The Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles and Reducing Puffiness

Search a skincare subreddit thread for eye cream, and you’ll quickly discover that the quest for depuffers, dark circle and wrinkle miracle workers, and non-stinging hydrators is very real. We want products that play well with concealer, don’t cause milia, and include firming or collagen-building ingredients. Add all that up, and it’s no wonder we’re disappointed by our purchases.

Even skincare enthusiasts disagree about the merits of eye cream. Some believe these products are simply overpriced versions of face cream in tiny jars; others swear the only true results come from the priciest brands on the shelf.

In 2020, I interviewed Patti Pao, the founder of Restorsea, and she said with conviction, “every person needs a good eye cream. The skin around the eye is 50% thinner than the rest of your face and endures a lot of abuse, which is why it’s the first area to show signs of aging.”

With that advice in mind, and in alphabetical order, here are 10 of our favorite eye care essentials.

DefenAge 3D Eye Radiance Cream $127

In 2020, the NewBeauty Magazine award for Best Eye Cream for Dark Circles went to DefenAge. The 3D Eye Radiance Cream is infused with Defensins improves the look of crow’s feet while brightening the eye area and reducing puffiness. Melda Isaac, MD told Modern Aesthetics that the product works “by targeting our skin’s own stem cells, thus reversing visible signs of aging.”

Add in the metal applicator, which provides a cooling sensation to puffy peepers, and you’re on your way to looking the world in the eye with confidence.

Mary Kay Instant Eye Depuffer $35

If you haven’t checked out the offerings from Mary Kay lately, this one should get your attention. Poor sleep, allergies, fluid retention, and plain old aging can make your eyes look swollen upon waking. Decreasing puffiness for a few minutes is one thing, but the Mary Kay® Instant Puffiness Reducer smooths, tones, and reduces the look of those little crinkles all while tightening the undereye area and effectively reducing puffiness for “six hours.”

Beautytap Editorial Director Elycia Rubin says, “I have puffy eyes, and this Mary Kay gem works incredibly well. The best I’ve ever experienced!”

Elensilia CPP Collagen 80% Intensive Eye Cream $20

Price tags can be deceiving, but as a long-time K-beauty fan, I have a few favorites that won’t make your wallet weep. Beautytap’s Education Manager Jonni Renfroe sent me my first tube of Elensilia CPP Collagen 80% Intensive Eye Cream several years ago, and it was truly love at first use.

It contains 80% hydrolyzed French collagen plus two patented peptides and niacinamide to increase collagen production, reduce puffiness, and combat darkness. The lightweight gel cream has a buttery slip and lays beautifully under makeup.

Fillerina Labo Eyelid Lifting Treatment $125

How many eyelid lifting products have you seen in the marketplace? Not many, but Fillerina’s Labo Eyelid Lifting Treatment handles this widespread skin concern with a two-step, 16-day system that will make your upper eyelids look and feel more taut. The lifting gel has an immediate, palpable shrinking effect, so skin appears lifted.

The product also penetrates the dermis and binds with your natural collagen to deliver medium- to long-term firming effects. During my trial, my eyes looked more open in the morning and didn’t feel nearly as heavy.

Macrene Actives Eye Cream $145

One of the world’s leading dermatologists and clinical scientists, Dr. Macrene Alexiades is also the powerhouse behind MACRENE actives – the coveted, “Farm to Face” clean, clinically proven skincare collection packaged in recycled-glass jars and formulated with plant-based ingredients from her own organic farm in the Hudson Valley. One of her hero products, the High Performance Face Cream, boasts over fifty active ingredients and has achieved official cult status thanks to its stunning efficacy. After much anticipation, Dr. Macrene is finally launching High Performance Eye Cream this fall and based on our experience with the sample they shared, we can attest that she has another hit on her hands. “When used twice daily, the net aims are to replace the need for cosmetic or surgical procedures,” says Dr.Macrene. Sold!

Noble Panacea The Absolute Restoring Eye Cream $239

If aging gracefully tops your “to do” list, then choose a product with restorative and regenerative properties. The Absolute Restoring Eye Cream from Noble Panacea doesn’t come cheap, but the luxurious texture, elastin- and collagen-boosting ingredients, and the clinical results showing that 86% of study participants “felt tighter, and more supple skin” can’t be ignored.

Their Organic Super Molecular Vessel™ (OSMV) technology ensures active ingredients reach the right cells at the right time to improve skin’s regeneration. Plus, the single-use packaging makes this a sanitary, travel-friendly option.

Pause Well-Aging Eye Renewal $66

Remember gingko biloba? The antioxidant-rich, inflammation-fighting ingredient can tamp down puffiness when included in a properly formulated eye cream. Pause Well-Aging’s Eye Renewal Treatment combines gingko with caffeine to depuff and improve circulation.

This cruelty-free, hormone-free, vegan cream hydrates and boosts collagen production to reduce puffiness while making fine lines and wrinkles less noticeable.

Restorsea Revitalizing Eye Cream with Vibransea™ $90

Of all the eye-related concerns, dark circles top the list for most people. While these can often be hereditary, you may benefit from a product that improves circulation as well as puffiness and the appearance of crow’s feet. I’ve used Restorsea’s Revitalizing Eye Cream with Vibransea™ for two straight years and fell in love with the lightweight texture and its ability to gently exfoliate dead skin while leaving healthy skin intact.

Insider info: Restorsea’s co-founder invested $20M in the company after Patti Pao’s eye cream reduced the appearance of his own dark circles.

Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Invigorating Eye Serum $270

For hanbang fans and lovers of premium K-beauty skincare, Sulwhasoo’s Timetreasure Invigorating Eye Serum is worth the splurge. It combines red ginseng with Korean red pine, so you’ll protect the delicate undereye area from free radical damage as well as moisture loss. It also brightens thanks to licorice root and vitamin C-rich lotus flower.

Full disclosure: I’m not a fan of the price tag, but the heavenly pine scent, satiny texture, and golden depuffing massage tool continue to woo me. Secret: It made my faves list when I wrote about eye products for Beautytap in 2018.

Well People Revitalizing Dew Snow Mushroom Eye Gel-Cream $18

Need something refreshing like a gel with the brightening ingredients usually reserved for a cream? The Well People Revitalizing Dew Snow Mushroom Eye Gel-Cream will make your heart race.

Not only does it feel ultra-light and absorb lightning fast; it also has snow mushroom for plump and hydrate, aloe to soothe, and niacinamide to brighten and revitalize those undereyes. It’s “dermatologist-developed, vegan, and cruelty-free,” too.

Dr. Brandt Needles No More / No More Baggage Eye Depuffing Gel $42

Wish you could see an instant – albeit temporary – tightening in your undereye area? Dr. Brandt’s needles no more® NO MORE BAGGAGE® has a legion of fans who swear by the product’s short-term effects. The peach-colored gel cream reduces the appearance of dark circles, diminishes puffiness, and primes the undereye for makeup.

We love the brand’s ingredient education, too. Just click on the full ingredient list on the product page, and you’ll quickly learn the purpose of caffeine, centella asiatica, sodium hyaluronate, and so much more.

Spot one of your favorites here? Leave a comment below. You know I’m always up for a good enabling.