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the best eye creams and gels that actually work

The 16 Best Eye Creams

Brighter, smoother eyes are just a (gentle) tap away.

Headshot of Harper's Bazaar StaffBy Harper's Bazaar Staff

No matter your age or skin type, one fact stands true: Eye cream should have a firm spot in your beauty routine. If smooth, bright, and plump skin around your eyes is what you’re after, you need creams and gels full of anti-aging powerhouses that actually work, like retinol or vitamin C. One of the 16 formulas below can make the world of difference when it comes to staving off fine lines, dark circles, puffiness, and Botox appointments. Ahead, the best eye creams our editors love.

1
Best Moisturizing Eye Cream

Guerlain Orchidée Impériale Anti-Aging Eye & Lip Contour Cream

Orchidée Impériale Anti-Aging Eye & Lip Contour Cream
1
Best Moisturizing Eye Cream

Guerlain Orchidée Impériale Anti-Aging Eye & Lip Contour Cream

Now 30% Off
$150 at Bloomingdale's

Even eye cream snobs will be impressed with this ultra-rich, balm-like formula. Use a thin layer in the morning to take an advantage of the caffeine extract, then layer it on eye contours and around your lips at night so moisturizing jasmine and hyaluronic acid can get to work. 

2
Best Eye Cream for Beginners

Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel Cream

Hydrating Eye Gel Cream
2
Best Eye Cream for Beginners

Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel Cream

Now 50% Off

On the flip side, this drugstore gel-cream is perfect for those who aren't quite convinced that eye creams work. It's too affordable to not add into your routine, and offers up fast-absorbing hyaluronic acid, licorice extract, and vitamins.  

3
Best Drugstore Eye Cream

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream
3
Best Drugstore Eye Cream

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

An Anti-Aging Award winner for 2020, this wallet-friendly eye cream rivals pricier formulas. It's made with retinol formulated for use around the eye area, so lines will be eliminated without irritation. 

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4
Best Dark Circle Eye Cream

La Prairie White Caviar Eye Extraordinaire

White Caviar Eye Extraordinaire
4
Best Dark Circle Eye Cream

La Prairie White Caviar Eye Extraordinaire

Elevate your eye-treatment experience with La Prairie's two-piece, color-enhancing eye cream. You'll quickly understand why it landed a spot on BAZAAR's 2020 Anti-Aging Awards list. 

5
Best Serum for Eye Area

Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum

Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum
5
Best Serum for Eye Area

Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum

If thick and rich eye creams are just not your thing, get an eye serum instead. Tatcha's Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum feels weightless on your skin but still plumps fine lines and wakes up tired eyes in just one application.

6
Best Eye Cream for Instant Results

Eye Cream

Eye Cream
6
Best Eye Cream for Instant Results

Eye Cream

This is a classic example of not judging a book—or eye cream—by its cover. Sure, this formulas is backed by Kylie Jenner, but it's also one of the most effective eye creams we've used at instantly disguising dark circles and reducing puffiness. The banana-tinted cream deeply hydrates without making skin slick, so you can use less concealer on top and feel good knowing that it won't slip around.

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7
Best "Wide-Awake" Eye Cream

Olay Brightening Eye Cream

Brightening Eye Cream
7
Best "Wide-Awake" Eye Cream

Olay Brightening Eye Cream

This is the eye cream you'll want to use every morning—but particularly after a sleepless night. The mix of luminous optical brighteners and vitamin c instantly disguise darkness and discoloration under the eye. You might even be tempted to skip concealer altogether.

8
Best Sensitive Eye Cream

Kiehl's Since 1851 Avocado Eye Cream

Avocado Eye Cream
8
Best Sensitive Eye Cream

Kiehl's Since 1851 Avocado Eye Cream

It has the consistency of avocado pudding, and that's exactly why we love it. Slathered under the eye, it deeply hydrates and plumps without slipping or sliding into your eyes, making it ideal if you're at all sensitive. 

9
Best Overnight Eye Cream

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex

Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex
9
Best Overnight Eye Cream

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex

This jelly eye cream hydrates for a full 24 hours, while softening the look of dark circles in less than a month. It won't help you get more sleep, but it at least makes you look like you did. 

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10
Best Natural Eye Cream

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream

C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
10
Best Natural Eye Cream

Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream

This eye cream is truly like a multivitamin for your under-eyes. The natural formula uses vitamin c, peptides, antioxidants, and soothing cucumber to repair UV and age-related damage under the eye without irritation.

11
Best Eye Cream for Under Makeup

Lancer Eye Contour Lifting Cream with Diamond Powder

Eye Contour Lifting Cream with Diamond Powder
11
Best Eye Cream for Under Makeup

Lancer Eye Contour Lifting Cream with Diamond Powder

Perfect for layering under makeup, this eye cream has diamond powder to brighten your eyes in seconds, plus hyaluronic acid and shea butter to fend off fine lines.

12
Best Smoothing Eye Cream

belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb

Moisturizing Eye Bomb
12
Best Smoothing Eye Cream

belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb

This Moisturizing Eye Bomb does exactly what it sounds like it's going to do. The cooling, gel-like cream makes skin look bouncier and fresher within seconds of tapping it on. It continues to hydrate your eyes for 26 hours, even when worn under makeup.

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13
Best Oil for Eye Area

KORA Organics Noni Radiant Eye Oil

Noni Radiant Eye Oil
13
Best Oil for Eye Area

KORA Organics Noni Radiant Eye Oil

Some people prefer an oil over a cream. If you're one of those people, give this clean-beauty eye oil from Miranda Kerr a go. It's packed with certified organic noni, tomato fruit, marine bamboo extracts, kahai and coffee oils to deeply hydrate, energize, and brighten. Plus, the roller feels amazing.

14
Best De-Puffing Eye Cream

Fresh Black Tea Firming and De-Puffing Eye Cream

Black Tea Firming and De-Puffing Eye Cream
14
Best De-Puffing Eye Cream

Fresh Black Tea Firming and De-Puffing Eye Cream

While you can use this morning or night, we really love it before applying concealer in the morning thanks to its cooling and soothing effect. The black tea ferment combined with other plant-derived anti-agers make puffy and tired under-eyes look perkier right away.

15
Best Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Smoothing & Brightening Under-Eye Cream

Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Smoothing & Brightening Under-Eye Cream
15
Best Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Smoothing & Brightening Under-Eye Cream

No eye cream can totally obliterate dark circles or deep wrinkles. But this balm-like formula comes close. Sweep it on before bed and you'll notice a serious difference in texture and color when you go to apply concealer the next morning. (On that note, we found it a little too thick to wear under makeup.) 

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16
Best Brightening Eye Cream

SK-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Eye Cream

R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Eye Cream
16
Best Brightening Eye Cream

SK-II R.N.A. POWER Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Fans of this anti-aging eye cream love the minimal scent, coddling but not thick texture, and the noticeable improvements in elasticity and brightness in as little as a week.

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