When it comes to anti-aging, prevention is key! Skincare experts suggest starting your anti-aging skincare routine as soon as you hit your twenties for best results — but don’t worry, if you’re way past that, it’s never too late to see a major difference.
One of the sneakiest – and earliest! – spots to show aging is your eye area. The fact that it’s the thinnest and most fragile skin on the body makes it the most susceptible to sun damage, aging and irritation.
So why can’t you just use your regular moisturizer instead of investing in an eye cream? While many eye creams do contain the same anti-aging ingredients found in your daily moisturizer, they are specially formulated to ensure maximum efficacy and minimum irritation for the area in which they’re meant to be used.
Today’s formulas offer everything from hydrating the delicate eye skin to de-puffing, brightening, and generally making you look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed even if those coveted eight hours of sleep are hard to come by.
Scroll on for our picks (most are non-toxic!) to solve any skin woes you may be facing…
featured image: urban outfitters
Best All Around: Beautycounter Countertime Ultra Renewal Eye Cream
Not sure what to target? With over 1,000 five-star reviews on the BC site, this eye cream is a fan fave for good reason. It is clinically proven to reduce under-eye puffiness, increase skin firmness, decrease the appearance of under-eye discoloration and reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Best Brightening: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème, $39
This eye cream has been at the top of best selling lists for good reason. This subtly sunny cream doesn’t actually contain banana, but gets its name from the pale yellow tint of the formula. The cream contains special pigments to instantly brighten and color-correct the eye area. It’s packed with vitamin c to help aid in brightening overtime and collagen to support skin’s clarity and elasticity.
Best for Puffiness: The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG, $6.80
A few drops of this eye cream is the secret to quickly tamping down puffiness. It boasts a powerful concentration of caffeine—a choice de-puffer, thanks to its ability to constrict blood vessels. The epigallocatechin gallate, also known as EGCG in the mix, an intense antioxidant derived from green tea leaves that further helps boost this formula’s de-puffing prowess. At only $6 it’s a major steal!
Best for Dryness and Dehydration: La Mer The Eye Balm Intense, $225
A well beloved classic (my grandmother swore by this stuff), this eye cream comes with a higher price tag but also high results. This ultra-lux, fast-penetrating eye balm smoothes, conditions and visibly softens lines and wrinkles and reduces visible puffiness for a fresh and well-rested look.
Best Wrinkle Fighting: Dr. Gross Skincare Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correction Eye Serum, $69
Crepiness, crows feet and fine lines don’t only make us look older, it can also mess up how smoothly our concealer stays. Potent wrinkle fighter retinol has been paired with vitamin A to smooth and stimulate collagen production. It get’s extra wrinkle fighting power from antioxidant ferulic acid to smooth and even out skin.
Best Budget: Versed Vacation Eyes Brightening Eye Gel, $18
Armed with a trio of brightening ingredients (niacinamide, vitamin C, and ginseng), this eye gel is cooling and such a refreshing way to kick off your morning. Coffee seed extract helps boost circulation to flush out excess fluid that can exacerbate the look of dark circles.
