There’s a plethora of products on the highstreet all offering to tighten this, reduce that and increase something else. In fact, when fronted with the face cream aisle at your local Boots store or the makeup counter at your nearest Debenhams, there’s enough products to boggle the mind. The hardest thing is, many creams offer the same thing, while others claim to have a ‘magic ingredient’ that will transform your skin overnight.
With that the case, we’re here to help you pick the right eye cream so your bathroom cabinet doesn’t become rammed with rejected products. Our list narrows down all the options; from high street brands to exclusive names, budget buys to those that may require you to fork out that little bit extra.
From algae to caffeine, we’ll define the main ingredients of the eye creams so you can decide whether you lean towards nature or science when it comes to your skin. You may have found over the years that some eye creams are a little harsh, while others leave something to be desired. So to form our list of best eye creams, we consider products that do or do not contain alcohol and tell you how many times they must be applied so you can fit the process into your daily routine.
Have a browse through our products below and discover the best eye creams for pesky wrinkles, bags that won’t budge and stubborn dark circles.
Dark circles - check. Wrinkles - check. Puffiness - check. If you are looking for that bathroom cabinet essential, Olay Ultimate Eye Cream is the one. The ingredients are supercharged to tackle eye area hangups and with daily use, the product can make a difference. What sets it apart from all the other items on the market? To help hide a bad night’s sleep, it is slightly tinted and acts as a concealer for the under eye. Olay reassures us that it has no problem blending in with all skin colours, making it hugely popular among those who are after a good, reasonably priced all-rounder.
If you’re particularly fussy about your fine lines and loosening skin, this product focusses its intentions on accelerating your skin’s own cell renewal. The ingredients give your body’s natural process a gentle nudge and the resulting amount of renewed cells help to give your skin a boost of vitality. As the cheapest option on our list, this is a no-brainer buy if you are wondering about entering the world of eye creams and want something favourably priced to test the waters with.
On paper, this product offers the same as product number 2. It contains active ingredients which help to increase cell renewal, making it the perfect choice for combatting lines and sagging under eye skin. But why invest in a product that costs you twice the amount? Because in addition to making your skin look rejuvenated, it makes it feel rejuvenated too. Apply a little at night, and wake up in the morning with the skin around your eyes feeling nourished and hydrated. And while it may be on the expensive side, only the smallest amount is required, so it should hang around in your cupboard for a fair amount of time.
The gentle ingredients in the Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream help to hydrate the delicate skin under the eyes, brighten them and, as Clinique says, ‘perk them up’. Apply this in the morning when your eyes are struggling to face up to the new day, or when your eyes began to itch after a long week. And if you need something to give your skin a boost before you start your daily makeup routine, the consistency of the eye cream doesn’t affect the application of additional products. It’s also worth mentioning that this eye cream is alcohol free, so should be considered if your skin is particularly sensitive.
Whether you’re feeling the effects of a long week at work or beers with the lads that went overboard, this men’s eye cream will help to hide the fact that we take life a little too far sometimes. When your eyes are itchy and tired and the skin underneath feels puffy and dry, reach for Clinique for Men Anti-Fatigue Eye Gel. With just a few rolls of the applicator, the cooling gel revitalises and hydrates, bringing life back to your eyes. You can apply this product when you get up and before you go to bed to help sooth the skin while you’re asleep. You can even keep it in your pocket to apply during the day if required.
If you like the sound of the Clinique for Men Eye Gel, this one comes up trumps for women. Yes, you are paying out slightly more, but from a prime Parisian skincare brand, what do you expect? Having said that, the product more than makes up for its price tag, providing instant all-day hydration, diminishing dark circles and cooling the skin when it becomes itchy and tired. With seaweed and lavender included in its list of ingredients, this product harnesses the powers of nature and keeps alcohol out of the equation.
It's no mystery that all the beauty guidance out there leads us towards a separate cream for eyes and a separate cream for the rest of your face. You'd be forgiven for thinking this was a clever marketing ploy to get us to spend extra £'s with our favourite brands, but rest assured there is some science to it. So once you've picked a cream for the ever-delicate eye area, head to our list of best women's face moisturisers to work out which potion is best for the rest of your face.
