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This post shows you my favourite eye creams for daytime and night time. I tend to go by what feels good and shows me noticeable results, but I will be honest and say my undereyes have never been my problem area.
Before we start, here are some things to note:
- I believe that undereyes are inherently due to genetics, diet, stress and sleep, though products can definitely make a difference.
- Within this blog post are some affiliate links to products, which means I’ll earn a small % if you choose to buy via that link. However, these are my genuine opinions and this post isn’t sponsored.
The Best Eye Creams for Brightening and Anti-Ageing
The best AM eye creams for brightening
These are my favourite eye creams for looking brighter and more awake in the under eye area. They can also be used at nighttime, but I personally prefer to use stronger actives during night time, to address premature ageing.
1. Sand & Sky anti-ageing eye cream
Update as of Summer 2025 – sadly this hasn’t been in stock for a while and I’m not sure why, I’m contacting the brand to find out! The Sand & Sky Anti Ageing eye cream uses vitamin C and peptides to firm up and brighten the under eye. Not only do I feel this eye cream does exactly that, but I also love the texture and how it feels on the eye. It’s like a cooling gel formula, and it doesn’t pill.
They have apparently re-worked the pump so that it works much better now, and I haven’t had any problems with mine at all.
2. The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
The Inkey List caffiene eye cream is an old favourite of mine, and one I’ll keep going back to. It feels very cooling and absorbs quickly. I feel it gives an immediate refreshed look to the under eye area. It’s simple, affordable and effective, you can’t really go wrong with this one.
3. Ole Henrikson Banana Bright Eye Crème
The Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream is a little rogue for me. I tried it on a whim since it came in a PR box, and I honestly noticed a difference the next day. It has a very lengthy ingredients list which I’m usually not a fan of, but I really think it works. The texture reminds me of soufflé (lol).
My only criticism is that it comes in a jar – I much prefer pump or squeeze tubes. Jars are just a little annoying, especially since I have long nails! But the product itself impressed me quite early on.
4. Sculpted by Aimee Energising Eye Cream
I audibly sighed when I first opened the Sculpted by Aimee Energising Eye Cream. I sighed because I usually don’t like doe-foot applicators for eye creams.
However, when I actually started using it I very quickly fell in love. Because the applicator is metal it is so cooling and enjoyable to use. I still think about a recent red-eye flight I got and the sensation of using the eye cream before that flight was 10/10.
This eye cream is like a boujie-er version of the Inkey List Caffiene eye cream – it has a little vitamin C too, but not a whole lot. This eye cream will make you feel and look awake and reduce puffiness before a long day!
The best PM eye creams for anti-ageing
These are some of my favourite evening eye creams. I rotate between them sometimes, just because I enjoy them all, and for different things.
I focus on anti-ageing mostly because I don’t have particularly problematic under eyes, so I feel like that makes the most sense for me. It’s mostly preventative.
1. Dr Sam’s Flawless Nightly Eye 2% Retinoid
The Dr Sam’s Flawless Nightly Eye Serum is a staple for me because it contains a retinoid, niacinamide and vitamin C. You can’t really go wrong with these three for under the eye area, and it’s also very creamy and moisturising.
My only criticism of it is that the formula can sometimes harden in the spout of the plastic container, but this isn’t a hard problem to solve, just a bit annoying. If you want to pick just one eye cream that does it all, this is a good one.
If you’d like to try this one I do have a code: NATALIEONEIL
2. Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum
The Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum is a favourite of mine because it contains retinaldehyde, which not many products (and especially eye creams) do!
Aside from the retinal, it also contains ginseng for brightening, but I definitely feel the main attraction is retinal with this product.
I often get asked if this Beauty of Joseon retinal eye cream is overhyped on social media, or if it’s actually worth it. I honestly think it is worth it.
There aren’t many eye creams with this ingredient profile and I feel secure knowing this will help a lot with premature ageing in the years to come due to that. See the best Korean eye cream products in this post.
When to apply eye cream?
Knowing when to apply eye cream depends on what your goals are. Here are my goals and what I do to address them:
- Prevent premature ageing by slowing down fine lines and wrinkles (not avoid ageing completely, just not age unnecessarily fast)
- Encourage collagen production in the under eye area, again to combat signs of aging
- Keep my sensitive skin happy
- Hydrate my under eyes so they generally look plump and happy
To address all of these signs and more, I think I will get best results if I:
- Apply a morning eye cream that contains vitamin C and hydrating ingredients – this will encourage collagen production in that area, and keep it plump and avoid dry skin
- Use a retinoid eye cream at nighttime to also encourage collagen production and keep the skin cells turning over faster than normal
Is eye cream necessary for wrinkles?
I often get asked ‘is eye cream necessary?’ for different skin types. It’s like anything – no one truly needs skincare, but I do think you’ll get better results if you do use eye creams.
If you carefully select the right active ingredients for your concern and give it enough time, you will have better undereyes in 2, 5 and 10 years than if you just ignored your under eyes.
Sure, you could just use your facial skincare and bring it under your eyes. However, eye creams usually are created with a specific base that contains the right ingredients in the right amounts for under eyes. In my experience, it does make a difference to how they look.
Is tretinoin making eye wrinkles worse?
One of my most frequently asked questions is that using their facial retinoid on their under eyes makes their eye wrinkles appear worse. This is because it’s very drying and the under eye area is easily dehydrated.
I used to do this and, whilst it does work for some people, personally I got dry eyes (that are now reversed) from doing that.
This is why I prefer to use a retinaldehyde or other retinoid eye cream at night. It still contains the active ingredient, but the base is much more moisturising so your eye wrinkles look better, not worse!
Where to apply eye cream?
Where to apply eye cream is fairly simple, but for some reason so many people seem to start applying it halfway down their cheek (?). I’ve never understood this when the problem area is usually directly under the eye.
I recommend watching my TikTok on eye cream application – it’s only 30 seconds and will help you avoid a suuuper common mistake.
The key takeaways are:
- Use a small amount, much smaller than you think! This will also save you money as your product will last longer.
- Apply a thin, even layer to the under eye area without dragging it down towards your cheek area.
- Apply a little to the corner of the eye, where crows feet may form.
- If you’ve been using your retinoid a long time (6 months or so) you can try applying a little to the brow bone and above the eye. You want to be very cautious with this area, as obviously it’s very sensitive.
The best eye cream for dark circles
You probably already know that the best eye cream for dark circles doesn’t really exist, and I know it sucks.
Puffiness, dark circles and eye bags have so many different causes that they each require a unique solution.
Here is my overall guidance for dark circles, puffiness etc:
- All dark under eyes and eye bags will usually also benefit from vitamin C in the morning and a retinoid at night. Why? Because vitamin C brightens, while retinoids stimulate collagen production.
- All dark under eyes and eye bags should use sunscreen specifically on the under eye area, to prevent hyperpigmentation from worsening and to preserve collagen in that area (since UV breaks down collagen). If you struggle with sunscreen stinging eyes, I recommend using a mineral sunscreen.
In light of the above, the products in this list should help, but they will also need 6-12 months of consistent use (and sun protection!).
Unfortunately however, if you have inherited genetic dark circles, it is unlikely that a complete transformation to unusually bright under eyes will happen.
Especially with eye bags where the skin has sagged or warped, I think it’s near impossible to correct this with topical products alone.
Eye cream application order and best tips
Eye cream application order is a frequently asked question, so in this last section I’ll go over that plus some of my best overall tips for eye creams.
So, in what order do you apply eye cream? In the morning I prefer to apply it first thing. Ultimately it will all sink in eventually but, especially if your under eyes are your priority, I think it’s better to let the product have direct contact with the under eye skin (as opposed to sitting on top of layers of other serums etc).
In the evening, I double cleanse and then apply my retinoid or azelaic acid. I go very close to the eye area, but I don’t apply it to the eye area directly. Then I apply my eye cream, and I do this because I don’t want my eye cream to be accidentally smeared downwards if I were to apply my serums after eye cream.
I don’t actually think eye cream application order is that deep, so long as it’s not applied after sunscreen – for obvious reasons!
Lastly, here are some of my best tips for eye cream usage:
- Even if you use fragranced products, go for fragrance free around the eye area at least
- Go gently with retinoid eye creams if you’ve never used them, they can be drying and irritating at first!
- Don’t just buy random viral eye creams, buy ones that are targeted to your specific concerns
- Above all, make sure you apply enough sunscreen to the under eye area. Often they are an after thought and it will make a big difference in 5-10 years time!
This was the Best Eye Creams for Brightening and Anti-Ageing.
You may also like:
- The Best Sunscreens for Clog Prone Skin (For Fewer Breakouts!)
- The Best Moisturisers for Clog Prone Skin
- The Best Water Based Cleansers for Acne Prone Skin
