Eyes are often the first things we notice about a person - and the zone in which we direct our attention most. As such, eye creams are a solid investment considering all the work they do.
It’s never too early to start using an eye cream. The delicate skin around our eyes are often the first parts of our face to show visible signs of ageing, also indicating whether or not we’ve had a good and restful sleep. All the more reason to use an eye cream suited to your needs, as part of a twice-daily routine with an attitude towards prevention, opposed to treatment.
Eye creams are formulated with these concerns in mind, respecting the sensitive skin around the eyes. Your regular moisturiser just won’t do. They can help reduce puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles while providing hydration and protection. To help you find the right fit, we've matched specific concerns with the best eye creams.
Best Eye Cream for Puffy Eyes: Clinique For Men Super Energizer Anti-Fatigue Depuffing Eye Gel
Puffy eyes can be caused and exacerbated by (but not limited to):
- Dehydration: the overconsumption of salt, lack of water intake, and factors such as alcohol consumption, may lead to fluid retention and inflammation.
- Lack of sleep or general fatigue and stress: sleep helps with the body’s fluid balance, as well blood circulation - a buildup of which results in dark circles and puffiness. The body’s stress chemicals can also lead to fluid retention.
- Hereditary factors.
- Ageing: as skin loses elasticity with age, fat that normally supports the eyes can move into the lower eyelids, causing them to appear puffy.
Puffiness, or "eye bags", is the most common type of eye ageing. In addition to beneficial lifestyle choices (and changes), there are a number of products available to reduce its appearance, helping deal with fluid buildup under the eyes that give a puffy appearance.
Our top pick is the Super Energizer Anti-Fatigue Depuffing Eye Gel from Clinique, which comes with an easy to use rollerball applicator that smooths out excess fluid build-up while giving skin a comfortable cooling sensation. Start the application from the inner corner of your eyes, then slowly roll outwards to the outer edge.
Caffeine is a key ingredient in this product, improving the look of puffy eyes by being a vasoconstrictor and anti-inflammatory. It constricts the blood vessels that pool up under the eyes which causes the puffiness. Reducing the excess blood flow to the area thereby reduces the appearance of eye bags. In addition, Grape Seed Extract and Tangerine Peel are potent antioxidants that improve circulation to the eye area, and are respectively good sources of vitamin A and C, reducing the early signs of ageing and free radical damage.
Best Eye Cream for Dark Circles: Menaji 911 Eye Gel
Sharing similar contributory factors as puffy eyes, dark circles can be caused and exacerbated by (but is not limited to):
- Eye strain: especially from blue lighting emitted from technology like smartphones.
- Dehydration: the skin around our eyes reacts to dehydration as they gain a sunken and dark appearance.
- Overexposure to the sun: which increases the production of compounds that darken the skin.
- Thin skin: the skin under the eyes is thinner and more delicate than elsewhere on the body. Blood vessels under this thin skin can show through, leading to a dark appearance.
The thin skin under the eyes explains why dark circles can look so prominent, and the blood vessels underneath this area are closer to the surface of the skin, making them more visible. As the blood vessels pool up, the dark circles increase in colour. Menaji’s 911 Eye Gel refreshes like a mini-ice pack, cooling and calming the skin.
Blending a number of effective ingredients, most notable is the inclusion of Eyebright. Otherwise known as Euphrasia officinalis, this is a flowering plant with recognised skincare benefits - a mix of flavonoids and gentle tannins soothes and rejuvenates the eye under the skin. This is furthered with calming Chamomile, as well as Aloe Vera, which gives the product its gel consistency - it has a slightly cooling sensation - and this product can be kept in the fridge to amplify this effect in the fight against fatigue and dark circles. Wheat Protein strengthens the delicate skin, and Allantoin promotes regeneration.
And let's not forget: wearing sunglasses and equivalent sun smart clothing is the ideal first step protecting the skin around the eyes.
Best Eye Cream for Crow's Feet and Fine Lines: Lab Series Daily Rescue Energizing Eye Treatment
Crow's Feet and Fine Lines can be caused by (but not limited to):
- Ageing: As we age, the production of collagen and elastin in the skin decreases. Collagen provides structure and support to the skin, while elastin allows it to snap back into place when stretched. Reduced levels of these proteins lead to the development of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Repeated Facial Expressions: Facial movements like squinting, smiling, and laughing cause the muscles around the eyes to contract. Over time, these repetitive movements lead to the formation of lines and creases in the skin.
- UV exposure: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun damages collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, accelerating the aging process and contributing to the development of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Sleeping Position: Sleeping on your side or stomach can cause compression of the skin on your face, leading to the formation of lines and wrinkles over time.
Crow's Feet are the subtle fine lines on the corners of the eye that appear whenever we smile or laugh, creating creases over time. They’re often known as expression lines. Protein collagen and elastin help things stay firm; with collagen providing structure and strength, and elastin providing the ability for skin to bounce back. Fine Lines around the eyes are caused by a lack of cell communication between those two components. To keep the communication channels between protein collagen and elastin open, peptides are needed.
We admit that this eye cream from Lab Series is quite the all-rounder. As to its peptide content, this cream utilises Palmitoyl Oligopeptide and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline). While the former is a complex that stimulates collagen synthesis, Argireline is a wonder ingredient that in fact inhibits the release of signals that are responsible for muscle contractions, reducing its intensity. Indeed, this is much like how Botox works - without the ouch.
Certainly impressive, this eye treatment is enriched further with skin conditioning agents, emollients, moisturisers, and protective antioxidants. Vitamin E, or Tocopheryl Acetate protects the skin from environmental damage, Whey Protein fortify the delicate skin, and a veritable combination of natural extracts - Green Tea, Algae, Clary Sage, Ginseng, Grape Seed, and more - are utilised, realising their fullest potential.
To be used day or night, this product from Lab Series is an impressive workhorse of a product.
Best Eye Product for an Instant Revival: Jaxon Lane Bro Mask Eye Gel
Jaxon Lane’s Bro Mask Cooling Eye Gel had to make it on this list - and is a new generation hydrogel impregnated on a sheet mask. And beyond the fun of it all, and its cool feeling, single-use masks maintain the efficacy its potent ingredients.
Its benefits are short-term and long-term. In the short term, soothing anti-inflammatory actives provide instant results, such as Green Tea, Liquorice, and Ginger, paired with Caffeine for its brightening properties, and Hyaluronic Acid for hydration and firmness.
In the long term, this mask utilises Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Peptides, Collagen, and most notably, Bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol. Derived from the Babchi plant (Psoralea corylifolia), it offers similar anti-aging benefits without the potential irritations. It stimulates collagen production, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and improves skin firmness and elasticity. It is suitable for sensitive skin types and can be used both during the day and at night.