Best Eye Creams For Dark Circles 2023
Want to perk up your peepers? Packed with hardworking ingredients like Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid, a good eye cream will help you wave buh-bye to Ikea-sized under-eye bags and disguise those stubborn dark circles.
So, whether you’re hunting down the best eye cream for dark-circle brightening, puffiness or pigmentation, hit reset on your under-eyes with these tried and tested formulas. Plus, you’ll find even more eye creams here.
How to apply eye cream
Always be sure to apply with your ring finger as it has the lightest touch. Dot along your under-eyes, on top of your cheekbones and on your brow bones, then tap in the product to help reduce any puffiness while allowing the cream to fully absorb. Wait a full minute before going in with under-eye makeup.
How we chose our best eye creams for dark circles
When picking the best eye creams for dark circles, we look for ones that include tried-and-tested ingredients like Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid and Caffeine - these are the ones that will effectively hydrate, plump and brighten those dark shadows, while smoothing fine lines .
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Kiehl’s
Midnight Recovery Eye Cream
Best for: Overnight results
The perfect partner to Kiehl’s bestseller Midnight Recovery Concentrate, make the most of your beauty sleep with this botanical eye cream. With a blend of gentle, naturally-derived ingredients like Aloe Vera and Lavender, apply before bedtime to hydrate, strengthen, smooth, soothe and brighten your eye area while you catch those all-important ZZZs. Plus, the dreamy scent will help send you off into the best beauty sleep ever.
The hype: "On immediate application your skin feels smooth and the smell is divine. I breathe it in before applying - it starts to make you unwind and relax and in the morning your skin feels so soft. I couldn't live without this product." - Karen, customer review
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The INKEY List
Brighten-i Eye Cream
Best for: A quick fix
Granting an instant brightening effect for less than a tenner, this one is a great option if you’re on a pre-payday budget. Containing 2% Brightenyl, which is 4x more potent than Vitamin C, Brighten-i instantly illuminates and primes for makeup in a single application. Bonus points for the cooling metal tip applicator that relieves sensitive peepers on contact - you can even keep this in your fridge to enhance the soothing sensation. For simple, low maintenance skincare, this is your one.
The hype: “This is my favourite eye cream to use both in the AM and PM. I use this one mainly to help with dark circles under my eyes as I've definitely noticed them beginning to fade since I've been using this these last few weeks. I love the applicator, it provides a nice cooling effect. My under-eyes can be quite dry, so this is also a good eye cream to use for this as well as it does provide moisture and hydrates well.”
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Filorga
Optim-Eyes
Best for: Fine lines
Maybe not the cheapest on this list, but Filorga Optim-Eyes is a consistent sell-out for good reason. Pens at the ready, we’re going to get a bit science-y for a sec; the active ingredients in this clever cream work to increase lymphatic circulation, which decreases puffiness, while Hyaluronic Acid hydrates and smooths the look of wrinkles. And while there are a number of multi-syllable words in the ingredient list, they’re not just filler - each one has a legit purpose, so you can expect a fresher look from the first application.
The hype: “When it comes to the best eye cream, we've tried some of the finest formulas out there, but this is one we always come back to. The Hyaluronic Acid formula works a treat for giving dry, dull, tired eyes a shot of hydration.” - Cosmopolitan
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Sarah Chapman
Skinesis Eye Recovery
Best for: Pro-facialist results
Created by a facialist whose A-list clients include Victoria Beckham, Gigi Hadid and Megan Markle, you can expect impressive results from Skinesis Eye Recovery. It comes with a hefty list of collagen-boosting active ingredients that target lines, dark circles and puffiness on first application, but with continued use the whole eye area will look significantly tighter and brighter. You can even use it as a quick fix eye mask, leaving on for 20 minutes to remedy signs of tiredness or prep for a BNO.
The hype: "Don’t be put off by price - this product works wonders. The only eye serum that you can actually feel working and instantly brightens the eye area." - Hannah, customer review
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E.l.f
Illuminating Eye Cream
Best for: The purse strings
Sometimes, the simple ones are the best. E.l.f’s no-frills vegan cream stars soothing Jojoba, Green Tea and Cucumber to cool and refresh tired eyes, while Vitamin E ensures that skin feels super hydrated no matter what. If you’re going makeup-free, a few dots of this under each eye is like a subtle illuminator that diffuses blue and purple shadows, so you can confidently forgo the concealer.
The hype: "I always keep a back-up jar of this eye cream in my stash. This cream is luxurious, but not too heavy. My eye area is wrinkle-free and bright. I use it twice a day religiously." - Customer review
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CeraVe
Eye Repair Cream
Best for: Sensitive skin
Full of the brand’s signature Ceramides to help restore and maintain the skin’s natural protective barrier, it practically melts on contact and moisturisers without leaving a greasy finish. Gentle Aloe Vera and Almond Oil cool and calm while antioxidant Vitamin E helps shield skin from external damage. This one also comes with National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, which is hugely comforting for the itchy-eyed.
The hype: “I suffer from dark pigmentation around my eyes. I have been using this product for just over a month and the hydration is second to none. I have tried so many eye creams, lotions and potions (both high and low end), and this is by far the best. I do wear under-eye concealer most days, and this is absolutely no problem underneath makeup. Leaves the delicate skin around the eyes beautifully supple and it's a perfect base.” - Emma, customer review
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ELEMIS
Pro-Collagen Eye Renewal
Best for: Smoothing
Bursting with a cocktail of hydrating and plumping ingredients, Elemis’ smoothing eye cream reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles by -60% in just 28 days. Containing the revolutionary Padina Pavonica, Chlorella and Buckwheat, the cream-gel formula helps increase moisturisation and firmness, while protecting your delicate eye area from free radical damage. Ideal for mature skin or as a preventative treatment (you should start upping your eye care from your mid-20’s, fyi), this one is worth the spennier price.
The hype: “This eye cream is the real deal, tackling both crow's feet and dark circles in the process. Unlike most cream formulas, it manages to feel refreshing to boot.” - Marie Claire
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REN Clean Skincare
Radiance Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream
Best for: Clean beauty buffs
Non-irritating and with 95% natural-origin ingredients, REN’s all-new eye cream is a refreshingly clean remedy for tired eyes. Enriched with Elderberry Flower Extract to fight free radicals (a common culprit when it comes to dark, puffy peepers) and sustainably-sourced Glycogen to smooth and plump skin, this gentle formula promises an illuminating, well-rested finish. Simply massage a small amount over your entire eye area – including lids and brow bone – to send even the most determined of dark circles packing.
The hype: "Love this eye cream! After just a few days of using it my eyes were brighter and looked more awake. The consistency of the cream is gorgeous, not too thick so it sinks in beautifully but not a runny cream either. I will definitely be buying this again when my current one runs out. I use it AM and PM." – Gemma, customer review
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