Skincare

You Heard It Here First: These Are the Best Eye Creams for Your 40s

Consistency is the name of the game.

By Lourdes Avila Uribe

Most of you know by now that the Camille Styles team is all about aging gracefully and prioritizing skin health over products that claim to reverse time. After all, we wouldn’t be who we are today without the years we’ve lived, laughed, and cried (sometimes, all at the same time!). And while we certainly don’t want to erase that from our expressions, we do want to take care of the outside just as much as we want to take care of the inside. Wouldn’t you agree? Besides, once you look beyond the splashy marketing and take a closer analysis of the ingredients, you’ll really that they have been specifically designed to support general skin health as well—the best anti-aging eye creams for 40s, included.

Anti-aging products are often packed with powerful peptides, vitamins, and antioxidants that can help hydrate and nourish the skin which is just what the doctor—er derm—ordered. There’s no time like the present to pamper your delicate eye skin and give it the love it deserves.

So, we tapped dermatological nurse and celebrity esthetician, Natalie Aguilar to give us her thoughts on the best anti-aging eye creams for 40s. But before we dive in, she stresses that when it comes to finding the right one, hydration, active ingredients, and consistency are the name of the game. Noted.

Featured image of Inge Theron by Teal Thomsen.

woman holding drinking glass in mirror best anti-aging eye creams for 40s
Image by Belathée Photography
Natalie Aguilar

Aguilar is a Los Angeles-based dermatological nurse and licensed esthetician.

Why is eye cream so important in your 40s?

Regardless of age, we always want to take care of noticeable dark circles, chronically puffy eyes, or other eye-specific issues such as fine lines or sagging. Of course, some of this is genetic, but our eyes can also be an indicator of internal health issues, too. Always consult your doctor or dermatologist if you’re unsure.

Once we hit our 40s, Aguilar says eye care is vital for several reasons. This is the time when you lose substantial amounts of elastin, which leads to deeper eye wrinkles. Estrogen levels also start to decline around this time, causing skin to become drier and more sensitive. On top of that, loss of orbital fat becomes more noticeable, which causes eyes to sink in and accentuates droopy eyelids. While our 20s are all about prevention, our 40s are focused on correction. The best anti-aging eye creams for 40s support skin health, reverse signs of aging, and increase firmness, collagen production, and brightness.

The Best Anti-Aging Ingredients

These actives will help smooth and strengthen the sensitive skin around the eye area as well as brighten, firm, and hydrate the skin.

  • Peptides
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Collagen
  • Vitamin c
  • Caffeine
woman applying sunscreen best anti-aging eye creams for 40s
Image by Michelle Nash

The Best Anti-aging Eye Creams for 40s

Every product is curated with care by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Best Overall

u003cpu003eOur editor, Caitlin, tested u003ca href=u0022https://camillestyles.com/beauty/summer-fridays-review/u0022u003eSummer Fridays’ entire line of viral productsu003c/au003e and she couldn’t get enough of their eye cream. While she did say that she wished it offered a little more moisture, she noted that the ingredients—caffeine, vitamin c, and skin-firming peptides u0022were a perfect addition to my morning routine.u0022 Expect significant de-puffing capabilities and to wake up to brighter eyes. That’s all we’re really after, right?u003c/pu003eu003cpu003eu003ca href=u0022https://rstyle.me/+hjA06cy61i-c7Bpsn6eZugu0022u003eu003c/au003eu003c/pu003e

Summer Fridays Light Aura Vitamin C + Peptide Eye Cream

Best for Hydration

u003cpu003eThis powerful cream is deeply hydrating—nourishing skin and promoting elasticity without irritation while also eliminating wrinkles with high levels of enhanced-stability retinol. It’s one of Aguilar’s faves!u003c/pu003e

Amarte Skincare Eyeconic Eye Cream

Best for Fine Lines and Wrinkles

u003cpu003eThis anti-wrinkle cream visibly reduces the look of crow’s feet, fine lines, and deep wrinkles thanks to a powerful blend of peptides.u003c/pu003e

Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Eye Cream

Best for Dark Circles

u003cpu003eThis brightening eye cream harnesses the power of vitamin C to reduce the look of dark circles and improving concealer application. It was inspired by banana powder, a beloved makeup artist secret. It also happens to be an incredibly creamy, nourishing, and hydrating as well. u003c/pu003e

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream

Best Drugstore Pick

u003cpu003eKnock out three signs of eye aging with one highly-effective retinol-powered cream: puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles. It’s clinically proven to rejuvenatethe delicate skin around the eyes.u003c/pu003e

RoC Retinol Correction Eye Cream

Best for Puffiness

u003cpu003eThis lovely cream’s black tea complex (made with kombucha, black tea extract, blackberry lead extract, and lychee seed extract) revives tired eyes and works as a powerful hydrating de-puffer. Keep in in your fridge for a cooling effect that also helps to soothe tired skin.u003c/pu003e

Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Eye Concentrate

Best for Day

u003cpu003eThis clinically-tested eye cream is formulated with active ceramides and nourishing botanicals, improving skin hydration for up to 72 hours. Its fast-absorbing formula makes it the perfect primer for makeup while keeping skin moisturized as the day goes on. u003c/pu003e

Goop Beauty GOOPGENES All-in-One Nourishing Eye Cream

Best With Clean Ingredients

u003cpu003eVisibly reduce dark circles and de-puff your eyes with this weightless, peptide-rich formula. It’s incredibly hydrating and nourishing, leaving your skin looking and feeling refreshed and well-rested.u003c/pu003e

Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel

Best With Vitamin C

u003cpu003eTone, moisturize, and firm your eye area with a hydrating eye treatment full of nourishing antioxidants, like vitamin C. This eye treatment not only efficiently combats puffiness, dark circles and other signs of fatigue or stress, but it also prevents and delays skin aging.u003c/pu003e

Natura Bissé C+C Vitamin Eye

Best for Overnight

u003cpu003eThis celeb and esthetician-aproved cream was specially developed to target the dark shadows, bags, and puffiness around the delicate eye area. Purslane, golden root, sugar beet and yeast create a soothing de-puffing effect and active omega lipids help the skin to retain moisture.u003c/pu003e

Dr. Barbara Sturm Eye Cream

Best with Retinol

u003cpu003eTime-released retinol visibly smooths fine lines and wrinkles while boosting radiance as powerful botanicals reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness. Wake up with viability tighter, firmer skin.u003c/pu003e

Charlotte Tilbury Refillable Magic Eye Rescue Cream with Retinol

Best for Sagging Lids

u003cpu003eAguilar raves about this cutting-edge eye cream. It strengthens, firms, and lifts the skin around the entire eye area, including the lid. But best of all, it has optical diffusers that provide instant brightness. So you can treat dark circles, puffiness, wrinkles, and sagging lids simultaneously. What a dream!u003c/pu003e

PCA Skin Ideal Restorative Eye Cream