Winter is a time when most of us here in the UK tend to have low vitamin D levels; we feel tired and sluggish – but it’s also a time desperately searching for the best eye cream to hide all signs of being sapped of energy. Concealer is all well and good but hands up if, like one of us, you’re in need of something that helps do a bit of everything, from lifting those dark circles and softening fine lines to de-puffing and firming the skin.
But where to start? First you need to focus on your main priority, is it the aforementioned firming or brightening, the need to hydrate or colour correct dark spots? Try not to overuse a multitude of under eye gels, serums and creams to try and banish every problem – simplicity is key and a gradual change in addressing each area will help you see if products actually work for your skin, find your go-to eye cream and use it regularly throughout the year.
The delicate eye area is invariably one of the first to show visible signs of ageing, and it needs to be looked after properly. Finding the best eye cream for you is actually even more important than you think. As we age, the skin under the eyes will naturally begin to get thinner due to collagen depletion, team that with having hardly any sebaceous glands around that area, under eye skin is highly vulnerable to dryness and sagging. Alongside redness and dark circles from the dense capillary network, constant muscle movement from our expressions regularly stresses the skin, and in turn we inevitably see more lines and wrinkles.
The question of “do eye creams actually work?” is frequently asked in the beauty industry – and the answer in our book is yes. Dark circles can be lifted slightly with a delicate approach; the combination of regular (gentle) massage, a great active-infused formula eye cream that contains ingredients like retinol, peptides, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid; a healthy diet and plenty of water intake can make a difference. That is however, all dependent on genetics, the loss of fat under the eye can’t be rectified with a fancy cream alone.
Simply tap or gently sweep a pea-sized amount of your chosen under eye product onto the skin – a beauty tip to follow is to also apply over the brown bone! These creams/gels are potent and need to be clear of barriers to absorb properly – so it makes sense to apply before other serums that target different skin problems and obviously way before heavier moisturisers and oils.
There are a myriad of under eye lotions and potions out there for us to choose from, so without further ado, here our top selection of serums, gels and creams that actually help do the job without breaking the bank…
VICHY
Minéral 89 Eyes Hyaluronic Acid +Caffeine, £15.00
Treat your skin to the benefits of Vichy Mineral 89 Serum; a fortifying and plumping daily booster that delivers long-lasting moisture and hydration, whilst providing comforting and replenishing properties.
Fortified with only 11 ingredients, including Hyaluronic Acid and 89% Vichy Thermal Mineralising Water, the fresh, light gel-like formula strengthens the skin’s barrier to defend against pollution and environmental aggressors.
The Inkey List
Caffeine Eye Cream, £8.99
This potent antioxidant helps to create a protective barrier over the skin to reinforce the skin’s natural defences against environmental aggressors such as harsh weather conditions and pollution. Caffeine possesses anti-inflammatory properties to help de-puff the skin and reduce the appearance of dark circles, ideal for those early mornings!
Boasting Matrixyl 3000 peptide with Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract to stimulate collagen production, helping to combat fine lines and wrinkles.
PRAI AGELESS
Eye Tight Uplift Serum, £29.99
Enriched with precious PRAI Oil, the serum smoothes the look of lines and imperfections, resulting in skin that feels soft, supple and nourished. Can be used topically anywhere on the face for an enhanced complexion. Suitable for sensitive skin, the lightweight formula contains IDEALIFT™ and NULASTIC™ SILK, which work in synergy to rebuild skin structure and boost natural elastin levels, delivering a lifting and plumping effect.
SUNDAY RILEY
Autocorrect Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream, £60
Brimming with smoothing, reviving and brightening benefits, Sunday Riley’s Autocorrect Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream nourishes skin while reducing the appearance of puffiness and dark circles to create a lifted look. Formulated with caffeine, horse chestnut and Brazilian ginseng root extract to smooth and brighten, as well as watermelon extract, shea and cocoa butter to hydrate, calm and rebalance moisture levels, this potent lotion helps brighten, refresh and smooth out fatigued eyes.
AHC
Hydrating Essential Real Eye Cream for Face, £18.20
This cult favourite Korean formulation is designed to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while supporting collagen production to naturally firm and plump the under eyes for a youthful-looking visage. A restorative blend of vitamins and peptides revitalises and nourishes to restore a natural radiance. The rich yet easily absorbed texture helps to lock in moisture for a plumped, dewy complexion.
Kiehl’s
Youth Dose Eye Treatment, £37.00
Give your eyes a “dose of youth” with Kiehl’s new cream for younger looking eyes. This efficacious eye cream instantly smoothes and brightens the appearance of the under-eye area. With a creamy texture, this multi-powered treatment is formulated with an efficacious blend of Pro-Retinol, Vitamin Cg and Grape Seed Extract. Youth Dose Eye Treatment also helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, dark circles and dullness.
Charlotte Tilbury
Magic Eye Rescue, £42.00
An eye-lift in a tube! Charlotte’s fabulous new formula will help to reduce the appearance of eye bags and dark circles, smooth crow’s feet, minimise fine lines and re-energise the delicate under eye area where the first signs of ageing often occur. This miracle Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue is a revitalising and reinvigorating, anti-ageing rescue remedy that gets to work to slow down the ticking time bomb of ageing.
Revolution
Skincare Pigment Boost Eye Cream, £8.00
Banish dark circles with Revolution’s pigment fixing formula designed to colour correct and treat. Contains Shea and Cocoa Seed Butter to soften skin to avoid dry and dull under-eyes, whilst Jojoba and Castor Seed Oil help to condition. Colour correcting pigments work to counteract purple under-eyes to hide those late nights and early mornings.
Kiehl’s
Midnight Recovery Eye Cream, £27.00
Specifically formulated for the delicate under-eye area to achieve fresher, younger looking eyes by morning by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. With the same naturally derived ingredients as Midnight Recovery Concentrate, as well as Butcher’s Broom, this night treatment leaves under-eye skin feeling replenished.
Estée Lauder
Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex, £43.47
Supercharge the beauty of your eyes. The formula you love, supercharged with 10x concentrated repair technology that helps repair the visible impact of lack of sleep, UV, pollution, even blue light. It’s proven to reveal a bright, hydrated, visibly revived look with comprehensive benefits for the eye area and it dramatically reduces the look of every key sign of eye ageing, including puffiness, lines and dryness as well as brightening dark circles in just 3 weeks, preventing free radical damage with 8-hour antioxidant power.
