These Creams Will Brighten and De-Puff Tired Eyes (2024)

Did you know that the under-eye area is prone to experiencing darkness, puffiness, and other signs of aging sooner than other parts of the body? "The skin under your eyes is especially thin and delicate, and when you get too little sleep, circulation decreases and stagnant blood under the eyes can lead to puffiness or dark circles. What's more, this skin is more susceptible to sun damage, showing early signs of aging like wrinkles and crow's-feet," says Diane Madfes, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. "Repetitive motions, like smiling and squinting, don't help the situation," she adds.

The good news: A quality eye serum or cream packed with active ingredients like hyaluronic acid for hydration, vitamin C for brightening, and retinol for collagen stimulation can help. "It’s always good to use an eye cream—and anyone can use one," says Debra Jaliman, MD, a board-certified NYC dermatologist. "Using an eye cream will help keep the skin around the eyes moisturized, which will help prevent fine lines and wrinkles."

Are eye creams or serums better?

That depends what your main skincare goal is. "Serums usually have a higher concentration of ingredients than creams," says Jaliman. Therefore, these products tend to be better for specific concerns, like combating wrinkles or brightening under-eye circles. But creams have better water absorption, which makes them superior for moisturizing. Some experts recommend using serums in the morning and creams at night, when they have more time to penetrate skin without interference.

How to apply eye cream

When using eye cream, apply it before your facial moisturizer, says Jaliman. And approach this super-thin and sensitive area delicately. "Use the pads of your fingers to gently pat the cream on your eye in an upward motion," she explains. For best results, apply both morning and night.

To help you find a quality formula, we asked dermatologists to share their go-to products:

Hyaluronic acid is an ingredient that hydrates and plumps the skin, making it ideal for anyone with skin that skews dry and flaky, says Julie Russak, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC. This gel-based moisturizer is lightweight and offers long-lasting hydration with a relaxing cooling sensation.

Keep your under eyes bright, smooth, and hydrated with this formula. It's made with vitamin C to target dark circles, a buckwheat-honey blend to hydrate, and caffeine to depuff.

This hydrating eye cream helps to reduce the look of all your under-eye concerns, from fine lines to darkness and puffiness.

Kate Sandoval Box, Oprah Daily's beauty director, is a big fan of this luxury eye cream for its formula that does it all. It's packed with peptides, hyaluronic acid, natural caffeine, and arginine to hydrate, brighten, de-puff, and firm the under-eye area.

The growth factors and peptides in this formula help to support natural collagen production offering the appearance of smoother and firmer skin. It also has caffeine to decrease puffiness and vitamin C to even out skin tone.

You can feel the tightening magic happen as soon as you apply this lightweight gel to the eye contours. Over time, you'll notice fine lines, wrinkles, and crow's-feet diminish while the antioxidants help to brighten and protect against free radical damage.

Niacinamide, vitamin C, and caffeine are formulated in this gel cream to offer brighter, more awake-looking eyes.

This hydrating serum combines retinol and bakuchiol to reduce signs of aging. Over time, it helps smooth fine lines and tighten crepey skin.

This eye cream not only hydrates and brightens dark circles but also protects against environmental aggressors such as pollution and blue light. Manish Shah, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Denver, says you'll notice a difference in as little as three weeks.

If you want proof that you don't need to splurge to find a great eye cream, try this one. It contains antioxidants, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and jojoba—all ingredients with great moisturizing properties, says Jaliman.

This restorative eye cream works hard to reduce the appearance of puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles, plus has a slight tint to help brighten dark circles, but won't irritate sensitive skin, says Sonia Batra, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and cohost of The Doctors.

This tinted pick, available in four shades, contains several plant and marine extracts, a host of vitamins, plus hyaluronic acid to reduce puffiness and minimize the appearance of fine lines, says Beverly Hills–based dermatologist Jennifer Ahdout, MD. It also contains SPF to protect the delicate under-eye area from the sun's harsh rays.

Rich in vitamin C, this gel-based formula interferes with the production of pigment and, therefore, brightens dark circles, improves pigmentation, and prevents free-radical damage from UV light exposure, says Hadley King, MD, board-certified dermatologist in NYC.

In the morning, it's vital to use an eye cream that contains SPF, particularly because the skin around your eyes is so thin and delicate, which makes it prone to signs of aging. This mineral-based formula is safe for sensitive skin but has the added bonus of caffeine, which works to brighten while it protects.

Prone to under-eye puffiness? Seek out caffeine-based eye creams, like this one, since they have both anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive properties to help smooth the look of bags.

Rich in both antioxidants like beta-carotene and highly moisturizing ingredients like avocado and shea butter, this ultra-soothing cream hydrates and smooths immediately, but also works to improve texture, tone, and puffiness over time, says Howard Sobel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist.

Is it pricey? Absolutely. But dermatologist Diane Madfes says this pick, suitable for even the most sensitive skin, is unlike other eye creams, since it gets a hydration boost from chlorophyll extracted from USDA-certified organic spinach leaves.

This eye cream went viral on TikTok for its undeniable results. It contains innovative technology using silicates, peptides, and seaweed to tighten the look of loose skin, under-eye bags, and crow's-feet.

For those who prefer to keep their eye creams light and fast-absorbing, you'll love this gel cream. It's lightweight and helps brighten and even out skin tone under the eyes.

The marine algae and paracress extract in this formula work together to visibly lift the skin and smooth the appearance of fine lines. It also contains squalane to deliver long-lasting hydration.