There was a time when an eye cream for older skin might have seemed like an extra step in your skincare routine. It was nice to have, but not necessary. Experts agree that eye creams can really help with a lot of the problems that come up in the orbital area as R&D has sped up. This means that we can all show off the healthy glow we want this summer. Dr. Maryam Zamani, an oculoplastic surgeon, facial aesthetics doctor, and founder of MZ Skin, says, “We know we need specific eye formulations because the skin around the eyes is complex—it doesn’t have the same oil glands as the rest of the face.” “This, along with the thousands of blinks and muscle activity that come with facial expressions, makes the area around the eyes especially prone to wrinkles and dryness.”
As we get older, these effects add up, so even if you haven’t thought about using an eye cream before, you might be surprised by how much a few dots of product can change things.
A Quick Look at the Best Eye Creams for Older Skin
- Dr. Sam’s Flawless Brightly Eye Serum is the best for making your eyes look brighter.
- Dr. Sam’s Flawless Brightly Eye Serum costs £40 at drsambunting.com.
- Rocks on Skin The Cream for the Eyes Best for small lines
- Skin Rocks Skin Rocks The Eye Cream costs £65 at Space NK.
- MZ Skin Microtox Tightening Eye Serum Best for swelling
- MZ Skin Microtox Tightening Eye Serum costs £140 at mzskin.com.
- Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect The best eye cream with SPF
- Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect costs £30 at medik8.com.
- Reome Firming Eye Care Best for making things firm
- Face the Future sells the Reome Firming Eye Treatment for £115.
Get to Know the Experts
Dr. Maryam Zamani is an oculoplastic surgeon, a facial aesthetics doctor, and the founder of MZ Skin.
Dr. Sam Bunting is a cosmetic dermatologist and the founder of Dr. Sam’s.
Do “Anti-Aging” Eye Creams Really Work?
Dr. Zamani says that eye creams can’t take you back in time, but they can help with problems like dehydration, fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles that are caused by poor circulation or pigmentation.
Dr. Bunting says that as we get closer to menopause, which usually happens around the age of 51, “two key things happen to our skin: it gets drier, and collagen loss speeds up.” You might notice that this is especially true when you reach perimenopause. Dr. Bunting says, “We tend to lose as much as 30 percent of our collagen in the first five years.” “This means that you’ve lost about a third of the skin’s thickness, which makes the area around your eyes, which is already thin, even more likely to crease.”
Dr. Bunting says that losing collagen can also make other eye problems worse. “When the skin gets thinner, the blue and red structures underneath it, like muscles and blood vessels, can show through more, making dark circles look like they are there.” This could be why your eye area looks more tired most of the time.
A good eye cream for older skin will mostly increase collagen production and hydration to “thicken” the skin, making the structures underneath less visible. Dr. Bunting says, “It’s like wearing a black bra under a white T-shirt.” “The thicker and better the T-shirt, the less you can see the bra.”
What Should You Look for in an Eye Cream for Older Skin?
- Hyaluronic acid with a range of molecular weights to keep moisture in
- Ceramides help keep moisture in and make the skin barrier stronger.
- Peptides and growth factors to help make more collagen
Dr. Bunting says that the following ingredients have specific benefits:
- Retinoids are great for boosting collagen, but only if you can handle them (our list of the best retinol eye creams will help you find the right one).
- Dr. Bunting says that using an eye cream with vitamin C, bakuchiol, niacinamide, or a mix of all three during the day can help build collagen.
- Dr. Bunting says that to target pigmentation, “you want ingredients that stop tyrosinase [an enzyme that makes melanin in the skin].”
- Niacinamide slows down the transfer of melanin from pigment cells to keratinocytes, which are the cells in the outermost layer of the skin.
- Retinoids can help to exfoliate away any skin cells that already have pigment in them.
- Dr. Bunting also says that milk thistle extract is an ingredient that is becoming more promising for treating hyperpigmentation.
- Alpha glucosyl hesperidin (AGH) and vitamin K help keep blood vessels stable.
- AGH is a molecule made from citrus and glucose that improves microcirculation.
- Soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredients like shea, avocado oil, and mango seed butter help the delicate skin.
- Ectoin is great for mature skin eye cream too and protects against environmental damage.
- It’s very important to put sunscreen on your eyes as often and evenly as you do on the rest of your face during the day.
What Ingredients Should You Stay Away From?
Dr. Zamani says to stay away from alcohol, strong skincare acids, and scents. She says, “If you’re using retinoids, start with small amounts and work your way up to avoid irritation.”
How We Check
We took into account how each eye cream felt on different skin types, how quickly it absorbed, and how much of a difference it made to key issues that affect mature skin, like fine lines and dehydration, both right after application and over time. We also thought about how well eye creams that are meant to be used during the day hold up under makeup.
Best Eye Creams Recommended by Experts
Dr. Sam’s Flawless Brightly Eye Serum
£40 for Dr. Sam’s Flawless Brightly Eye Serum at drsambunting.com
Niacinamide, milk thistle extract, and AGH are the main ingredients.
Formula: a serum with a golden cream texture
Size of product: 15 ml
This eye treatment goes on smoothly under makeup and might even make your concealer for under your eyes unnecessary. Dr. Bunting says, “I’ve added optical brighteners to counteract the natural tendency for blue and green hues under the eyes.” “It also has effective actives, hydrators, and temporary tighteners that smooth out the skin and make the eye area look better.” It’s the best flash treatment for fighting tiredness; just a tiny dot lights up the area around the eyes with ease.
Skin Rocks The Eye Cream
Skin Rocks The Eye Cream costs £65 at Space NK.
The main ingredients are a blend of tripeptide and microalgae, winter cherry, and cucumber seeds.
Light cream is the formula.
Size of the product: 15ml
This light cream not only moisturizes and smooths the delicate skin around the eyes, but it also has been shown in clinical studies to reduce the appearance of fine lines both right away and over time. Diamond powder lightly spreads light around the eyes to brighten dark spots. It also works well as a primer because it keeps makeup in place without making concealer crease.
MZ Skin Microtox Tightening Eye Serum
You can get the MZ Skin Microtox Tightening Eye Serum for £140 at mzskin.com or £210 at Amazon.
Key ingredients: tetrapeptide complex and hyaluronic acid with a multimolecular weight
A serum that cools down
Size of the product: 15ml
This is an eye serum, not a cream, for older skin, but it works great for all skin types because it boosts collagen. Dr. Zamani says, “The tetrapeptide complex protects against glycation and makes the shape of the eyes clearer.” A Sichuan-pepper derivative that tightens right away and calms down, especially when used with a roll-on applicator.
Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect
£30 at medik8.com
Chemical UV filters, moringa extract, and carnosine are some of the main ingredients.
Gisele Bündchen 45 Credits This Age-Reversing Serum for Poreless Skin After Years of Loyal Use
Light cream is the formula.
Size of the product: 15ml
Finding a good eye cream with sun protection isn’t as easy as it should be, but this one is the best in its class. SPF 30, moringa extract, and carnosine protect skin and help it keep collagen. Hesperidin and caffeine reduce puffiness and brighten your skin.
Reome Firming Eye Treatment
Face the Future sells the Reome Firming Eye Treatment for £115.
DHK-3™, ceramide complex, and micro algae extract are the main ingredients.
Gel cream is the formula.
Size of product: 15ml
This eye cream comes from plants through biotechnology and is stronger than vitamin C for firming and brightening skin.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme
£47 at Sephora
Tripeptide-32 and sodium hyaluronate are two important ingredients.
Form: gel cream
Size of the product: 15ml
This eye cream hydrates very well without being too heavy and helps with fine lines over time.
Augustinus Bader The Rich Eye Cream
£215 at augustinusbader.com
TFC8® and matrikine anti-wrinkle complex are the main ingredients.
The formula is thick cream.
Size of the product: 15ml
This soft formula gives instant relief for very dry skin and helps smooth eye contours and reduce crow’s feet.
Seabody Pentabrite Eye Serum
£71 at brownthomas.com
Maraderm™, caffeine, and kojic acid are the main ingredients.
Silky serum formula
The product is 15ml in size.
This eye serum deeply hydrates, reduces inflammation, and brightens the skin around the eyes.
What Can’t an Eye Cream Do?
Dr. Bunting says to stay away from claims that are too big. “Eye creams can’t permanently lift the skin; elastin is what gives skin its snap, and we don’t make any more after puberty.” UVA damage is the worst for it, so sunscreen and antioxidants are very important.
“We have a hard time effectively lifting the eye area with machines and injectables in the clinic, so it’s not realistic to expect that from an eye cream.” If an eye cream says it can do anything useful for eye bags, be skeptical.
Dark circles around the eyes are often caused by pigment and melanin. These people should probably see a dermatologist who knows about cosmetics as well. You could think about using dermal fillers or polynucleotides, which can help with crepey texture.
