I Asked an Expert—These Are the Best Eye Creams for Mature Skin
It's well known that the skin around our eyes weakens as we age. These are the best eye creams for mature skin, tried and tested.
Grace Day
A skincare product I get asked about a lot as a beauty editor is eye cream. It seems to be the one thing that we're all a little bit confused about. Do we need it? How often should we use it in our skincare routine? Which one is best? How to apply it? These are just a handful of questions that I get asked by friends and family every week. However, one thing people really want to know is whether you should use a different eye cream on more mature skin. The short answer? Yes.
"Mature skin tends to be drier and more sensitive than younger skin types," explains Dr Alexis Granite, CeraVe consultant dermatologist. "When choosing an eye cream, you want to opt for one that is hydrating to improve tolerability and avoid potential irritation."
Hydrating eye creams can help with many skincare concerns, such as fine lines and dry, flaky skin. If you're looking to tackle any of these concerns, it could be worth adding one of the best eye creams for mature skin into your daily skincare routine. If you're not sure which one to go for, not to fear, as I spoke to Dr Granite to get all of her expert advice and have rounded up some of the best options below. Just keep on scrolling.
Best Eye Creams for Mature Skin
- Best Overall Eye Cream: CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream, £24
- Best Retinal Eye Cream: Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3, £42
- Best Caffeine Eye Cream: The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream, £10
- Best Hydrating Eye Cream: Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Elastic Lifting Eye Serum, £35
- Best Luxury Eye Cream: Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Eye Cream, £170
Product | Primary Goal: | Key Active: |
|---|---|---|
CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream | Brightening and hydrating | Caffeine |
Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3 | Reducing the appearance of fine lines | Twin-encapsulated retinaldehyde |
The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream | Depuffing | Caffeine |
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Elastic Lifting Eye Serum | Hydrating | Hyaluronic acid |
Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Eye Cream | Hydrating | Hyaluronic acid |
Naturium Multi-Peptide Eye Cream | Hydrating | Multi-peptide blend |
Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream | Hydrating and plumping the skin | Peptides |
Eve Lom Time Retreat Smoothing Eye Complex | Reducing the appearance of fine lines | Liposome encapsulated retinol |
NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate | Reducing the appearance of fine lines and puffiness | Peptides |
Shop the Best Eye Creams for Mature Skin
1. CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream
Key ingredients: Caffeine, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, a peptide complex, ceramides
Pros
- More affordable, lots of key ingredients and suitable for all skin types
Cons
- Doesn't contain retinol, which might suit some but not others
Dr Granite recommends this eye cream from CeraVe. The lightweight formula contains a wide range of effective ingredients, including caffeine, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, a peptide complex and ceramides to plump and moisturise the skin around the eyes. Plus, it's suitable for all skin types (yes, even sensitive skin).
Editor's review: "This affordable pick is a good option to reach for if you don't have any specific eye-related concerns but simply want to do a little bit of everything and keep your eye area healthy, bright and hydrated in the long run. It has a light, smooth texture and layers well under makeup." – Grace Day, beauty contributor
2. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3
Key ingredients: Twin-encapsulated retinaldehyde, ceramides, chamomile extract, hyaluronic acid
Pros
- Features an effective blend of ingredients to help tackle fine lines
Cons
- More expensive and can cause irritation if used too much at first
This Medik8 eye cream contains retinal to help reduce the appearance of fine lines. It is available in three different strengths so that you can choose the one that best suits you. If you're new to retinal, I always recommend starting with the lowest strength available to avoid irritation. Use it once or twice a week at first, slowly introducing it to your everyday skincare routine.
Editor's review: "Alongside retinal, this eye cream also features a blend of ceramides, hyaluronic acid and chamomile extract to soothe, hydrate and plump the skin. This means you get the best of both worlds—results minus the unpleasant side effects. It's one of my favourites to recommend to people who don't want to wait ages to see the benefits." – Day
3. The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
Key ingredients: Peptides, caffeine
If a caffeine eye cream is what you're after, you can't go wrong with this one from The Inkey List. Not only is it super affordable, but it also contains both caffeine and peptides to reduce puffiness and fine lines. I like to think of it as a morning cup of coffee for my under-eyes.
Editor's review: "Another brilliant, affordable formula, this one focuses on depuffing and can deliver results thanks to its high caffeine content. I've seen some amazing results from friends who use this." – Day
Pros
- Affordable and awakening formula
Cons
- Not as hydrating as other options in this roundup
4. Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Elastic Lifting Eye Serum
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, caffeine
If dry skin is a concern, opt for an eye cream that is packed with hyaluronic acid. One of my favourites is this one from Beauty Pie, as it features a triple-weight hyaluronic acid blend for intense hydration. Used daily, it makes a massive difference to fine lines around the eyes, which can often be triggered by dehydration.
Editor's review: "Although the formula is deeply hydrating, the texture is super light, so it feels cooling and refreshing instantly, as well as ramping up moisture levels in the long term." – Day
Pros
- Affordable and hydrating
Cons
- Might need to alternate with a retinol eye cream for best results
5. Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Eye Cream
Key ingredients: Persian silk tree extract, red ginseng, hyaluronic acid
Pros
- Hydrating formula designed for more mature skin
Cons
- Super expensive
Dr. Barbara Sturm's formulas are some of my favourites around, thanks to their moisturising properties. This eye cream contains lots of potent ingredients that are best suited to more mature skin. Think Persian silk tree extract to reduce puffiness, red ginseng to firm the skin and hyaluronic acid to hydrate.
Editor's review: "Whilst it's certainly a luxury option—as you can see from the price tag—this is a really effective and potent formula. I love using it in the winter when my eyes are more prone to dryness. It's rich, creamy and a real treat for eyes in need." – Day
6. Naturium Multi-Peptide Eye Cream
Key ingredients: Multi-peptide blend, vegan squalane
Pros
- Nourishing formula and more affordable
Cons
- Might need to alternate with a retinol eye cream for best results
Naturium products are super effective without breaking the bank. This nourishing eye cream contains a multi-peptide blend and vegan squalane to hydrate, plump and smooth the skin. It's not going to be the most effective formula against stubborn fine lines or dark circles, but for overall eye-area hydration, it's a brilliant (and affordable) option.
Editor's review: "This has a smooth, silky texture which not only makes it easy to apply but also enjoyable to massage around the eye area. When I use this at night, I like to give myself a gentle eye massage whilst I do so." – Day
7. Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream
Key ingredients: Peptides, hyaluronic acid
Pros
- Nourishing formula and safe for sensitive eyes
Cons
- A little more expensive
Clinique has a wide range of effective eye creams, and this particular one is great for more mature skin. It contains an expert peptide blend alongside hyaluronic acid to smooth and plump the skin. Plus, it also helps to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. What's more, it's ophthalmologist-tested, so it's safe for both sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.
Editor's review: "If your eyes are sensitive and easily upset, like mine, you can use this formula without worrying about it irritating. Likewise, it's great for sensitive skin, too." – Day
8. Eve Lom Time Retreat Smoothing Eye Complex
Key ingredients: Liposome encapsulated retinol, prebiotic oat kernel, hyaluronic acid, stabilised vitamin C
Relatively new from Eve Lom, this eye cream is seriously impressive. It has a refreshing applicator and contains retinol and vitamin C to reduce fine lines and add luminosity to the under-eyes. Plus, it has hyaluronic acid to help combat the drying effects of retinol and prebiotic oat kernel to soothe the skin. Used day and night, it will make a massive difference to everything from dark circles to crow's feet.
Editor's review: "Like all Eve Lom products, this is incredibly effective, thanks to a potent active formula which really does deliver results. Worth every penny." – Day
Pros
- Effective ingredients and hydrating formula
Cons
- More expensive
9. NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate
Key ingredients: Peptides, flavonoids, antioxidants
Pros
- Lightweight texture
Cons
- Expensive price point and glass bottle can break easily
This formula cleverly targets everything from fine lines and puffiness to loose skin and dark circles, thanks to a potent blend of peptides and antioxidants, delivered via advanced technology that ensures precise targeting of these highly active ingredients. The lightweight texture absorbs quickly and sits well beneath makeup, and a little goes a long way, so despite the hefty price tag, you can rest assured it'll last for months.
Editor's review: "Whilst it's not strictly a cream—the texture is much more serum-like—this is always my top recommendation for people looking to address fine lines in the eye area. It's one of the few multitasking formulas that actually does deliver on every front. Plus, I've seen so many incredible 'before-and-afters' from people I know that I truly think it works for everyone!" – Day
What Ingredients to Look for in an Eye Cream for Mature Skin
First things first, it's important to think about what ingredients to look for in an eye cream. This always helps me narrow down my options and makes me feel a lot more confident in choosing the best option for my skin.
"Ingredients to look out for when addressing the signs of skin ageing around the eyes include retinol, peptides and caffeine," says Dr Granite. "Retinol and peptides help boost collagen and elastin production to improve skin texture, whilst caffeine improves microcirculation and reduces puffiness," she says. "To combat dryness or potential irritation, I recommend also using a product that contains hydrating and soothing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, glycerin and niacinamide."
How to Apply an Eye Cream for Mature Skin
The skin around your eyes is a lot more delicate, so you want to make sure that you are applying your eye cream as gently as possible.
"I recommend using a pea-sized amount of product for each eye. Dot the product along the skin, starting under the eye at the orbital bone and work in a semi-circle around the outer portion of the eye, onto the upper brow and eyelid," says Dr Granite. "Tap or gently massage the product into the skin to help boost circulation."
How We Tested
With the help of Dr Granite and Who What Wear UK's team of beauty editors, I put over 30 eye creams to the test before whittling them down to the very best eye creams for mature skin, ranked and reviewed for their ability to deal with common signs of skin ageing, like fine lines and dryness.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
