of stellar products. The latest, The Rich Eye Cream is a cosseting formula designed to hydrate, soften and regenerate dry and more mature skin types.
Clinical trials proved its efficacy in terms of restoring an elastic, bouncy feel to the skin, as well as in reducing puffiness and the appearance of circulation-related dark circles. Of course, if you've used the product that started it all, The Cream, you'll need little convincing here.
Key ingredients: granactive retinoid, niacinamide and vitamin C
Formula: a lightweight serum
Product size: 15ml
Dr. Sam Bunting is one of the Bazaar team's most-trusted skin experts, and her eponymous line is our go-to for well-priced, fuss-free products that really deliver.
The Flawless Nightly Eye Serum contains granactive retinol
– which works swiftly to tackle surface lines and pigmentation – as well as niacinamide for brightening, and vitamin C to shield from pollution.
Key ingredients: liposome encapsulated retinol and stabilised vitamin C
Formula: a cream dispensed from a cooling applicator
Product size: 15ml
Eve Lom's eye cream combines the cooling, depuffing power of a Zamac applicator (note how it's a more hygienic fixed ball, rather than a roller) with a cocktail of firming and brightening actives. Encapsulated retinol releases gradually into the skin, delivering all of the firming benefits with none of the irritation, while a stable form of vitamin C brings antioxidant power. Light and refreshing, it feels reassuringly soothing yet leaves the delicate eye area hydrated.
Sunday Riley Autocorrect Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream
Key ingredients: caffeine, Brazilian ginseng, shea and cocoa butters
Formula: a cooling cream
Product size: 15ml
This light-reflecting eye cream is loaded with caffeine and ginseng to brighten a sluggish under-eye area, as well as a gentle, light-reflecting pigment to deliver instant satisfaction. A great all-rounder, it'll perk up tired, sallow skin and help to shift fluid that has settled under the surface, making it worth the price tag.
Key ingredients: Retinol and hyaluronic acid
Formula: creamy and cooling cream
Product size: 15ml
A multi-tasking retinol serum, this is perfect for those who appreciate a closely edited skincare kit. Unlike many retinol serums, Laneige's is designed to work everywhere, including around eyes. In fact, it comes with a precision applicator to target that area specifically.
Thanks to the inclusion of a plumping hyaluronic acid complex, the formula gets to work to both reduce fine lines and hydrate delicate skin around the eyes at the same time. You'll notice results within four weeks of consistent use, but try it biweekly at first, unless you're an experienced retinol user.
Sisley Supremeӱa At Night The Supreme Anti-Aging Eye Cream
Key ingredients: yellow gentian extract, codium and caffeine
Formula: a luxurious but lightweight cream
Product size: 15ml
Fans of the cult Supremeӱa At Night treatment will likely love this petal-pink eye cream. It contains ingredients designed to ehance the skin's night-time regeneration processes; calming plant root extracts reduce inflammation (the root of most skin woes) while caffeine keeps microcirculation in check and a nourishing cocktail of plant butters and oils keeps maximum moisture locked in place.
And of course, this being Sisley, you're in for a sensory treat too: use the accompanying Zamac mini roller to gently massage the eye area, aiding product absorption while easing away the day's tensions.
Key ingredients: Broad spectrum UV protection, botanical antioxidant complex and vitamins C and E
Formula: lightweight cream
Product size: 15ml
The delicate skin around the eye is especially susceptible to sun damage, yet eye creams containing adequate protection (and that don't sting) are few and far between.
Ultrasun’s SPF eye cream offering has the balance just right; it's infused with enough broad-spectrum sun protection to keep you covered in all climes, yet, thanks to a lamellar gel formula that binds to the skin’s surface, it doesn't feel sticky or heavy. It’s a year-round must if you forget to take your facial SPF up to the eyes – after all, prevention is better than cure.
Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
Key ingredients: ascorbic acid, peptides
Formula: balm-like, so a little goes a long way
Product size: 15ml
Drunk Elephant's eye cream is one of our favourite vitamin C products. Formulated with peptides as well as ascorbic acid, it's a powerful brightening product, yet is suitable for sensitive skin.
The texture is rich and balmy, so half a pump is all you need to cover both under-eyes. It feels instantly hydrating, and works well under make-up, too.
Those in favour of a serum texture should look to the brand's A-Shaba Complex Eye Serum instead. Packing retinol, caffeine and copper peptides, it's an excellent all-rounder.
111 Skin 111 Skin Celestial Black Diamond Eye Cream
Key ingredients: fine black diamond powder and 111 Skin's patented NAC Y² complex
Formula: rich and creamy
Product size: 15ml
This eye cream is the star of 111 Skin's most intensive collection, Celestial Black Diamond (if you're sensitive or under 30, you likely don't need this – head to the Reparative line instead).
Designed to work on myriad concerns, it's formulated with retinol to target lines and surface pigmentation; liquorice root to brighten tone; hexapeptides to temporarily soften expression lines, and a patented diamond powder that works to enhance absorption of the headline actives.
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