Of all the questions that I'm asked as a beauty editor, how to actually get rid of dark circles has to be up there as one of the most widespread enquiries. Dark circles are all-inclusive when it comes to who they target, from my teenage sister whose laid-back approach to studying often results in all-nighters spent at the library to my friend who has forgotten what sleep is since becoming a mum of four. The truth is, there are many factors that can contribute to dark circles. And, in many cases, dark circles are often down to genetics—so if your parents are prone to them, you may be more likely to have them too.
Luckily, there are things that you can do to combat them if they are bothering you (and it is personal preference, at the end of the day). Staying hydrated, eating well and taking care of yourself with plenty of sleep can make a world of difference to the appearance of dark circles, but one of the simplest places to start is with a decent eye cream. We'll admit, an eye cream won't permanently eradicate dark circles (that miraculous product just doesn't exist), however, the right eye cream can play an important part of the puzzle in treating dark under eye circles—if you know which ones to go for. Below, you'll find all the information you need on how to choose an eye cream for dark circles, including top picks from a dermatologist themselves...
Can Eye Creams Help With Dark Circles?
First things first, can eye creams actually make a difference when it comes to dark circles? According to Dr Sophie Momen, consultant dermatologist at One Welbeck, dark circles can be very challenging to treat, but eye creams can help to reduce their appearance. "Eye creams may be of benefit as they can moisturise and brighten the under-eye area and help reduce puffiness, which [in turn] will reduce the appearance of dark circles."
Momen also recommends wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen and applying it around the delicate eye area to reduce photoaging and skin thinning, as both of these things can contribute to the appearance of dark circles.
What Ingredients Should You Look Out for in an Eye Cream for Dark Circles?
Kate Kerr, skin expert and director of the Kate Kerr London Clinic, told me that there are two main ingredients to look out for when selecting the best eye cream for dark circles: "L-ascorbic acid, a potent form of vitamin C, and a retinol-based eye cream, which will help to strengthen the area."
Momen agrees, and she also recommends looking out for ingredients such as caffeine, ginseng and antioxidant vitamin E. Plus, don't forget lots of moisturising agents such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter and peptides to help with dryness.
Now that you know what to look for, keep on scrolling for the best eye creams to invest in to minimise dark circles and brighten up tired-looking eyes.
The 19 Best Eye Creams for Dark Circles:
- Best all rounder: Origins Ginzing Eye Cream
- Best for under makeup: Temple Spa Eye Truffle
- Best retinol eye cream: Beauty Pie Super Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream
- Best nourishing eye cream: Lumene Eye Cream
- Best retinal eye cream: Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye
- Best awakening eye cream: Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
- Best eye cream for a range of concerns: Eve Lom Time Retreat Smoothing Eye Complex
- Best eye cream for puffiness: La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Eyes
- Best luxury eye cream: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Eye Complex
- Best affordable eye cream: The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
- Best for tired eyes: Caudalie Vinergetic C+ Brightening Eye Cream
- Best illuminating eye cream: No7 Lift & Luminate Eye Cream
- Best eye cream for fine lines: Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Aging Eye Serum
- Best caffeine eye cream: The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
- Best cooling eye cream: ILIA Bright Start Activated Eye Cream
- Best eye cream for instant results: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme
- Best fragrance-free eye cream: Kinship Brightwave Vitamin C Energizing and Brightening Eye Cream
- Best revitalising eye cream: The Body Shop Edelweiss Eye Concentrate
- Best vitamin C eye cream: Paula's Choice C5 Boost Eye Cream
1. Origins Ginzing Eye Cream
Pros: Lightweight formula and contains lots of powerful ingredients such as vitamin C and caffeine
Cons: Only comes in two shades
Proving that you don't always need harsh ingredients to target dark circles, this eye cream from Origins actually strengthens capillaries and provides anti-inflammatory benefits to reduce the proven causes of dark circles.
2. Temple Spa Eye Truffle
Pros: Luxury formula and has lots of 5-star reviews
Cons: A little more expensive
You only need to glance at the glowing 5-star reviews to know that this eye cream really works to deliver visible results. Reviewers say this eye cream brightens dark circles while also targeting fine lines and wrinkles too. It contains a powerful cocktail of stem cells to rejuvenate the eye area, priming the eye area for makeup with a lightweight texture that sinks into the skin instantly. It also contains diamond powder, which scatters light around the eye area to disguise dark circles too.
3. Beauty Pie Super Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream
Price shown is member price.
Pros: Contains slow-release retinol microcapsules and hyaluronic acid
Cons: Can't be used on very sensitive skin
Beauty Pie has gained a loyal following for its great (and affordable) skincare formulations, and its Super Retinol eye cream is excellent for brightening and overhauling the skin around the eyes. Retinol is the key ingredient, which helps to brighten dark circles and leave your eye area looking refreshed.
4. Lumene Eye Cream
Pros: Super hydrating while still being lightweight
Cons: Might take a while to see results
This moisturising eye cream from Lumene has a lightweight formula that is packed with pro-collagen peptides, soothing Nordic heather, Arctic Spring Water and antioxidant Nordic lingonberry native cells to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and fine lines.
5. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye
Pros: Contains retinal and comes in three different strengths for beginners and experts
Cons: A little more expensive
Momen recommends this eye cream from Medik8 as a great choice for those of you looking for a retinal product that will help tackle fine lines, puffiness and dark circles.
6. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
Pros: Infused with five forms of vitamin C
Cons: Expensive
This eye cream from Drunk Elephant is a cult favourite that basically every beauty editor I know swears by. It contains a pretty impressive five forms of vitamin C for a real boost of brightness.
7. Eve Lom Time Retreat Smoothing Eye Complex
Pros: Targets lots of different skincare concerns
Cons: More expensive
The name says it all with this eye cream—a soothing formula that's specifically formulated to reduce fine lines and puffiness, boost radiance and hydrate skin thanks to ingredients such as liposome encapsulated retinol, prebiotic oat kernel and stabilised vitamin C.
8. La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Eyes
Pros: Cooling applicator and improves the eye contour
Cons: Might not be as powerful as other eye creams with stronger ingredients such as retinol
Another one of Momen's recommendations is the La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar eye cream. This formula contains caffeine, niacinamide and shea butter to smooth and improve the look of the eye contour.
9. SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Eye Complex
Pros: Packed with peptides to hydrate and smooth
Cons: Really expensive
If dark circles and fine lines are your main concerns, Momen recommends the A.G.E. Interrupter Eye Complex from SkinCeuticals. The rich cream is infused with peptides to hydrate and smooth the skin.
10. The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
Pros: Really affordable and contains caffeine to awaken the eyes
Cons: Struggling to think of any at just £10!
This is one of the most affordable in this list, and it's also one of the most effective. It contains caffeine, which basically gives your under-eye area a thorough wake-up call to brighten and de-puff tired eyes.
11. Caudalie Vinergetic C+ Brightening Eye Cream
Pros: Formula is fragrance-free and contains caffeine and niacinamide
Cons: Might not be as powerful as other eye creams with stronger ingredients such as retinol
Packed with vitamin C, caffeine and niacinamide, this cream helps to alleviate dark circles as well as redness. Plus, it has blurring properties to help you look even more well-rested.
12. No7 Lift & Luminate Eye Cream
Pros: Provides instant illuminating results
Cons: Formula is not as rich as others in this roundup
A great affordable recommendation from Momen is the No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Eye Cream. Not only does it moisturise the eye area, but it also illuminates your under-eyes which is why I love to use it in the mornings.
13. Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-Aging Eye Serum
Pros: Packed with antioxidants
Cons: Expensive
Filled with antioxidants and a powerful complex to help lessen the appearance of dark circles, this eye serum means serious business.
14. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
Pros: Affordable and contains a high concentration of caffeine
Cons: Applicator can be a little messy
Don’t let its tiny price-tag fool you—this serum packs a potent brightening hit and has impressed just about every WWW team member. This featherweight formula contains a high concentration of caffeine and EGCG (a potent polyphenol found in green tea) to provide a powerful blend of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories to the delicate eye area. These ingredients are known to reduce puffiness and dark circles, delivering results editors can’t get enough of.
15. Ilia Bright Start Activated Eye Cream
Pros: Refreshing applicator and contains a plant-based retinol alternative
Cons: A little more expensive
A potent eye cream powered by a plant-based retinol alternative that works to brighten, hydrate, smooth, depuff, and prep for concealer. I'm a big fan of the applicator which makes light work of sweeping the product under the eyes in a rush.
16. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Creme
Pros: Provides immediate results due to reflective pigments
Cons: Not as hydrating as other eye creams in this roundup
As well as brightening under eyes in the long term with its potent vitamin C and collagen blend, this eye cream also contains reflective pigments that immediately reduce dark circles and brighten the eye area in the short term, too.
17. Kinship Brightwave Vitamin C Energizing and Brightening Eye Cream
Pros: Fragrance-free formula that awakens tired eyes
Cons: Doesn't contain as many hydrating ingredients as other eye creams
So many of Kinship's skincare products have been going viral on TikTok, but they've only just landed here in the UK. This de-puffing and brightening eye cream is definitely worth the hype. It cools tired eyes, boosts luminosity and smooths. Plus, it's fragrance-free so there's no risk of irritation.
18. The Body Shop Edelweiss Eye Concentrate
Pros: Contains edelweiss (a plant with 43% more antioxidant power than retinol)
Cons: Applicator can be a little messy
Another range that has a cult following is this newly reformulated eye concentrate from The Body Shop—which is now a bestseller. It contains edelweiss, a plant that has 43% more antioxidant power than retinol, helping to revitalise tired-looking eyes.
19. Paula's Choice C5 Boost Eye Cream
Pros: Contains three forms of vitamin C
Cons: A little more expensive
Specifically formulated with dark circles in mind, this brightening eye cream draws upon three high concentration, super-stabilised forms of vitamin C, combined with peptides and hyaluronic acid. Expect instant and long term results.
20. Trinny London Take Back Time Eye Cream
Pros: Contains growth factors to target dark under eye circles, as well as puffiness, wrinkles and skin laxity
Cons: More expensive than most eye creams
If you have sensitive eyes and want to steer away from retinols, but still want an effective eye cream, this one from Trinny London makes a great investment. It contains growth factors which help to regenerate the skin, leaving your eyes looking refreshed.
21. Garnier Brightening 4% Vitamin C Eye Cream
Pros: Contains brightening vitamin C, niacinamide and banana powder, affordable
Cons: None
If you want an affordable eye cream, Garnier's makes a great choice that won't break the bank. It contains 4% brightening vitamin C, as well as banana powder which helps to instantly brighten the under eyes. The addition of niacinamide also helps to rejuvenate the skin around the under eyes,
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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