I have chronic dark circles. Seriously, I have had permanent purple rings under my eyes more or less since the day I was born. People are always asking me if I’m tired, run down or sick, even when I’m feeling right as rain. As a result, I have dedicated my entire career to finding the best eye creams for dark circles.
And I’m not alone in my desperation. As a beauty editor, queries about how to treat dark circles are amongst my most received. But why are so many of us so desperate to budge our dark circles? Well, it’s because they’re really hard to treat. Ridah Syed, Senior Medical Aestherician at Skinfluencer London explains, “Dark circles are usually caused by either genetics or your internal health. For genetics, there is nothing you can do to change the gene expression, and for internal health issues, you need to deal with the root cause, not just the side effect.”
(Image credit: Shannon Lawlor)
It’s for this reason that, actually, even the very best eye creams for puffiness or the best eye creams for wrinkles can’t eradicate dark circles—and subsequently why so many people end up feeling let down by eye creams. “You can never get rid of them completely. This is because a very strong component in their development is a genetic predisposition, and there is nothing you can do to change your genes,” says Dr Marko Lens, surgeon and founder of Zelens.
The trick when shopping for eye creams for dark circles is, sadly, to lower your expectations. Speaking from experience, I can safely say that no eye cream will ever get rid of your dark circles—it’s impossible. However, there are some formulas I have found to help improve their appearance somewhat (out of the hundreds that seem to do nothing at all). “When looking for an eye cream for dark circles, keep an eye out for vitamin C, kojic acid, retinol eye creams, caffeine eye creams and hyaluronic acid. These ingredients can help address different aspects related to dark circles, such as pigmentation, collagen production and hydration,” says cosmetic dermatologist, Dr Nowell Solish.
So, here it is. After years of trying every eye cream to have ever come my way, these are the only eye cream formulas that actually make a difference to my dark circles.
1. No7 Future Renew Eye Serum
(Image credit: No7)
It’s not very often I finish an eye cream in its entirety, but I’ve actually cut this tube in half to get out every last drop. The texture sits somewhere between a lotion and a cream, and it’s not too heavy for my milia-prone eye area (although that means it might not be rich enough for those who have a drier eye area). The formula is made up of a very clever peptide complex, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and niacinamide to plump fine lines, boost firmness and even out skin tone. All of these things somehow make my eyes look more awake and revived, even though there’s no specific brightening effect.
2. Origins GinZing Eye Cream
(Image credit: Origins)
This eye cream is probably my oldest beauty friend. I first bought it as a university student in a bid to help my dark circles out when they were most in need (thanks to student sleep deprivation). And it really did see me and my under eyes through some of their toughest times. With caffeine, it helps to brighten and hydrate, but it’s the pearly pink finish that makes it exceptional at disguising dark circles. Of course, it doesn’t eradicate them, but it makes my whole face look a whole lot more awake.
3. Rudolph Care Açai Eye Cream
(Image credit: Rudolph Care)
On paper, there’s not a lot about this eye cream that should make it good for treating dark circles, but it just has a way of making me feel a lot better about the appearance of mine. With acacia gum from Senegal and chamomile extract, it does a standup job at smoothing out fine lines and quenching skin to battle dehydration-related dark circles.
4. L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler Eye Serum
(Image credit: L’Oréal Paris)
This eye serum is the skincare equivalent of an ice-cold glass of water on a hot summer’s day. It’s lightweight, cooling and unbelievably refreshing. It has an applicator made up of small metal balls that provide a cooling massage with every application. The formula itself is a water-like gel that contains hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate, as well as caffeine to brighten dark circles.
5. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème
(Image credit: Ole Henriksen)
I’m going to be totally honest here, I haven’t been able to use this eye cream for a couple of years because it’s just too rich for my oily skin. But its ability to disguise and brighten dark circles is undeniable. It has a yellow tone which helps to cancel out the purple tones of dark circles, meaning you get an instant brightening effect. My problem? The cream is thick and rich, which for me, exacerbates milia. However, if your skin is on the drier side, chances are you’ll love this.
6. Susanne Kaufmann Eye Rescue Serum
(Image credit: Susanne Kaufmann)
If this product was more affordable it would probably be the only eye product I’d purchase for the rest of time. Sadly, it’s eye-wateringly expensive. Like every skincare product, it’s not worth putting on a credit card—however, if you can afford it, you won’t regret it. It cools, calms and takes down puffiness in an instant. What’s more, it’s chock-full of hardworking antioxidants to tackle dark circles longterm.
7. Indeed Labs Retinol Reface Eye Cream
(Image credit: Indeed Labs)
There’s no doubt that retinol is one of the best skincare ingredients for tackling dark circles, but finding a formula gentle enough for the eye area isn’t easy. If you’re new to retinol eye creams, this one makes for a great starting point. The formula is light and hydrating, which helps to counteract the potentially drying or irritating effect of retinol. I can’t use many retinol eye creams, but this one I can.
8. Summer Fridays Light Aura Vitamin C + Peptide Eye Cream
(Image credit: Summer Fridays)
When my skin is particularly dry or irritated, I love reaching for this cream. It contains clever dark-circle-fighting ingredients such as peptides, vitamin C and caffeine, but it also has an apricot hue to help with physical disguising and colour correcting, too. It’s a nourishing treat, which makes it a joy to use. If you don’t like using eye creams that contain a lot of oils, however, this won’t be for you.