The Best Eye Creams for Sensitive Skin Are Dermatologist-Approved

Best Overall

Sunday Riley Auto Correct Eye Cream

$65 at Amazon $65 at Sephora $65 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Caffeine, watermelon extract, horse chestnut extract | Benefits: Depuffing, radiance-boosting, hydrating | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Finally—an auto-correct that doesn’t make us crazy! Sunday Riley is known for effective skincare products, and this eye cream is no exception. Infused with caffeine and horse chestnut, this product smooths and tightens your eye area while adding a boost of hydration thanks to the watermelon rind extract. It also contains reflective pigments that illuminate skin to reduce the appearance of dark circles as soon as you apply it. For all those reasons and more, it has earned the top spot on this list.

Grace, tester with oily skin: “This is one of the only under-eye creams I completely swear by. It’s a staple in my daytime routine because of the immediate results. Plus, it makes for a perfect canvas for concealer and eyeshadow.”

Best Hydrating

Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb

$48

$44 at Amazon $48 at Sephora $45 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Tiger grass, comfrey leaf, squalane, peptides, ceramides | Benefits: Smoothing, hydrating, firming | Size: 0.84 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A K-beauty option we love is this bestselling pick from Belif. The Moisturizing Eye Bomb is aptly named, as it contains an explosion of hydrating ingredients, such as tiger grass and squalane, that help smooth fine lines and wrinkles and restore and stabilize the skin barrier. The brand promises deep hydration (which it delivers), and we love that it has a cooling sensation upon application. If we could make one change: We’d ditch the screw-top container for a more hygienic option (like a pump-top tube).

Best Smoothing

RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

$22

$20 at Amazon $30 at Ulta $22 at Target

Key Ingredients: Retinol, vitamin E, glycerin | Benefits: Smoothing, toning | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Powered by retinol, this RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream is highly effective yet gentle on the eyes. This cream visibly reduces fine lines and wrinkles while also addressing dark circles and puffiness, so your eye area looks refreshed and revitalized. We tested this product and are pleased to report that it lives up to its claims and doesn’t cause any irritation. However, some reviews mention it can cause stinging if it gets too close to your eye.

Mary, tester with mature skin: “I could tell the puffiness under my eyes decreased after a week of using this product, and I did notice some improvements to the dark circles under my eyes after two weeks. This product also firmed and brightened the skin under my eyes.”

Best Drugstore

e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream

$11

$10 at Amazon $11 at Ulta $11 at Target

Key Ingredients: Peptides, cucumber extract, green tea, squalane | Benefits: Depuffing, soothing, radiance-boosting, hydrating | Size: 0.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you have sensitive skin, you will likely be picky when choosing a new skincare product, but that doesn’t mean you need to shell out a ton of money. We can always count on e.l.f. to deliver a wallet-friendly option for our beauty bags. This Holy Hydration cream is made with cucumber extract, helping plump with peptides, and delivers a gentle dose of moisture. This cream brightens skin and also reduces signs of aging around the eyes, so you can truly be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed even on days when you wish you could have hit snooze one more time.

Karla, tester with dry, sensitive skin: “The product’s rich, creamy texture deeply moisturized my skin without being greasy or tacky, making my eye area feel noticeably smoother than before. As I continued using the cream, my eye makeup went on much smoother, and I noticed that my under-eye area appeared slightly brighter and more plump.”

Best K-Beauty

Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum

$17 at Amazon $17 at Sephora

$17

$14 at Beautyofjoseon.com

Key Ingredients: Ginseng extract, retinal, niacinamide | Benefits: Increases elasticity, fades dark spots, reduces fine lines and wrinkles | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Not only does the Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Cream help combat some of the top eye concerns, but it comes in sleek packaging with a pump for easy application. This K-Beauty serum addresses the loss of protein, collagen, and hyaluronic acid around the eye area by combining ginseng extract and retinol to improve elasticity and brightness without irritation. A little goes a long way, so you know you’re getting your money’s worth. According to reviewers, this product has a thin consistency, so if you prefer a thicker cream, check out the other options. 

Caitlyn, tester with oily skin: “The lightweight texture of this eye cream is perfect for my oily, acne-prone skin. I can apply the teeniest amount, and it spreads beautifully without weighing down my skin or making it look shinier. It has a slightly yellow twinge that offsets my purple-ish dark circles. Plus, I love how hygienic the tube is.”

Best With Retinol

First Aid Beauty Retinol Eye Cream with Squalane + Ceramides

$44 at Amazon $45 at Sephora $44 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Encapsulated retinol, squalane, ceramides | Benefits: Smoothing, hydration | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those with sensitive skin can still use retinol—you’ll just need to seek out a very gentle formulation. This eye cream from First Aid Beauty features encapsulated retinol (which absorbs more slowly into the skin, reducing irritation) as well as richly nourishing squalane and ceramides to help fortify the skin barrier, staving off dryness and sensitivity. While the cream’s texture is on the richer side and thus takes longer to absorb than most, this helps prevent skin from drying out and further inhibits retinol-induced irritation. 

Our tester confirmed that this formula never sensitized her skin and could layer it with other products without issues or reactions; she saw a slight reduction in puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines over the course of a month. While she admitted she wished the results were faster, she confirms that it’s a nice pick for sensitive skin, which responds better to slow, steady care from gentle products like this one.

Nishka, tester with puffiness and dark circles: “The formula is quite gentle; I never had any irritation around my eyes. I was also able to layer on other skincare products without any issues and without any reactions.”

Best Plumping

Tatcha Silk Peony Melting Eye Cream

$69 at Amazon $69 at Sephora $69 at Tatcha.com

Key Ingredients: Japanese white peony, silk protein, whey protein | Benefits: Visibly firms and smooths lines, retains moisture, boosts radiance | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Tatcha rarely disappoints, so it’s no surprise that the Silk Peony Eye Cream has a spot on this list. Silk is in the name, the ingredient list, and the feeling of this decadent eye cream. This cream melts into the skin and visibly reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Use it for the day (makeup layers on top of it like a dream) or night as you wind down for the evening. 

Cher Checchio, senior copy editor with dry/sensitive skin: “I’ve used other eye creams that are sometimes a bit tacky after application, but I don’t have that problem with this cushiony cream. Dryness is my biggest skin concern, and I’ve noticed a softer, plumper, more hydrated look and feel to my eyes after using this eye cream.”

Best Firming

Shani Darden Skin Care Intensive Eye Renewal Cream

$69 at Amazon $69 at Sephora $69 at Shanidarden.com

Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, ceramides, peptides, vitamin E | Benefits: Firming, calming, smoothing | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you notice crepey skin and loss of elasticity around your eye area, go with Shani Darden’s Eye Renewal Cream. This formula is luxurious and effective, calling on niacinamide, peptides, and silk tree extract to deliver visibly firmer skin. The consistency is lightweight, and the formula wears well under makeup, so you can use it in both your morning and evening skincare routine. Patience is key here as it can take time and consistent use to see the product pay off, but the results speak for themselves. 

Best With SPF

Supergoop! Mineral Eye Cream

$80

$64 at Amazon $40 at Sephora $40 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide | Benefits: Protects from sun damage, illuminating | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We are well aware of the importance of wearing sunscreen whenever we leave the house, but let us put you on SPF for your under-eyes. We can always count on Supergoop! to deliver innovative products that help our skin look its best while protecting it, and the Mineral Eye Cream is no exception. Supergoop’s take on eye cream boasts SPF 40 protection from the sun’s damaging rays. Applying it daily—along with your daily sunscreen—will help prevent photoaging (which can cause fine lines, crepiness, and loss of elasticity). It also features a pink tint that helps illuminate the eye area, making dark circles substantially less noticeable upon application.

Best Cooling

Dr. Dennis Gross DermInfusions Fill + Repair Eye Cream

$64 at Amazon $64 at Sephora $64 at Bloomingdales

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, copper peptides, kakadu plum, caffeine | Benefits: Hydrating, smoothing, brightening | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Dr. Dennis Gross’ DermInfusions Fill + Repair Eye Cream is packed with hydrating and smoothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, copper peptides, kakadu plum, and caffeine. Our tester loved the soft, cushiony texture and how easily it melted into her dry, sensitive skin without causing any irritation, redness, or tingling. She also liked the refreshing cooling feeling after applying it and that it sat nicely under sunscreen and makeup.

After three weeks of use, she noticed her under-eye area looked smoother, firmer, and a little brighter. The formula feels slightly tacky for a few minutes while it absorbs, but once it sinks in, it leaves skin feeling comfortable and hydrated.

Ashley, tester with dry, sensitive skin: “I love to use this eye cream first thing in the morning and right before bedtime. The texture is so smooth that it glides on effortlessly without requiring any extra effort to spread.”

Best Nighttime

InnBeauty Project Extreme Cream Eye Firming & Contouring Eye Cream

$46 at Sephora

Key Ingredients: Peptides, bio-retinol, fermented amino acids, squalane | Benefits: Firming, hydrating, smoothing | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

InnBeauty Project’s Extreme Cream Eye Firming & Contouring Eye Cream is a nourishing formula that shines as part of a nighttime routine. The rich formula pairs peptides, bio-retinol, and fermented amino acids to help replenish moisture overnight while smoothing the look of fine lines. Our tester loved the soft, creamy texture, which spread easily and gave her under-eyes an immediate moisture boost without feeling overly thick. After a few weeks of use, she noticed a subtle plumping effect that helped smooth the appearance of fine lines.

Because of its richer texture, the formula takes a little longer to absorb and can feel slightly wet at first. Our tester found that it was worth the extra few minutes at night, leaving behind soft, hydrated skin by morning.

Alyssa, tester with oily skin that’s thin and dry around the eyes: “I didn’t notice any change in the darkness around my eyes, but the cream has a beautiful, radiant finish, so it’s a bit brightening in that sense. It’s one of the most hydrating eye creams I’ve tested. I also find it to be slightly firming, which is nice.”

Best Brightening

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

$24 at Amazon $50 at Ulta View on Walgreens

Key Ingredients: Retinol, micropeptide, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Brightening, smoothing, hydrating | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Neutrogena’s Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream is proof that a retinol product doesn’t have to feel intimidating. Our tester was impressed by how lightweight and fuss-free it was, from the easy-to-control nozzle to the way the cream disappeared into the skin almost immediately. It gave her under-eyes a subtle cooling, hydrated feel without any irritation, even as someone who typically experiences sensitivity around the eye area.

With daily use, she noticed her eye area looked a little brighter and less puffy, with gradual softening in the appearance of fine lines. The results took a few weeks to show, but the comfortable texture made it easy to keep reaching for.