Dark circles under the eyes can be caused by a ton of different reasons, from stress to allergies to a lack of sleep. And while ensuring you're getting a solid eight hours of rest is one of many smart preventive measures to take, using one of the best eye creams for dark circles will work in a pinch.
Different eye creams work in different ways to treat or conceal dark circles, so it's important to be mindful of what you're hoping to achieve. Some eye creams have light-reflecting technologies that help immediately brighten the skin under your eyes and blur the appearance of dark circles, while others, like ones that contain retinol, help stimulate skin cell turnover, which requires some time to make a noticeable difference.
Another thing to note is that not all dark circles are caused by lifestyle choices. Plenty are the result of underlying skin pigmentation, a nutritional deficiency (or anemia), or just good 'ol genetics. So if you're trying to treat them, but are finding your eye cream regimen ineffective, it might be because of an underlying condition. A dermatologist can help you identify the cause and come up with a treatment plan.
Another tip? Make sure you're drinking plenty of water. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of dark circles, and luckily, it's a pretty easy fix.
But it's a good idea to give eye creams a shot, first. Ahead, find five of the best eye creams for dark circles you can buy.
One of the best eye creams for dark circles on the entire market is Yon-Ka's contours phyto-contour. It's a moisturizing eye cream that nixes puffiness and dark circles in seconds using a blend of botanical oils like lavender, a known skin-calmer, cypress oil, which can help decrease puffiness, and rosemary oil to tighten and brighten the skin around your eyes. Additionally, rosemary oil is said to increase blood flow, which is essential for treating dark circles. Reviewers note a slight cooling sensation from the rosemary oil that feels "refreshing" and helps "awaken you." Others love that it blends in seamlessly with concealer.
One reviewer wrote, "Reduces puffiness and the dark circles even after the first application. Overall, my eyes don't feel as tired. Great around the lips too."
Despite their typically tiny size, eye creams are often among the most expensive beauty products you can buy. For anyone on a budget, this jar of Olay's eyes brightening eye cream is a little miracle. It's comparable to the pricey guys, but at a much more palatable price tag. Specifically formulated for folks looking to brighten under their eyes, it uses vitamin C to help brighten and stimulate collagen production. Additionally, a proprietary blend of ingredients work to blur and reflect the light under your eyes, so they'll look brighter immediately upon application.
An eye cream with retinol, like RoC's MULTI CORREXION five-in-one eye cream, is a great choice for long-term treatment of dark circles. Because of its ability to promote skin cell turnover, it renews skin over time, helping to decrease puffiness and diminish hyperpigmentation in as little as four weeks. It's also intensely hydrating, which helps plump your under-eyes and make them appear brighter. Just make sure to do a patch test before you commit to a daily regimen, and consider starting out with a few applications a week before increasing to daily usage. It is retinol, after all, and your sensitive under-eye skin might react harshly to it.
When beauty editors start chattering about something, it's a good idea to listen up — especially if they're talking about this Ole Henriksen banana bright eye crème. It's loaded with the magic ingredient, banana powder, a subtle color-corrector; vitamin C, which brightens; and collagen to help plump your under-eye area, making the dark circles appear less noticeable. With this powerful trio, it also reflects light and provides a subtle illuminating and concealing effect. Another highlight is that it makes a beautiful base for concealer, though with this stuff, you might not need to wear any.
If you can afford the splurge, reach for this Elizabeth Arden Prevage anti-aging eye cream. Not only does it help diminish dark circles, but it also works to prevent them. Its I-seryl Complex diminishes puffiness and dark circles, while a botanical blend works to prevent free radical damage. And the formula has an SPF of 15, which helps prevent dark circles in the long run, because the sun is one of their leading causes. It's moisturizing and wears beautifully under your makeup as well, making this one eye cream that's worth the big bucks.
Elite Daily may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from Elite Daily's editorial and sales departments.
