The 13 Best Eye Creams That Deliver Brighter, Smoother Under-Eyes, According to Testers

Best Overall

Tatcha The Brightening Eye Cream

$65 at Amazon $65 at Sephora $65 at Tatcha.com

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, bioferments, Japanese plum, niacinamide | Benefits: Brightening, firming | Best For: All skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those looking for the best under-eye cream should seriously consider this luxe option from Tatcha; it delivers. It’s formulated with vitamin C, bioferments, and Japanese plum to help treat hyperpigmentation, dark circles, and puffiness while strengthening the skin’s barrier—and that’s precisely what we found during testing. Our tester noticed brightening effects after the first application, which continued to improve over the following weeks. She raved about how soothing the lightweight formula felt on her skin during application, and was happy to report a marked improvement in the appearance of her dark circles. 

Shauna, tester: “I started seeing results right away. It immediately gave me a ‘refreshed, energized, woke up’ look.”

Best Drugstore

L'Oréal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream

$16

$13 at Amazon

$16

$13 at Walmart $16 at CVS

Key Ingredients: Caffeine, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, fine lines, dark circles | Best For: All skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re looking for the best drugstore eye cream, this pick is for you. This option is budget-friendly yet performs like a high-end formula, reducing puffiness, brightening the skin, and leaving the eye area looking refreshed. It’s made with caffeine and hyaluronic acid, which helps moisturize the skin and can even help minimize the appearance of wrinkles. We love the lightweight formula, which our tester described as “cushiony,” and it offers a cooling sensation right after application. Also, while it’s not technically marketed for sensitive skin, our tester with sensitive skin was blown away by the cream’s gentle formula; it didn’t cause any irritation. 

Chelsea, tester: “I love that it has a perfect cushiony consistency and that it isn’t scented. Plus, it doesn’t run, grease up, or feel heavy on the skin barrier.”

Best for Dark Circles

DRMTLGY Luminous Eye Corrector

$44 at Amazon $44 at Ulta $44 at Drmtlgy.com

Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, snow mushroom, peptide and ceramide complex, sodium PCA | Benefits: Color corrector, blocks UV, hydrates, plumps, softens lines, strengthens skin barrier | Best For: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.25 oz | Cruelty Free: Yes

The best eye creams for dark circles plump, moisturize, and help brighten dark under-eye pigment. For reducing the appearance of dark circles, DRMTLGY’s Luminous Eye Corrector SPF 41 has you covered (quite literally). It’s formulated with snow mushroom to help plump and hydrate the skin, and it’s slightly tinted for color correction. We also love that it’s made with zinc oxide to keep the delicate under-eye area protected from damaging UV rays. 

While using this product, our tester appreciated the cooling applicator and the cream’s thick consistency. Once applied, she found that the cream stayed put throughout the day without fail. Though it’s an overall fantastic product, we wish there were more than four shade options. 

Bianca, tester: “The eye cream has super staying power, like once it’s down, it’s not budging. And it manages to do that without any creasing, even with powder on top.”

Best for Wrinkles

InnBeauty Project Extreme Cream Eye

$52 at Sephora $34 at Kohls.com $52 at Innbeautyproject.com

Key Ingredients: Peptide complex, bio-retinol, fermented amino acids | Benefits: Firming, depuffing | Best for: Oily, dry, combination, normal skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

No eye cream will permanently remove fine lines and wrinkles, but this option boasts incredible firming and plumping benefits when used consistently and over time. Formulated with smoothing and plumping peptides, bio-retinol, and amino acids, which help firm skin and increase elasticity, it helps give the delicate skin under the eyes a smoother, more lifted appearance.

Our tester with hollow under-eyes, some puffiness, and lines just under her lash line noticed that this eye cream helped plump these areas and gave her skin a subtly tighter look and feel. She noted the light yet rich consistency felt soothing to apply, and left her skin feeling quite moisturized for several hours post-application. The formula has a mildly oily finish that takes some time to absorb fully, but we think the overall performance is well worth it.

Alyssa Kaplan, editor: “I love that this eye cream feels incredibly hydrating and a bit tightening (in the best way) on the delicate skin under my eyes. After using it consistently for a few weeks, I noticed some of my fine lines looked smoother, and my skin felt subtly firmer overall.”

Best With Retinol

Ranavat Brightening Retinol Eye Creme

$105 at Amazon $105 at Sephora $105 at Goop.com

Key Ingredients: Micro-encapsulated retinol, bakuchi seed, saffron | Benefits: Brightening, firming | Best for: Dark circles, crow’s feet, fine lines and crepiness | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 15 mL oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A gentle retinol-based eye cream is ideal if you’re seeking an effective anti-aging formula that won’t irritate the skin. Ranavat’s eye cream combines slow-release, microencapsulated retinol with its plant-based alternative, bakuchiol, to deliver the skin-brightening, texture-firming benefits of vitamin A without the sensitivity. Our tester saw significant results from this soothing, luxurious night cream in just four weeks, noting that her eyes looked brighter and less tired, with crow’s feet and fine lines fading to the point that they became barely noticeable—all without redness or irritation. 

Our tester shared that this product set a new bar for what to expect from luxury eye creams. She loved everything about it—its fast results, indulgent texture, its gentle effect on the skin—except for the steep price tag. While it’s not the most budget-friendly eye cream, a little dab goes a long way, and its efficacy certainly justifies the investment.

Lindsay, tester with dark circles and crow’s feet: “This luxurious formula was a treat to use, and the results were impressive and noticeable after a short time.”

Best Brightening

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème

$46

$37 at Amazon $46 at Sephora $46 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, jojoba oil, shea butter | Benefits: Boost radiance, hydrates | Best for: All skin types | Fragrance-Free: No | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Feeling like your skin is looking a little dull? A brightening eye cream, like this one, can help even out your skin tone and leave you looking radiant. We love that, in addition to its brightening benefits, it also includes moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil and shea butter. Our tester noticed an improvement in her skin right away and found that continued use of the product left her under-eyes looking brighter and more moisturized, making it an excellent eye cream for dark circles.

This cream also layers well with other skincare and makeup products and stays put—once applied, it absorbs quickly and doesn’t migrate, leaving eyes looking luminous all day long. However, it didn’t make a significant difference in the appearance of fine lines. 

Cindy, tester: “I could clearly tell that my under-eyes were very well hydrated and maintaining that moisture consistently. The hydration benefits felt cumulative. While the immediate moisture was noticeable from the first use, after about a week, I could tell the area was consistently more hydrated and balanced rather than just temporarily moisturized.”

Best Firming

e.l.f. cosmetics Bright + Brew-tiful Eye Cream

$13 at Amazon $13 at Ulta $13 at Target

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, 3% caffeine blend, banana-colored powder | Benefits: Brightens, lightens dark circles, de-puffs, tightens | Best For: All skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.52 oz | Cruelty Free: Yes

Consider this e.l.f. eye cream if you want your under-eye area to look tight and lifted. During testing, it delivered firming benefits practically instantaneously while also hydrating the skin without feeling heavy. We were really blown away by its performance, especially given its affordable price. 

This cream also contains vitamin C, which helps even out and brighten the under-eye skin. Our tester found that the combination of firming and brightening benefits left her looking wide awake and well rested. One thing to keep in mind with this pick, however, is that it needs to fully absorb before layering other products on top to prevent pilling. 

Margaret, tester: “The firming effects of the eye cream were instantaneous—from the first application, I loved how tightening it was. I also felt that it did a great job of hydrating and brightening the under-eye area and addressing crepiness, giving me a well-rested look.”

Best Hydrating

La-Roche Posay Hydraphase Intense Eye Cream

$37 at Amazon $37 at Walmart $37 at Lovelyskin.com

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, caffeine, La Roche-Posay thermal spring water | Benefits: Moisturizes, de-puffs, reduces appearance of under-eye bags, plumping | Best For: All, including sensitive | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty Free: No

Use this hydrating eye cream if you’re dealing with dry skin under your eyes. It’s gentle enough for sensitive skin, but still packs some serious moisturizing power thanks to hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Additionally, since it’s formulated with caffeine and an anti-inflammatory, it can help depuff the skin around your eyes. 

During testing, we found this cream to be lightweight and luxurious, gliding onto the skin with ease. Plus, the hydration benefits are immediately noticeable, making it easy for us to crown it as our best hydrating eye cream. Our only wish is that it had more anti-aging benefits along with the hydration. 

Lauren, tester: “This eye cream felt really refreshing and a little cooling (not super dramatic, just a nice little cooling sensation right when you apply it) ... I didn’t notice any irritation, stinging, redness, or sensitivity, which was great. It’s gentle enough to use every day, so I wore it both in the morning and at night as part of my routine.”

Best for Sensitive Skin

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream

$20

$13 at Amazon $20 at Ulta $20 at Dermstore

Key Ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Moisturizes, reduces the look of dark circles, reduces puffiness | Best For: All skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

CeraVe’s Eye Repair Cream is fragrance-free, noncomedogenic, oil-free, and accepted by the National Eczema Association as a safe product for sensitive skin. The cream is formulated with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, making it super moisturizing, and the lightweight texture allows it to absorb quickly and layer well with makeup. Our tester found that the cream’s intense hydration helped reduce the look of fine lines, and she appreciated that the product’s gentle formula did not cause any irritation or redness. We also like the product’s budget-friendly price and drugstore availability.

Caitlin, tester: “I did not see any redness, irritation, or tingling while using this eye cream. The delicate skin around my eyes can get red with harsh products, but CeraVe Eye Repair cream is very gentle.”

Best for Puffiness

belif Aqua Bomb Depuffing Eye Gel

$32 at Sephora $32 at Ulta $32 at Revolve

Key Ingredients: Caffeine, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, adenosine, clean collagen | Benefits: Depuffs, reduces the appearance of eye bags and dark circles | Best For: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Fragrance-Free: No | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty Free: No

Want the look that says, “well rested”? This eye gel can help you achieve it. It’s formulated with caffeine to de-puff tired eyes, and is packaged with a cooling applicator for a little extra soothing effect. Our tester loved the product’s lightweight, gel-like consistency and its ability to layer well with makeup. She also noted how refreshing the product felt on her skin upon application.

In addition to its de-puffing benefits, this gel is made with hyaluronic acid for hydration, niacinamide and vitamin C for skin brightening, and clean collagen for a subtle plumping effect. Keep in mind that these benefits take time and consistent use, so don’t give up if you don’t see results right away. 

Ecleen, tester: “I’ve tried other richer, greasier [eye creams] that were less effective, so this one is great in terms of ease, feel, and effectiveness.”

Best for Mature Skin

BeautyStat Universal C Eye Perfector

$13 at Ulta

$52

$39 at Beautystat.com $52 at Ecosmetics.com

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract | Benefits: Boosts radiance, smooths skin | Best for: All skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The hero ingredient in this gem is vitamin C, which harnesses the power of antioxidants and can also help stimulate collagen production (which we start to lose at age 30), diminishing the look of fine lines and smoothing skin tone in the process. This formula uses a 5% concentration of a pure, patented, and extra-stable form of vitamin C, plus CBD, to help tamp down inflammation and puffiness.

It also contains hyaluronic acid and green tea extract to increase collagen synthesis. Our tester found this product to be a great makeup primer, leaving her under-eyes feeling velvety smooth. By the end of the testing period, she also noticed a slight reduction in fine lines and dark circles—and a noticeable improvement in dryness, skin texture, and puffiness

Alaina, tester (not shown): “This product did improve my (always very noticeable) dark circles. This cream made my skin softer, and it felt very hydrating.”

Best for Under-Eye Bags

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

$30

$20 at Amazon $34 at Ulta $20 at Target

Key Ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Reduces the appearance of dark circles, crows feet, and fine lines | Best For: Dry, combination, oily, normal | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size:  0.5 oz | Cruelty Free: No

This is one of the most effective drugstore eye creams we’ve tested. Using tried-and-true retinol and a glucose complex that speeds its effects, the potent formula can help firm skin, smooth out crow’s feet, conceal dark circles, and de-puff. Hyaluronic acid also helps even out the tone and texture of dry skin around the eyes. After using this cream for only a short time, our tester noticed her fine lines softened, and her skin felt tighter and firmer. 

Elena, tester (not shown): “I am beyond impressed with the improvement I’ve seen in my skin texture and the overall look of my eyes. I only used the product at night as recommended, and with just that one application a day, I saw a vast improvement. The fine lines that were developing have seriously softened.”

Best Anti-Aging

Caudalie Eye Cream

$85 at Sephora $85 at Nordstrom $85 at Kohls.com

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, natural pearlizers | Benefits: Reduces wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness, fine lines | Best For: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re looking for a product that will leave your eyes looking immediately brighter while also targeting signs of aging, this is the eye cream for you. It’s made with 100% natural pearlizers, which help reduce the appearance of dark circles and visibly brighten the skin on contact. Our tester noticed a difference in her under-eye area after the first application, which was maintained with consistent use. She also saw a noticeable improvement in her skin texture, likely due to the cream’s hydrating formula. 

The product’s packaging includes a metal applicator that provides a cooling touch during application, and the formula also helps depuff the skin around the eyes, offering a brighter, more awake appearance. One thing to note is that the tube can distribute a lot of product at once, so dispense it conservatively until you get the hang of it. 

Ashley, tester: “I immediately noticed that my eyes looked more hydrated and brighter upon the first application. I have visible fine lines around my eyes when I smile, and the lines have stayed about the same. The best part about this eye cream is how instantly fresh and bright your eyes look with repeated application.”