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These are some of the best clean beauty eye creams to shop for a little under-eye TLC.
You can always count on a strong cup of coffee to mask the fact that you only got five hours of sleep the night before. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the dark circles lingering under your eyes. Enter: eye creams. An under-eye skin savior, eye creams are often touted as a means for reducing puffiness, targeting fine lines, and brightening skin. But just how effective are they?
Do eye creams work?
From medical aesthetics that can dramatically improve a person’s appearance to retinol anti-aging skincare products, there are more options than ever before. So, are those little jars of eye cream actually worth the hefty price? Well, according to dermatologists, it depends on which products you buy, as well as certain hereditary factors.
“When we’re talking about the efficacy of eye creams, it’s not fair to lump all eye creams together,” Dr. Sara Perkins, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Yale Medicine’s Department of Dermatology, told The New York Times. “Because some of them may just be glorified moisturizers without any biologically active ingredients in them.”
Studies show that active ingredients like ceramides, peptides, vitamin C, over-the-counter retinols, prescription retinoids, and hyaluronic acid may improve the appearance of skin, including reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Although regular face moisturizers may feature the same active ingredients, they aren’t formulated for the sensitive skin underneath the eyes—which isn’t as thick as the rest of the body. Due to the fact that it lacks oil glands, the skin also tends to dry out more and is typically more easily irritated.
“The skin around the eyes is particularly thin and delicate and prone to irritation, and therefore using products that are specifically formulated for the eye area can be beneficial,” Gretchen Frieling, MD, told Insider.
One thing dermatologists agree on is that eye creams aren’t a complete cure for all under-eye issues. Certain conditions like bags and dark circles can be hereditary or exacerbated by factors like sun exposure, smoking, stress, and allergies.
Clean beauty eye creams to shop
Want to give the skin underneath your eyes its best shot? Cover the basics: eat healthy, drink lots of water, get regular exercise, wear sunscreen, etc. And for a little extra under-eye TLC, shop these clean beauty eye creams.
Tata Harper Restorative Eye Creme
Give your eyes a refresh with a multitasking treatment that targets the most common signs of aging, from fine lines and puffiness to dark circles. Crafted with Tata Harper’s signature natural botanicals and high-performance actives, the formula works to smooth, firm, and deeply hydrate the delicate under-eye area. Lightweight yet nourishing, it layers seamlessly under makeup or can be worn overnight for lasting replenishment. Consistent use helps brighten and revitalize, leaving eyes looking more awake and refreshed.
Kypris Ad Astra Nighttime Eye Cream Emulsion
From its formulas down to its packaging, this high-performance skincare brand prioritizes sustainability. Makers of luxury, organic skincare featuring sustainably grown botanicals, the company opts for recyclable glass containers and 100 percent post-consumer recycled unit cartons. For added moisture, shop the Ad Astra Rich Nighttime Eye Cream.
Caudalie Premier Cru Anti-Aging Eye Cream for Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Harnessing the innovative TET8 patent, this comprehensive anti-aging eye cream is designed to address the primary concerns of the eye area, including wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles. The cooling metal applicator and natural pearlizers help to visibly brighten and depuff the eye contour. In a clinical evaluation involving 29 volunteers over 56 days, participants observed a 25 percent reduction in crow’s feet.
Biossance’s Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream
Designed to brighten, lift, and smooth the delicate skin around the eyes without feeling heavy, Biossance’s Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream is powered by squalane, the brand’s signature ingredient derived from sustainable sugarcane. It deeply hydrates while marine algae peptides work to visibly firm and reduce the look of fine lines. The rich yet lightweight formula absorbs quickly, making it a favorite for both morning and evening routines. With consistent use, it helps restore radiance and leaves the under-eye area looking refreshed and more youthful.
Dime Beauty Luminosity Eye Serum
Known for its luxury vegan and cruelty-free skincare, sustainability is at the heart of Dime Beauty. The Utah-based company uses ethically sourced glass packaging for its bottled Fountain of Youth.
In 2020, it reformulated its entire range to meet the higher standards of the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which evaluates the safety of various personal care products. The company rates the ingredients of each product according to these standards so consumers know exactly what they’re purchasing. For a little help in the under-eye department, shop the brand’s Luminosity Eye Serum, which features ingredients like aloe leaf juice, caffeine, and goji berry fruit extract.
Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Line-Filling Eye Balm
Featuring sustainably harvested wild plants sourced from the mountains of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Alpyn Beauty is your go-to for dry skin. The brand’s PlantGenius Line-Filling Eye Balm features skin-nourishing ingredients like vitamin C, licorice root, bearberry leaf, and caffeine to help smooth the skin and reduce puffiness. Shop for a cause — a portion of proceeds go to help fund forest restoration efforts.
Herbivore Moon Dew
This completely plant-based retinol-alternative eye cream swiftly and visibly tightens and smooths skin for lasting results. Powered by one percent bakuchiol and plant peptides, it reduces the appearance of wrinkles and firms eye creases over time. In just ten minutes after use, 81 percent of users agreed that their skin felt instantly firmer, 87 percent agreed that skin felt instantly hydrated, and 78 percent agreed that skin looked smoother, lifted, and tightened. This ultra-hydrating formula also layers seamlessly with makeup.
Drunk Elephant Ceramighty AF Eye Cream with Ceramides
You’ll have to fight your DE-obsessed tween over this one. Drunk Elephant’s eye cream nourishes and strengthens the skin barrier, restoring and maintaining visible elasticity while providing intense, long-lasting moisture. With soothing avena sativa (oat) extract, it helps calm the skin and reduce the appearance of fatigue around the eye area.
Augustinus Bader The Eye Cream with TFC8
This lightweight, intensely moisturizing eye cream is infused with potent peptides to reduce the appearance of puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles. In a 12-week clinical trial, participants saw a 52 percent reduction in wrinkles, improved skin evenness by 212 percent, and improved elasticity by 198 percent.
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