13 Best Eye Creams for Mature Skin in 2024, According to Dermatologists

Unless they’re Benjamin Button, absolutely no one is exempt from the very natural skin changes that happen as they age. A common place to start noticing differences is around your eyes, which makes sense, since the skin there is thinner and more sensitive, as SELF previously reported. “As skin ages, it starts to lose collagen, one of the main building blocks of skin. And as it loses collagen, the area around the eyes starts to sag or look hollow,” Amy Huang, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Medical Office of Manhattan in New York, tells SELF.

You might also notice wrinkles, puffiness, or dark circles, Ife Rodney, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founding director of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland, tells SELF. “With age, our skin also loses hydration, so you will notice dryness and a loss of elasticity,” she says.

An easy way to address these symptoms is by adding an eye cream into your skin care routine. When it comes to the best eye creams for mature skin, we’re aiming for products that’ll help your skin stay as healthy as possible by adding hydration and plumpness. We spoke with dermatologists and looked back at our Healthy Beauty Awards to find options that are packed with effective, expert-approved ingredients.

1. Best for Improving Texture: Acure Resilience Eye Balm
2. Best for Fine Lines: SkinCeuticals A.G.E Advanced Eye Cream
3. Best for Retinol Newbies: First Aid Beauty Retinol Eye Cream With Squalane + Ceramides
4. Best for Depuffing: L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid + Caffeine Hydrating Eye Serum
5. Best for Sun Protection: EltaMD UV AOX Eye Broad Spectrum SPF 30
6. Best Moisturizing: Cerave Eye Repair Cream

• Shop the best eye creams for mature skin
• What to look for in an eye cream for mature skin
• How to apply eye cream on mature skin

Pros: Very moisturizing, improves elasticity, on the affordable side
Cons: May be too thick for some

This 2024 Healthy Beauty Award–winning eye balm boosts skin’s elasticity by adding moisture with avocado oil and firms up the area with retinol, an ingredient Dr. Rodney recommends for minimizing wrinkles or puffiness. “As someone with incredibly dry skin, this works wonders for keeping my eye area moisturized, and the hydration lasts the entire day,” one SELF tester said. “It’s giving me a glow I never had before.”

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Moisturizing shea butter and sunflower seed oil

Pros: Wears well under makeup, Dermstore reviewers say it’s non-greasy, fragrance-free
Cons: Expensive

“Although on the pricier side, this is always a cult favorite,” Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in Long Island, New York, tells SELF. “It improves the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, and crow’s feet.” The cream uses a proprietary ingredient made from birch and beechwood trees and a peptide blend called Matrixyl 3,000 to target wrinkles. Plus, it has caffeine, which Penzi recommends for firming and depuffing the eye area.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Soothing glycyrrhetinic acid, hydrating glycerin

Pros: More hygienic packaging, feels lightweight, less irritating than other retinol options
Cons: On the pricier side

Retinol can be irritating on your skin, but this 2024 Healthy Beauty Award winner had no break-in time for our tester. “The best thing, though, is that it’s not drying! I’ve tried a couple of other retinol eye creams over the past year or two but they made my undereye area red and flaky,” they said. It has a lightweight consistency, and the squeeze-tube packaging makes it easy to get the perfect pea-sized amount every time without having to stick your fingers into a jar.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Hydrating squalane and hyaluronic acid, soothing allantoin, depuffing caffeine

Pros: Unique applicator, lightweight serum, fragrance-free
Cons: Some reviewers say it feels sticky

This eye serum is like a cool drink of water for your skin. Dr. Penzi recommends it for depuffing and brightening, among other things: “Hyaluronic acid provides lasting hydration and caffeine helps to create a tightening, smoothing effect,” she says. Its applicator has three metal balls that feel satisfyingly cold against the skin and hold just enough of the serum to lightly cover your undereyes.

• Size: 0.67 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Hydrating glycerin, anti-inflammatory niacinamide

Pros: Feels lightweight, fragrance-free
Cons: On the pricier side

A sunscreen specifically for the eye area? Never knew it existed. But it makes sense coming from EltaMD, which is known for its super-absorbent face SPFs. This 2024 Healthy Beauty Award winner blocks UV rays with zinc oxide and contains antioxidants from vitamin E and bisabolol that protect against skin-damaging free radicals. One tester said: “The formula is lightweight (it reminds me of my liquid foundation), the tint gives me a little coverage during outdoor activities and exercise (I live in Colorado), and I’ve had no issues with it irritating my eyelids or running into my eyes after sweating.”

• Size: 0.4 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Smoothing peptides, Persian silk tree extracts (a source of antioxidants)

Pros: Safe to use on eczema, fragrance-free, on the affordable side
Cons: Reviewers wish it helped dark circles more

Cerave’s Eye Repair Cream targets dark circles and puffy eyes, according to Dr. Rodney. It packs hyaluronic acid and ceramides to lock in moisture, plus niacinamide to reduce inflammation. If you have sensitive skin or you aren’t ready to try retinol or other potentially irritating ingredients, this is a great option to start with. But don’t just take our word for it: “If you have dry eyes, this is THE holy grail. My undereyes have never been smoother and more hydrated,” one Ulta reviewer wrote.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: glycerin, soothing aloe vera leaf extract

Pros: Feels lightweight, Ulta reviewers say it’s non-greasy and absorbs well
Cons: Reviewers have trouble with the pump

“While nothing is going to reverse the clock, this eye serum is the next best thing,” according to one 2024 Healthy Beauty Award tester. “My undereyes get extremely dry, and the presence of fine lines has done nothing but increase since I turned 30. This left my skin feeling plump and hydrated, and my fine lines greatly diminished.” What’s the secret? It’s formulated with peptides that can minimize lines as well as hydrating, soothing pantothenic acid and niacinamide.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Smoothing edelweiss and rice lees extracts

Pros: Depuffs dark circles, smooths fine lines, Sephora reviewers say it works well under makeup
Cons: Pricey

This 2023 Healthy Beauty Award winner is the ultimate pick-me-up for puffy eyes with dark circles or fine lines. One tester said: “It has a rich feel when I apply it, and it absorbs quickly. Upon waking, the skin around my eyes feels a little tighter, brighter, and more awake than I feel inside.” It tackles texture with a proprietary peptide complex and makes sure skin stays hydrated with hyaluronic acid.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Moisturizing glycerin, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid; soothing bisabolol

Pros: Hygienic packaging, fragrance-free, thin texture
Cons: Pricey

If the word “cream” is throwing you off because you prefer super lightweight, thin gel products (oily skin gals, rise up), here’s an option that won’t feel goopy. “It helps minimize the appearance of undereye puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles,” Dr. Rodney says. You can thank hydrating ingredients like panthenol and hyaluronic acid, along with collagen-stimulating peptides, for those results.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Soothing niacinamide; watermelon, apple, and lentil extracts (antioxidants)

Pros: Fragrance-free, non-greasy, smooths fine lines
Cons: Very pricey

This cream works a double shift: “It acts as a great primer for makeup in the morning, and it’s not greasy or irritating for nighttime use,” Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at SkinSafe Dermatology and Skin Care in Beverly Hills, previously told SELF. Along with brightening vitamin C and depuffing caffeine, it contains proprietary growth factors and peptides that can boost collagen production. “Ultimately, this helps to thicken the skin around the eye and reduce the appearance of fine lines,” Dr. Shainhouse says.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Hydrating glycerin, bisabolol, and hyaluronic acid

Pros: Works well on dark circles, according to reviewers; relatively affordable
Cons: Some reviewers dislike that the aluminum tube can dent and crease

RoC has definitely made a name for itself in the realm of affordable retinol products. Reviewers say this is one of the most effective drugstore options out there for dark circles and fine lines, especially if you use it consistently. “This is the best stuff ever, the results are out of this world!” one Amazon shopper wrote. Another reviewer noticed an improvement in the dark circles they’ve had since they were a teenager after only a few weeks of use.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Glycerin, panthenol

Pros: Improves skin texture and tone, fragrance-free
Cons: On the pricier side, some reviewers have issues with the tube’s cap

This La Roche Posay option is infused with vitamin C and caffeine to brighten skin and tackle dark spots. It also has retinol to encourage collagen growth and plump any fine lines. At the same time, glycerin and dimethicone (a silicone-based occlusive ingredient) seal in moisture, Dr. Rodney says.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Hydrating hyaluronic acid

Pros: Relatively affordable, cooling applicator, works quickly
Cons: Not great for sensitive skin

Dr. Huang’s number one pick is this L’Oréal eye treatment, which has also gained a ton of praise from Amazon reviewers who say it works almost instantly. “I have never seen an eye cream give such fast results as this one does. My undereyes are brighter and more hydrated within two weeks of using this day and night,” one wrote. Its formula includes a killer combo of vitamin C, retinol, and hyaluronic acid, which work together to improve skin texture and tone. Bonus: It has a metal tip that makes the application process feel like a spa treatment.

• Size: 0.5 fl oz
• Other notable ingredients: Smoothing dimethicone, glycerin, and niacinamide

It’s easy to find skin care that promises miraculous-sounding anti-aging results—what’s harder is finding something that actually works. To make shopping a little easier, we’re breaking down the most important factors to consider when searching for an eye cream for mature skin.

Naturally, skin care is only as good as its ingredients. To know which ones you should look for, think about your skin type and concerns.

• Hyaluronic acid: This is a go-to hydrating ingredient that works for most skin types. It holds 1,000 times its weight in water to make sure your skin stays moisturized and plump.
• Niacinamide: Niacinamide is a do-it-all ingredient, but when it comes to your undereyes, it’s especially helpful for reducing inflammation and shrinking dark circles.
• Ceramides: Ceramides reinforce the skin barrier while smoothing and softening the skin.
• Glycerin: This humectant absorbs water from the air to help your skin stay moisturized.
• Retinol: A type of retinoid, retinol makes your skin cells turn over faster, which helps increase collagen to reduce fine lines and texture under your eyes. But it can cause flaking and irritation—so if your skin is dry or sensitive, you may want to try peptides instead.
• Peptides: Often referred to as a retinoid alternative, peptides encourage the production of collagen and elastin (two of the major proteins that make up the skin) to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
• Vitamin C: If your goal is to brighten up your eye area, vitamin C can get the job done. It can also help smooth fine lines and offer some sun protection (although you’ll still need to layer SPF over your eye cream).
• Caffeine: Sipping an overpriced latte won’t make a difference on your undereyes (sad), but applying caffeine on the skin can constrict the blood vessels in the eye area to make dark circles less noticeable.

Certain ingredients in skin care (like retinol and vitamin C) can degrade with exposure to light or air. To protect your investment, choose a product in an opaque tube or bottle, Dr. Rodney says. Also key: Storing your skin care in a cool, dark, dry place, which will keep the ingredients as fresh as possible, according to Dr. Huang.

You only need a pea-sized amount of eye cream. Dr. Penzi suggests using your ring finger to gently dab it into the skin directly under your eye and out to the orbital bone. “Most eye creams can be used twice daily (morning and night), or once every 12 hours,” Dr. Rodney says. “Some products, like retinol-based creams, should be used once a day or every other day, depending on your skin's sensitivity.” Most products with retinol are also designed to be used only at night, so she recommends reading the manufacturer’s instructions before you dive in.

Not seeing results right away? Don’t give up just yet. “Consistency is key,” Dr. Penzi says. “It can take three to six months to see the full effects of the eye cream, so be sure to use daily, long term.”

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