This article first appeared in Harper’s Bazaar.
The skin around your eye area is 40 per cent thinner and more porous than that of the rest of your face, making it more susceptible to environmental damage—which may explain why so many of us seem to be on an endless hunt for the best eye cream to hydrate, smooth, plump or brighten. When it comes to eye products, our demands are manifold—and so they should be, when you consider these little pots are often the smallest (and most expensive) formulations in our beauty arsenal.
But despite constant innovation in the industry, no one formula will erase wrinkles, brighten dark circles and abolish crepiness in one fell swoop, so it pays to do your research beforehand (or let us do it for you).
For example, the best eye cream for wrinkles will contain cell-regenerating ingredients—studies have shown retinol to excel in this area. A formula for dark circles will focus on targeting pigmentation (keep an eye out for vitamin C) and reflecting the light, helping to make your under-eye area look fresher and brighter. And the best eye cream for dry, sallow skin will be packed with powerful hydrators—here, hyaluronic acid is your hero.
Above, discover the leading eye creams we’ve discovered for dark circles, fine lines, and more.
Possibly London’s most sought-after oculoplastic surgeon, Dr. Maryam Zamani is perfectly placed to create one of the most effective eye creams on the market. One of two eye treatments in her MZ Skin line, Depuff and Define contains a combination of hyaluronic acid, caffeine and peptides to shift the fluid that contributes to puffiness and bags. With lymphatic circulation boosted, the under-eye area is left bright, smooth and supple.
Clinical brands often linger outside of the mainstream, but Harvey Nichols has cleverly scooped up the excellent Environ, placing it front and centre of its innovative Beyond Beauty curation. This water-weight eye gel is one of many brilliant, no-nonsense products in the line: it contains the retinol ester retinyl palmitate alongside a host of vitamins and peptides, and can minimise both fine lines and sun damage within weeks.
This incredibly gentle eye cream won’t make you look ten years younger overnight (nor will any other, for that matter), but it will do a stellar job of soothing and hydrating dry, sensitive skin. The 98 per cent natural formula is full of plant-derived oils, and totally free from fragrance (chemical or otherwise). It’s a fail-safe choice for highly sensitive skin that’s been burned before.
‘Glow’ is an intensely overused word in today’s beauty marketing, but Filorga’s latest eye cream delivers just that. The texture is truly unique: it’s a lightweight, pearly-pink cream with a radiant finish that illuminates without leaving behind any giveaway pigment.
If you’re looking to brighten, tighten and practically turn back time on your under-eye area, few things can compete with the potency of Medik8’s latest launch. The star ingredient is a fast-acting, non-irritating derivative of vitamin A that can be used on even the most sensitive eyes. Use it consistently, day and night, for a month to start seeing results.