The 15 Best Under-Eye Patches and Masks to Reduce Dark Circles, Byrdie-Tested

Best Overall

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Eye Patches

$24 at Amazon $24 at Sephora $43 at Summerfridays.com

Active Ingredients: Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, cucumber extract | Benefits: Soothing, hydrating, depuffing | Amount: 6 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Every bathroom cabinet needs a pack of Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag Eye Patches. Associate Editor Shannon Stubbs called them the best eye patches she has ever tried. What makes them so much more effective? Well, not only do they hydrate and soothe, but they also help to depuff and firm the skin, leaving you looking refreshed and revitalized in minutes. 

These patches also have a superior grip, meaning the ingredients get locked into the skin for better absorption. They stick on so well that you can even continue doing chores while wearing them, making them a great time-saver. We also love how well makeup went on after using them. 

Shannon Stubbs, associate editor: “They were very comfortable during wear, and I didn’t notice any irritation or negative sensation. They felt soothing and hydrating upon application. I could wear them all day as they were so comfortable.”

Best Value

Mediheal Vita Collagen Eye Patches

$24 at Amazon $24 at Ulta $24 at Nordstrom

Active Ingredients: Collagen, niacinamide, glutathione | Benefits: Hydrating, brightening | Amount: 30 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you go through eye patches quickly, these are the pick for you. With 30 pairs in a tub, they provide amazing value and produce incredible results, especially if you have dark circles or experience dullness under your eyes. They work by combining seven different types of vitamins to give your skin a radiant boost, including niacinamide to brighten, and collagen to firm and increase elasticity. Lauren Pardee, associate editorial director, says her skin felt bouncier and more hydrated after using the patches, making them a great way to prep the skin before makeup. She also loved how the larger shape of the patches covered more ground.

Lauren Pardee, associate editorial director: “I felt a boost of hydration and noticed my skin was bouncier after use. The cooling effect also helped depuff and calm any dark circles. I loved using them as a fresh way to prep my skin for the day—especially before applying makeup. I love how my makeup sat over the serum.”

Best Splurge

Charlotte Tilbury Eye Patches

$70 at Ulta $70 at Nordstrom $70 at Asos

Active Ingredients: Glycerin, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Brightening, hydrating, smoothing | Amount: 30 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The crème de la crème of eye patches manifests in this beauty from Charlotte Tilbury. Yes, they’re more high-end, but the instant eye-lifting effect makes them worth it for us (and they still come out cheaper than a salon facial). Perfect for a quick morning refresh or when you’re short on time, these patches instantly hydrate, smooth, and depuff the under-eye area. Like a drink of water for your skin, these babies are formulated with hyaluronic acid and glycerin to hydrate and plump—Hollywood’s secret to a rejuvenated look. 

The translucent, gold-flaked patches work their magic in just 10 minutes, delivering visible results that speak for themselves. They also make for the ultimate makeup prep. Our tester loved how seamless her concealer applied afterward. 

Taylor, tester: “I’ve been using these religiously for the last few weeks and am beyond obsessed. They’re perfect to pop on before I start doing my makeup, and the slight tingly sensation and bouncy, supple feel I’m left with has allowed my typically dry under-eyes not to crease or look cakey after I’ve applied concealer and setting powder.”

Best Hydrating

Topicals Faded Under Eye Brightening & Clearing Eye Masks

$22 at Amazon $22 at Sephora $22 at Mytopicals.com

Active Ingredients: Tranexamic acid, niacinamide, kojic acid, glycerin | Benefits: Hydrating, brightening, cooling | Amount: 6 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For dry, swollen, or irritated skin, Dr. Lee recommends looking for hydrogel masks to deeply hydrate and depuff. This derm-approved eye mask is packed with niacinamide, glycerin, tranexamic acid, and kojic acid, delivering a powerful moisture surge while working to minimize dark circles and hyperpigmentation. To maximize the brightening effects, the brand suggests positioning the mask with the larger round closest to your nose. The girly pink and red patches come with six pairs per pack and only require 15 minutes of wear. While they can feel a bit sticky, especially when removing them from the packaging, the moisturizing and illuminating effects are worth it in our books.

Olivia Hancock, senior beauty editor: “Immediately after taking them off, my under-eye area felt more bouncy and hydrated. Over time, I’ve noticed that the skin around my eyes looks more radiant and less puffy.”

Best for Travel

Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Eye Masks

$26 at Amazon $26 at Dermstore $26 at Nordstrom

Active Ingredients: Panthenol, aloe, copper peptides, jojoba, glycerin, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Soothing, smoothing, hydrating | Amount: 6 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Heading on vacation or a weekend away? Don’t forget to pack a pair of these eye-bag-busting patches in your suitcase. These eye masks help with puffiness, dry skin, fine lines, dark circles, and makeup preparation. What more could we ask for? Coming individually wrapped, they are easy to stash into your travel tote, and they work quickly. The biocellulose paper also means you can wear them on the plane without worrying about any sticky residue. “Biocellulose masks are great for delivering active ingredients and are particularly beneficial for post-procedure recovery,” Dr Lee says. 

Our tester noted how deeply hydrated her under-eyes were after using them and loved how they improved concealer application. Infused with soothing aloe, calming jojoba oil, and humectant glycerin (among a range of other skin-loving ingredients), this multitasking pick is an excellent quick fix when you are in a pinch and want to look your best.

Maddie Barber, writer: “These eye patches are super hydrating and easy to travel with, thanks to the individual plastic packaging. They also work quickly.”

Best Grip

Rhode Depuffing Eye Patches

$25 at Sephora $25 at Rhodeskin.com

Active Ingredients: Caffeine, peptides, glycerin | Benefits: Hydrating, tightening, brightening | Amount: 6 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Whether you are cooking, cleaning, or doing chores, once these rhode eye patches are applied, they do not move until you take them off. Incredibly easy to apply, they come individually wrapped, stuck to a sheet of plastic, and adhere straight away upon placement. Their superior gripping ability means the innovative formula of caffeine, peptides, and sodium PCA gets locked into the skin to leave the under-eyes looking brighter and tighter. Our tester was extremely impressed with how the results lasted the entire day. 

Anna Traver, writer: “They’re definitely thicker and have much better grip and don’t slide around, which is great if you’re moving around while wearing them and doing other tasks.”

Best Tightening

YSE Beauty The Overachiever

$38 at Sephora $38 at Knockoutbeauty.com $38 at Ysebeauty.com

Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, peptides, allantoin | Benefits: Brightening, depuffing, tightening | Amount: 6 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Lack of sleep, dehydration, or just plain genetics can all be to blame for elasticity loss under the eyes. Having these firming patches on standby can help to restore tightness to the eye area and leave you looking more awake—even if you don’t feel it. These illuminating masks work to instantly reduce the appearance of dark circles, smooth fine lines, and give your skin an overall brighter appearance. 

Our tester raved about their ability to cool and depuff under the eyes, saying they are a must-have for the morning after a party or a night when you didn’t get much sleep.  It’s worth noting that vitamin C can irritate sensitive skin, but thanks to the inclusion of allantoin, a soothing ingredient, we didn’t find it too harsh.  

Lauren, tester: “I would recommend these for someone who wants the under-eye area tightened, cooled, and smoothed out. They feel really nice on, and they’re so easy to use.”

Best Reusable

Dieux Skin Forever Eye Mask

$35

$33 at Amazon $25 at Sephora $25 at Dieuxskin.com

Active Ingredients: None | Benefits: Plumping, hydrating, maximizes product absorption | Amount: 1 pair | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A one-time purchase for infinite under-eye care? Sign us up. The aptly named Forever Eye Mask is a sustainable, cost-effective option made from 100% medical-grade silicone. Unlike traditional eye patches, you use your own eye cream or serum and apply the mask on top. The silicone improves product absorption by holding the concentrated products close to the skin, locking in all the key ingredients. You can use them with pretty much any eye cream or serum, so you don’t have to worry about irritation from a new product if you have sensitive skin.

Our tester praised the effect of these patches, saying, “They amplified the effects of my daily eye cream, because it held the product that much closer to my skin and allowed it to sink in more fully. They’re a great bang for your buck, considering that some disposable eye masks cost as much as these reusable ones do.” A bonus: They’re great to wear while you apply eyeshadow as they catch any fallout and prep your under-eyes for foundation (a win-win).

Margaret, tester: “I would definitely swap these for the disposable eye patches I’ve used in the past. I love how substantial yet light they feel on my face, and they’re easy to incorporate into your routine because you can use them with the products you already know work for your skin.”

Best Retinal

Beauty of Joseon Revive Under Eye Patch

$20 at Amazon $20 at Sephora

$20

$16 at Beautyofjoseon.com

Active Ingredients: Retinal, collagen, ginseng essence | Benefits: Wrinkle care, hydration, elasticity | Amount: 30 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Perfect for all skin types, even sensitive ones, these retinal-infused eye patches offer a plethora of benefits for the undereye area. Most notably, however, is their ability to effectively smooth out any wrinkles or fine lines and give skin a lifting effect. Peptides, adenosine, and bakuchiol all work together to depuff, hydrate, and brighten tired-looking eyes, while collagen promotes elasticity and moisture. While they do have a very mild scent, our tester was impressed by how gentle they were on the skin, saying, “They felt cooling and soothing. There was no stinging, tingling, or irritation during or after wear.”

Toni, tester: “Compared to other eye patches I’ve tried, these delivered more visible brightening and smoothing. Many feel hydrating but subtle—these felt impactful.”

Best Gel Patches

COSRX The Peptide Collagen Hydrogel Eye Patch

$23 at Amazon $23 at Ulta $23 at Cosrx.com

Active Ingredients: Collagen, caffeine, niacinamide, adenosine, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Depuffing, hydrating, refreshing| Amount: 30 pairs | Cruelty-Free: No

These gel patches are the ones to reach for whenever fine lines and crow’s feet start to look more pronounced. Their slippery texture actually makes them the ideal choice to deliver an intense dose of hydration to the skin and leave your eyes looking instantly revitalized. In addition to their immediate effects, regular use of these patches can also help to keep the skin under the eye looking smoother and brighter due to the four different types of peptides and low-molecule collagen, which penetrate deeper into the skin. Our tester loved how cooling and soothing they were to wear, and said the results were noticeable as soon as she took them off. 

India, tester: “I always neglect my under-eyes, so these are a great investment to keep it in my skincare rotation. I would recommend them to anyone who wants more hydration and an overall replenished look.”

Best Brightening

Drmtlgy Brightening Eye Masks

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

Active Ingredients: Caffeine, niacinamide, and licorice root | Benefits: Brightening, depuffing, soothing | Amount: 30 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

While there is no permanent answer to getting rid of dark circles, this is the closest solution we’ve found to brightening the eye area and giving the appearance of well-rested skin. These patches contain key hydrators such as peptides and hyaluronic acid, but they also have the added bonus of caffeine, niacinamide, and licorice root which do the heavy lifting when it comes to reducing dark circles. Emily Cieslak, associate editor, was impressed that these eye patches didn’t irritate her sensitive skin, and they visibly depuffed refreshed her under-eyes. The eye patches are drenched in liquid so they can slip down at times.

Emily Cieslak, associate editor: “Putting these eye masks on after a long night is heaven! The cooling sensation is soothing, and you can feel the puffiness going away. Since the patches are soaked in a serum, they leave your under-eyes dewy once you take them off, which makes the skin look more refreshed, hydrated, and reduces the illusion of dark circles.”

Best With Caffeine

Good Molecules Hydrogel Eye Patches

$18 at Amazon $18 at Ulta $18 at Target

Active Ingredients: Caffeine, hyaluronic acid, licorice extract | Benefits: Plumping, hydrating, refreshing | Amount: 30 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

“This product has made me an eye patch believer,” is what our tester said after seeing how effective these were at reviving tired skin and smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. While the key ingredient is caffeine, these patches also contain hyaluronic acid, peptides, aloe vera, licorice extract, and niacinamide—making them pretty much an all around skin savior (they’re also one of the most affordable). Suitable for every skin type, our tester who has rosacea-prone, sensitive skin also said there was no stinging or irritation during or after using them. She also loved how the nutrient-dense formula left her under-eyes looking less hollow.  

Chelsea, tester: “The visible effects of these eye patches kept my face looking revived into the next day, which has been such a treat.”

Best Depuffing

Grace & Stella Under Eye Masks

$28

$24 at Amazon $10 at Target

$40

$26 at Graceandstella.com

Active Ingredients: Glycerin, chondrus crispus powder, corn gluten amino acids | Benefits: Depuffing, soothing, toning | Amount: 24 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you constantly wake up with puffy eyes and dark circles, no matter how much sleep you get, it’s time to invest in a set of these cooling eye patches. Stick them on while you make your coffee to soothe the under-eye area and get the skin looking supple again. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin deliver the hydration, while sea moss and amino acid take care of fine lines and wrinkles.

These patches are wrapped individually, so they are perfect for taking with you on the go, and our tester adored how they slipped right into place straight away without any excess serum dripping down. The hydrogel material also makes them feel extra refreshing, and you can even store them in the fridge to enhance their cooling effect. 

Esme, tester: “My under-eyes felt really refreshed and moisturized after using these patches. I took them on vacation with me, and felt like they really helped with depuffing and achieving that ‘wide awake’ look, when in reality I was tired, dehydrated, and had eaten a lot of salty food. Once I layered makeup over the top, the result was even better.”

Best for Makeup Prep

Pixi BeautifEYE Eye Patches

$23 at Amazon $24 at Ulta $24 at Target

Active Ingredients: Glycerin, Hippophae rhamnoides water, carrageenan | Benefits: Moisturizing, refreshing, soothing | Amount: 30 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We know how tempting it can be to immediately reach for concealer at the first sign of dark circles and fine lines, but taking 20 minutes to wear these patches before applying your makeup can actually make a world of difference. Instead of a cakey and patchy outcome, you achieve a moisturized, rested eye area that ensures a smooth application. In addition to the instant effects, these gel patches brighten over time thanks to vitamin C, licorice, and ginseng.

Philtrina, tester: “I applied them before makeup and could definitely see a difference compared to when I don’t use patches, especially in how smooth and hydrated my under-eye area looked under makeup. They’re great to use before applying products.”

Best for Sensitive Skin

Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch for Tired Eyes

$15 at Amazon $15 at Ulta $15 at Target

Active Ingredients: Tri-hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, panthenol, allantoin | Benefits: Cooling, depuffing, hydrating | Amount: 3 pairs | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Known for their popular pimple patches, Hero Cosmetics knows more than a thing or two about creating effective patches that treat common skin concerns. Infused with panthenol (to moisturize and soothe), niacinamide (to brighten), and three weights of hyaluronic acid (for deep hydration), this mask packs a mighty yet gentle punch. Our tester loved how refreshing they felt without causing any irritation, making them perfect for even the most sensitive skin. Plus, the user-friendly design ensures easy application: the patches turn translucent when it’s time to remove. These sensitive-skin-safe patches not only make it simpler to brighten your under-eyes, but they also leave you with a refreshed, rejuvenated look.

Emily Cieslak, associate editor: “Almost every eye patch I’ve tried makes my under-eyes tingle, but these are one of the few that don’t cause any irritation. I love the cooling sensation of the gel-like patches, and they leave my skin feeling hydrated and refreshed.”