As someone who suffers with dark circles and dry skin around my eyes, I am always looking for the best eye cream (opens in new tab) to help brighten and moisturise my under eye area. As a beauty journalist, I have been lucky enough to try my fair share of brands, but there was one that I was yet to try out.
If you’ve read any of my articles, then you’ll know I’m a big fan of of Charlotte Tilbury make-up, however I had never tried any of the brand’s skincare offerings, so I took it upon myself to give both of the eye creams a go to see if they would live up to my expectations. Spoiler alert: they did.
The brand has two eye creams on offer, the Magic Eye Rescue (opens in new tab) and the Cryo-Recovery Eye Serum (opens in new tab). Both retail at around £50, so they are definitely more of an investment, but after trying them out for myself, I was sold.
The Magic Eye Rescue aims to smooth and brighten the under eye area, while the Cryo-Recovery Eye Serum aims to reduce puffiness and refresh tired eyes.
I was looking for something to reduce puffiness and brighten my pesky dark circles, but also something that would hydrate my skin at the same time.
Keep on scrolling to see how I got on, and for more inspiration, don’t forget to check out our guides to how to tackle dark circles (opens in new tab) and how to treat milia under your eyes (opens in new tab). I’ve also reviewed every single Clinique eye cream (opens in new tab) to see which one would come out on top. Don’t say I don’t treat you.
Best hydrating eye cream
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue
The first thing I noticed about this eye cream was how beautiful the packaging was. I couldn’t wait to display it in my bathroom. The glass jar is also refillable, making it a much more sustainable option.
The product itself features a gel-like consistency, which is really refreshing to apply. The cream is rich yet lightweight on the skin, which can be hard to find in a lot of other eye creams. As well as being hydrating, it leaves your skin practically glowing. My under eyes looked so bright after using this, and my friend even commented on how awake I looked.
For
- Refillable packaging
- Really hydrating
- Brightens the under eye area
Against
- Takes a while to sink into the skin
Best refreshing eye cream
Charlotte Tilbury Cryo-Recovery Eye Serum
For something even more refreshing, you can’t go wrong with Charlotte Tilbury’s Cryo-Recovery Eye Serum. This tube features a cooling metal applicator that fits perfectly under the eyes to refresh and depuff the area. The slim packaging also makes it much easier to pop in your bag when you’re on the go.
The cream itself is much lighter compared to the Magic Eye Rescue, and sinks into the skin almost instantly. It is super brightening and I loved using it in the morning before applying my make-up. The only downside is that it’s not as moisturising as the other eye cream, so I would recommend having this as your AM option and using the Magic Eye Rescue before bed.
For
- Packaging is easy to travel with
- The cooling metal applicator is super refreshing on the skin
- Sinks into the skin instantly
Against
- Not as hydrating as the Magic Eye Rescue