:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(2999x0:3001x2)/peo-best-eye-creams-for-dark-circles-of-2023-tout-badge-e1694c584110488b964e49fbbd343c5e.jpg?w=1500&resize=1500,1000&ssl=1 "We Tested the Best Eye Creams to Brighten Up Dark Circles — These Are the Top 10 We Tried"){kind=icon}
Whether your dark circles are from lack of sleep or you’re genetically predisposed to dark under eyes, finding a hydrating eye cream is an excellent way to brighten up the under eye. The best eye creams are packed with active ingredients like peptides, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and caffeine to help tackle dark circles without going in for a procedure.
Experts Say
“Eye creams can be helpful in creating a brightening and/or hydrating effect under the eyes. They can also help address and improve some specific skin concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles under the eyes.” — Dr. Nkem Ugonabo, New York-based dermatologist
To help you find the best eye creams to combat dark circles, we tested 20 products from the most trusted brands on the market both in our lab and at home. Over four weeks, we carefully evaluated their effectiveness, consistency, ease of application, sensitivity, and overall value.
Here are the best eye creams for dark circles that PEOPLE Tested.
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Drastically reduced puffiness and under-eye circles
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Glides easily over the skin and absorbs quickly
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A little goes a long way
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Gentle enough to use twice a day
This eye cream checks all the boxes: It reduces dark circles, bags, and eye puffiness while enhancing hydration and under-eye radiance. It relies on a combination of vitamin K oxide, haloxyl, eyeliss, and hyaluronic acid to promote firmness, even out skin tone, restore elasticity, and minimize dark circles. While the results take time — just shy of a month — anyone looking for a long-term solution rather than a quick fix will love this luxurious eye cream. The cooling ceramic applicator helps to dispense the product, which is lightweight and gentle enough to use twice a day without experiencing any sensitivity.
We love how easily this product glides over our skin, and that it absorbs quickly without any lingering stickiness. It’s easy to layer underneath a daily skincare routine without waiting for it to dry. After one month of daily use, we noticed that our under-eye area was distinctly smoother and that previous puffiness had drastically reduced. While it is pricey, a little goes a long way with this product.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin K oxide, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid | Size: 0.5 ounces
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No animal products or parabens
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Suitable for sensitive skin
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Immediately created a moisturized, dewy look
Much like our top pick, this eye cream from Summer Fridays boasts radiance-boosting, plumping, and smoothing properties — but with the bonuses of instant luminosity and a more affordable price tag. Vegan and paraben-free, we love the thick, hydrating consistency that still goes on sheer and absorbs easily.
What stands out about this product is the instant dewy glow it provides, similar to that of a highlighter. While the glittery sheen may not appeal to minimalists, it offers an instant boost and is available in both cool and warm shades. The formula didn’t cause any sensitivity during our testing and was gentle enough for everyday use.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, acetyl hexapeptide-8, caffeine | Size: 0.5 ounces
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Dries into a soft matte texture
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Noticed firmer skin and a drastic reduction in fine lines after a few weeks
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Layers easily with makeup products
Armed with retinol and micropeptides, this budget-friendly eye cream tackles fine lines and dark circles immediately. We noticed our skin felt firmer and that the wrinkles under our eyes were less visible almost instantly after applying this gel-like cream.
After a few weeks, we were wowed by how drastically it helped reduce our fine lines, particularly given the approachable price point. While it goes on slightly sticky, the thick formula dries into an invisible matte texture that blends seamlessly underneath other makeup and skincare products. Like any retinol product, it may irritate those with sensitive skin and should only be used once a day (and it’s important to use sunscreen with SPF during the day while using).
Active Ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid | Size: 0.5 ounces
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Ophthalmologist- and dermatologist-tested
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Contains vitamin E to protect against free-radical damage
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Nticeably hydrated our skin after every use
Founded in 1946, Estee Lauder boasts a long history of crafting tried-and-true luxury skincare products, and this eye cream is another fantastic example. This ophthalmologist- and dermatologist-tested eye cream contains vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant to help protect against free-radical damage, and hyaluronic acid, which plumps and hydrates the skin. It’s designed to last you a while, as it features a richer consistency that goes quite a long way and noticeably plumps the under-eye skin.
While we wish there was a convenient applicator included, the gel formula is easy to spread, melts onto skin, and is absorbed relatively quickly given the thicker consistency. We found the thicker formula effective, but better to use in the evening when it has more time to absorb.
Active Ingredients: Tripeptide-32, sodium hyaluronate, tocopheryl acetate | Size: 0.5 ounces
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Lightweight enough to use both day and night
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Noticed results after a few days
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Layers easily with other skincare products
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Thin consistency
This day-to-night eye cream is a midweight marvel that strikes a balance between a moisturizer and a serum, offering firming and radiance-boosting effects that continue to build over time. While the impact is gradual, we started seeing results after just a few days and noticed that our under-eyes were distinctly softer, smoother, and tighter after four weeks of daily use. The impact comes from active ingredients like viniferine, which is the sap from grapevine stalks — the ingredient has long been considered a dark spot-eradicator.
It comes with a ceramic applicator that provides a cooling sensation, but ultimately we found that using our fingers made it easier to evenly distribute the product. This product layers easily with makeup and other skincare products, and thanks to its thin consistency, a little goes a long way. Our only gripe is that the formula occasionally left a slightly greasy sheen on our skin, which took a noticeable amount of time to absorb fully.
Active Ingredients: Viniferine, caffeine | Size: 0.5 ounces
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Looking to smooth out crow’s feet and other fine wrinkles? Reach for Glow Recipe’s Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Cream, which boasts a potent mix of antioxidant-packed coffeeberry and hydrating hyaluronic acid along with collagen-boosting retinol. We love that the encapsulated retinol releases the product little by little, ensuring a more gentle approach than traditional over-the-counter retinol products.
The formula is creamy and lightweight thanks to nutrient-dense avocado and absorbs into the skin instantly upon application. While the texture is thick at first, it spreads easily and can be smoothly layered underneath makeup. We found that while it didn’t drastically improve our dark circles, it did help to hydrate and smooth our under-eye skin while reducing puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Active Ingredients: Avocado, encapsulated retinol, niacinamide, coffee berry, peroxide | Size: 0.5 ounces
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This lightweight cream spreads and absorbs easily when massaged gently along the under-eye area. It boasts a variety of active ingredients that create the illusion of a good night’s sleep, with tranexamic acid reducing hyperpigmentation and firming agents, including cedar bark and caffeine, to reduce puffiness.
Those with sensitive skin will appreciate the gentleness of the formula — we didn’t experience any tingling, burning, or cooling sensations throughout our testing, making this an excellent choice for daily use. It comes in a pump applicator that dispenses just the right amount every time, and a little goes a long way, so it’s cost-effective. Since it has a lightweight consistency, it might not be the best choice if you’re looking for a thick, ultra-hydrating eye cream. Our favorite parts about this eye cream are the optical brighteners, which create a slightly glossy sheen that catches the light and helps to instantly lift dark circles and diminish them over time.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, tranexamic acid, bakuchiol, peptides, NovoRetin, cedar bark, caffeine | Size: 0.5 ounces
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Free of sulfates, parabens, and GMOs
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Sight peach tint helps to instantly boost the under-eye area
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Super softening and safe for sensitive skin
Those with dry skin or who prefer a thicker, richer consistency will love this ultra-hydrating and illuminating eye cream from Kinship, which goes on more like a moisturizer and requires very little product per application. Chaga mushrooms work to depuff and energize the delicate under-eye area, while taurine-rich red algae helps to plump skin and reduce dark circles. This super-softening eye cream is free of sulfates, parabens, and GMOs and is safe for sensitive skin.
The formula features a light peach tint that blends easily into the skin, helping to boost the skin around the eyes. We found that it made our skin noticeably softer and smoothed out wrinkles, while also helping to erase the appearance of dark circles. The thicker consistency of this eye cream took a bit longer to absorb than some of the other products we tested, but this wasn’t a deal-breaker.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, red algae, chaga mushroom | Size: 0.5 ounces
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Also works as a color corrector
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Formula melted into the skin
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Created a refreshing cooling sensation
This luxurious and lightweight cream glides smoothly over the skin and provides a pleasant cooling sensation without leaving any sticky residue. The silky sheen absorbs quickly, creating an ideal and hydrating base for primers and other makeup. While the peachy tint may not suit every skin tone, it blends easily and functions as a slight color corrector.
The formula boasts light-reflecting minerals and real gold, which help to immediately illuminate the skin and diminish the appearance of dark circles. It focuses more on immediate radiance than on tightening or reducing dark circles in the long run, but we may just need a longer testing period to notice those results. We found that while many eye creams layer well beneath concealer, this one goes beyond to actually enhance the application and long-lasting wear of concealer thanks to its supple texture.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, bioflavonoids, hardy orange extract, banana powder-inspired pigments | Size: 0.5 ounces
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If you’re looking to fake eight hours of sleep, reach for this deeply hydrating cream from Origins. Crafted with Vitamin C, ginseng, and caffeine, it boasts radiance-boosting and tightening properties that make the eyes look fresh and revitalized instantly. The lightweight and creamy formula has an almost yogurt-like consistency, and takes a few moments to absorb fully into the skin (some may prefer to use it as a night treatment). Once it does, this eye cream plumps the skin and creates an instantly softer, smoother, and radiant look.
That’s thanks in part to the light-catching optics, which come in two shades designed to look great on fair-to-medium (cool) and medium-to-deep (warm) skin tones. This eye cream works more as an instant under-eye refresher versus combatting dark circles long-term, so if you’re looking to solve the latter, there are other options on this list that are better suited for that.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, niacinamide, ginseng, caffeine from coffee beans | Size: 0.5 ounces
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Looking for an eye cream for dark circles? You might be interested in these other PEOPLE-Tested beauty favorites, too. Our recommended picks go through rigorous testing from both our editors and independent testers.
Other Eye Creams for Dark Circles We Tried
- La Mer The Eye Concentrate Eye Cream: La Mer is the pinnacle of luxurious skincare, and we loved how lightweight and smooth this ultra-soft cream was. It provided instant hydration and our eyes appeared noticeably firmer, but ultimately, the price tag felt too steep to not see more drastic results.
- First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Eye Cream with Niacinamide: This budget-friendly pick provides an instant glow thanks to Peach Micro-Pearls, which create a dewy and refreshed look. While we appreciated how hydrating it was, we noticed that it didn’t absorb fully into the skin, and therefore didn’t layer well under makeup.
People / Jhett Thompson
What to Know About Eye Cream for Dark Circles
Active Ingredients
When trying to tackle dark circles, it’s crucial to seek out eye creams with active ingredients that will target your specific needs, whether you’re looking for a hydrating, firming, or radiance-boosting effect.
“I recommend patients look for creams with key active ingredients to address the root causes that are leading to these dark circles,” says Dr. Ugonabo. “I like eye creams with retinol or vitamin C for a general brightening effect on hyperpigmentation,” she says, adding that she suggests caffeine for those with red or puffy eyes, as the stimulant “causes a vasoconstriction which reduces the appearance of broken blood vessels under the eye and helps with puffiness as well.” She also suggests looking for eye creams with “hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and/or ceramides.” Our top pick for the best eye cream for dark circles with retinol is Glow Recipe Avocado Melt and our best overall runner-up, Summer Fridays Light Aura Eye Cream, contains vitamin C and caffeine.
Applicator
From wands to pumps and lipgloss-like tubes, there are a variety of ways to apply eye cream for dark circles, and it’s up to you to choose your preferred style. If your product doesn’t come with an applicator, be sure to wash your hands before every use, as repeatedly dipping your fingers into a small jar of product is an easy way to spread bacteria. Dr. Ugonabo also cautions her patients to apply their eye creams gently.
“Because the skin underneath the eye is thinner, it is more delicate, so I often counsel my patients to look for eye creams that are gentle and also to make sure they delicately apply any creams,” she says, adding that it’s best to gently tap the product in with your ring finger using minimal pressure.
Light-Reflecting Particles
While topical creams can help to reduce dark circles over time, those in need of a quick fix should look to formulas that include optical diffusers or light-reflecting particles, which function to instantly boost skin and create an overall luminous look. Our top choice for the best under-makeup eye cream for dark circles, Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème, contains light-reflecting particles.
Behind the Scenes
We tested 20 eye creams for dark circles from highly ranked brands in order to narrow down a list of those we ranked most effective, easy to apply, and which caused the least skin sensitivity.
- Application: In order to test each eye cream for dark circles in our lab, we assessed their consistency, absorption, skin texture, feel, and more. We spot-tested each product and washed our faces prior to applying the eye creams, which we then gently patted in with a finger or applicator. To see how the creams performed in the long run, we spent four weeks using them once or twice daily, depending on the instructions.
- Performance: After our testing period, we rated each eye cream for dark circles on a scale of one to five, with five performing the highest. The eye creams for dark circles with the top average scores made this list and earned the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval.
People / Jhett Thompson
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can dark circles be permanently removed by cream?
While topical creams can help to greatly minimize and lift dark circles, they can’t get rid of them altogether. “The appearance of dark circles can be improved by eye creams but not permanently removed,” says Dr. Ugonabo, “particularly when the root cause of these circles has not been fully addressed.” She suggests targeting your specific needs with active ingredients designed to help tackle them.
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Which cream is best to remove dark circles from eyes?
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What causes dark circles around the eyes in adults?
“There are a variety of reasons one might notice dark circles under their eyes,” says Dr. Ugonabo. “Sometimes this is due to blood vessels underneath the skin that lead to the appearance of darkness there. Other times, this may be hyperpigmentation related to friction (such as rubbing of the eyes in people with eczema, allergies, [or] dry eyes).” In other cases, “dark circles may even be hereditary, which may be more difficult to treat; sometimes an evaluation by a professional can be helpful to evaluate and determine the cause of your dark circles.”
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Sophie Dodd is a PEOPLE contributor who has been writing for PEOPLE.com since 2018. She covers travel and lifestyle, with a focus on home goods and beauty products. For this story, Sophie extensively researched the results of our eye cream for dark circles testing and used her expertise as a commerce and lifestyle writer to research the products that ranked the highest to narrow down this list. She also received advice from New York-based dermatologist Dr. Nkem Ugonabo on the real benefits of eye creams for dark circles and what to look for when shopping for them.
Our Expert Panel
- Dr. Nkem Ugonabo is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York who has advanced fellowship training in cosmetic dermatology and lasers.
What Is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.