The Best Eye Cream For Dark Circles
Getting enough sleep and choosing the right eye cream are the best ways to fight dark circles. Thankfully, there are several great options on the market.
A favorite of dermatologists, this formula contains vitamin C to brighten skin, caffeine to constrict blood vessels and reduce puffiness, hexapeptide to smooth fine lines, and niacinamide to fade discoloration over time. It also has a cooling metal applicator that helps depuff and massage skin.
1. La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Anti-Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream
Dark circles are often caused by poor blood circulation in the delicate skin around your eyes. This daily eye cream for dark circles brightens the skin of your eye contour while visibly reducing blue and brown dark circles thanks to a unique combination of Phe-Resorcinol, caffeine and light-reflecting pearl pigments. The formula also promotes proper blood circulation and cell turnover for smooth, bright under-eye skin with consistent use. Its cooling metal applicator and gentle melt-in texture are safe for the sensitive eye area.
The key ingredient in this best eye cream for dark circles is phenylethyl resorcinol, which regulates melanogenesis to prevent dense brown dark circles and purple/blue dark circles that are caused by excess melanin production (aka panda eyes). This product also contains vitamin C to brighten your complexion and help fade visible discolorations over time, niacinamide to unify skin tone, and silica to smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Other key ingredients include thermal spring water sourced from La Roche-Posay’s center of thermal dermatology, which soothes and calms the skin; glycerin to hydrate the complexion; dimethicone to reduce sebum build-up; ferulic acid to fight free radicals; iron oxides for a visible tint; and titanium dioxide, known as a physical sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays that can worsen dark circles.
Morning or night, apply a rice grain-sized dab of this anti-dark circle treatment to your eye contour. The cooling metal applicator helps decongest puffiness while the lightweight formula and pearl pigments instantly brighten your eyes. This best eye cream for dark circles is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.
2. Dr. Loretta’s Tightening Eye Gel
Hydrating and illuminating, this antioxidant eye gel reduces puffiness, dark circles and appearance of crow’s feet. Algae extract supports skin’s collagen while peptides tighten eye contour. Chromabright fades uneven pigment and protects skin from free radical damage caused by UVA and HEV light while super-antioxidant Lipochroman guards against pollution – a major contributor to fine lines and wrinkles. It’s all in a lightweight, non-sticky formula that’s easy to blend and won’t irritate the delicate eye area.
This award-winning serum is a must for tired eyes. It’s formulated without potentially irritating ingredients like sulfates, artificial fragrance and dye, parabens and mineral oil. Using your finger, gently dab around the orbital bone in 360-degrees, morning and evening.
Developed and tested by dermatologists, Dr. Loretta’s approach to skincare formulation is rooted in the skin aging exposome theory, which suggests that most aging changes are triggered by real-world environmental aggressors (think UV and pollution) and lifestyle factors (like diet and sleep patterns).
The formula includes a powerful combo of effective humectants and emollients, which attract and hold water molecules on the surface of the skin while improving the strength of the skin barrier. Caprylyl glycol and sodium hyaluronate are humectants that help improve skin’s hydration while also strengthening the lipid barrier, while acetyl tetrapeptide-5 and Nannochloropsis oculata extract are emollients that help smooth and soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
3. Estee Lauder ANR Eye Supercharged Complex
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The delicate eye area is quick to show signs of fatigue, pigmentation and dark circles. But, while there are plenty of products that claim to brighten or reduce puffiness or fine lines and wrinkles, finding one that delivers on all fronts can be tricky.
Estee Lauder’s ANR Eye Supercharged Complex is an eye cream that tackles all of the main concerns – it smooths and brightens while de-puffing and also reduces dryness and dark circles. And it’s all thanks to a few key ingredients.
Firstly, the formula is packed with anti-oxidants to neutralise free radical damage and help brighten the skin around your eyes while hyaluronic acid (everyone’s favourite skincare ingredient at the moment) helps lock in moisture making your skin look plumper.
In addition to that, it’s infused with Chronolux Power Signal Technology which works in tandem with your skin’s natural night time rhythm to inhibit the appearance of visible damage caused by lack of sleep and pollution like fine lines, dark circles and crow’s feet.
And, it’s all wrapped up in a soft and silky gel-cream texture which is quickly absorbed by the skin around your eyes. You can expect to see visible reductions in the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and puffiness within just a few weeks while dark circles will be visibly reduced and the skin will appear more awake and refreshed.
To use, simply apply a small amount to the skin around your eyes and pat it in. Always remember that the skin around your eyes is thinner than on other parts of your face, so be gentle when applying the product – you don’t want to drag it across the area!
4. Skinbetter Science Interfuse Treatment Cream
This eye cream from the dermatologist-loved brand is a double threat for dark circles: It’s formulated to both brighten and soothe. It contains a powerful blend of messenger and neuro-calming peptides to support collagen, plus kakadu plum extract (the world’s highest source of vitamin C) and cucumber to reduce the look of puffiness. It also uses a patent-pending delivery system that maximizes the efficacy of the ingredients and is dermatologist tested, paraben-free, fragrance-free, and colorant-free.
Another favorite pick of derms is this formula from First Aid Beauty, which features a cross-polymer microsphere to diffuse light to instantly brighten the appearance of dark circles, and it’s one of the few that comes in a shade designed to work on medium to deep skin tones, too, says dermatologist Caroline Robinson of Tone Dermatology. It also has niacinamide to calm the skin and hyaluronic acid to deliver much-needed hydration.
When this cream debuted, there was a wait list so long that editors couldn’t get their hands on it fast enough. But once it became available, they didn’t regret their decision to add it to their routine. It’s formulated with a trifecta of ingredients to boost your skin’s radiance, including the potent antioxidant niacinamide and peptides to diminish the look of dark circles, caffeine to depuff and smooth fine lines, and sea fennel (which some swear is a skin-perfecting ingredient similar to retinol).
This cream has an almost whipped consistency that practically melts into the delicate eye area upon application. It also has a clean scent that isn’t too strong, and it’s vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free. Plus, it’s an affordable price-per-ounce compared to some of the other options on this list.
5. Mary Kay Eye Brightening Cream
Over time, a lifetime of smiling, frowning, and sun exposure can take its toll on delicate skin around the eyes. This often leads to dark circles, bags, and wrinkles that can make you look tired or older than you really are. To reduce these signs of aging, use an eye cream that helps to firm and brighten skin for a revitalized appearance. Mary Kay is one of the best beauty companies that sells eye creams, as they contain healthy ingredients and are affordable for everyone.
The Mary Kay Indulge Soothing Gel Eye Cream is an eye cream that contains natural ingredients that are healthy for your skin and helps to reduce dark circles. It has a cooling effect that soothes puffy eyes, and it also increases elasticity and tone around the eyes. It is formulated with a blend of Cucumber Extract, Euphrasia, and Dog Rosehip Extract, which are antioxidants that provide maximum skin protection.
It moisturizes dry, crepey mature skin for 12 hours. It is a GH Seal winner and is recommended by experts. It is a rich, velvety formula with an instant cooling sensation that brightens the look of undereye circles. It also minimizes fine lines and wrinkles, and it has a peach tint that color-corrects bluish-purple shadows to deliver a wide-awake look.
During GH Beauty Lab tests, it was the strongest product at tightening slack skin and reducing undereye bags. This fast-absorbing eye cream is infused with collagen-stimulating retinol and has an innovative delivery system of liquid crystals that help enhance effectiveness. It was also the only product tested that showed a visual improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes after six weeks of nightly use.
