The 7 best eye creams for dark circles and puffiness

Key takeaways

• Dark circles and puffiness have several causes, from genetics and thin skin to fluid, allergies and lack of sleep, so the right eye cream depends on what’s behind yours.

• Caffeine is the ingredient with the clearest case for puffiness. Brightening ingredients like vitamin C and niacinamide, and retinoids, target the look of dark circles.

• Our top pick is The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream: caffeine, peptides and hyaluronic acid in a fragrance-free cream for $14.

• For one eye cream that covers dark circles, puffiness and fine lines, The RETURN Eye Concentrate from U Beauty is the all-in-one pick.

• If you pick a retinoid eye cream, like Medik8 or RoC, ease in slowly and wear sunscreen in the morning.

What causes dark circles and puffiness

According to Cleveland Clinic, “aging, genetics, allergies, lack of sleep and dehydration can all cause dark circles under your eyes.” The skin under the eyes is thin to begin with, and as it loosens and thins with age, the blood vessels underneath can show through. Puffiness is often fluid, which a 2016 review notes tends to be worse in the morning or after a salty meal.

That’s why eye creams split into a few camps. The same review describes topical caffeine as an effective option for dark circles caused by visible blood vessels and swelling. Cleveland Clinic points to vitamin C as a brightener, retinol for lines, and niacinamide or kojic acid for discoloration that persists even when you’re rested. What no cream can do is change the shadows cast by hollowing under the eyes.

We compared each eye cream on its published ingredient list, not on hands-on testing. We looked for ingredients matched to dark circles and puffiness, whether fragrance is listed, how gentle the directions are for the eye area, and the price.

1. The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream: best overall

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream is a lightweight cream built around 0.3% caffeine and albizia bark extract, with two peptides (palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7), hyaluronic acid and squalane. The INKEY List reports that it improved the appearance of puffiness and dark circles from the first use in a four-week clinical study of 22 people.

Key features:

• Caffeine for puffiness. It’s paired with peptides and hydrators in a lightweight cream.

• Fragrance-free. The INKEY List labels it fragrance-free.

• Morning and night. The directions call for a small amount dotted around the eye and patted in with your ring finger.

Tradeoff: at 15 ml the tube is small, and its caffeine level is lower than The Ordinary’s serum.

Best for: most people with mild puffiness and dark circles who want an easy, low-cost place to start.

Price: $14 for 15 ml.

2. U Beauty The RETURN Eye Concentrate: best all-in-one eye cream

The RETURN Eye Concentrate is U Beauty’s 360° eye cream, a plush, cushiony cream in an airless pump for under and around the eyes. Its key ingredients are diamond powder, marine plankton extract and beta-glucan, and the ingredient list also includes two peptides, ceramide NP and vitamin C derivatives. U Beauty describes it as a contouring eye cream that visibly improves the look of fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, discoloration and puffiness, with a soft-focus finish.

Key features:

• Covers the whole eye area. It’s made to address the look of dark circles, puffiness and fine lines in one step.

• Reported results. U Beauty reports that 96% of 30 volunteers saw improvement in undereye darkness and discoloration, and 93% in undereye bags and puffiness, in an expert evaluation after 60 days of once-daily use.

• Morning, evening or both. U Beauty’s directions call for one to two pumps, tapped outward under and around the eyes.

Tradeoff: at $148 for 15 ml it’s the most expensive eye cream on this list, and it contains a fragrance ingredient (methyldihydrojasmonate).

Best for: people who want one eye cream for the look of dark circles, puffiness and fine lines together.

Price: $148 for 15 ml.

3. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye: best retinal eye cream

Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye is a night cream that combines retinal (retinaldehyde) with ceramide NP, sodium hyaluronate, squalane and shea butter. It comes in three strengths, Eye 3, Eye 6 and Eye 10, and Medik8 reports that 88% of 32 participants agreed their dark circles looked brighter after 12 weeks on Eye 6.

Key features:

• Retinal for the eye area. Medik8 says it’s clinically proven to visibly depuff the eye area in one use, alongside its longer-term claims for crow’s feet and dark circles.

• Three strengths. You can start low and move up after finishing a tube.

• Fragrance-free. Medik8 labels it fragrance-free.

Tradeoff: it’s a night-only cream with a phase-in schedule: twice a week for two weeks, every other night for two weeks, then nightly. As with any retinoid, wear sunscreen in the morning and check with your doctor if you’re pregnant.

Best for: people who want to target the look of dark circles and crow’s feet at night.

Price: $54 for Eye 3, $68 for Eye 6 and $85 for Eye 10, each 15 ml.

4. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum: best budget pick

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum is a water-based serum with 5% caffeine and EGCG (epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside), an antioxidant. The Ordinary says caffeine works on puffiness while EGCG helps with the look of dark circles, and it reports a decrease in the look of dark circles after three weeks in a panel of 19 people.

Key features:

• 5% caffeine. It’s the highest stated caffeine level on this list.

• Large bottle. At 30 ml, it’s twice the size of most eye creams here.

• Keeps well cold. The Ordinary suggests storing it in the fridge.

Tradeoff: it’s a thin serum rather than a cream, so if the skin around your eyes is dry, you may want a moisturizer on top.

Best for: morning puffiness on a small budget.

Price: $9.20 for 30 ml.

5. RoC Derm Correxion Eye Repair Dark Circle Cream: best for stubborn dark circles

RoC Derm Correxion Eye Repair Dark Circle Cream combines niacinamide, retinol, caffeine, resveratrol, ceramide NP and an ingredient RoC sells as Proxygen. RoC says the mix targets four types of dark circles, and it reports that 87% of 32 volunteers saw persistent dark circles visibly reduced at eight weeks in a self-assessment.

Key features:

• Several ingredients for dark circles. RoC matches niacinamide, retinol, resveratrol and Proxygen to different kinds of discoloration.

• Cooling metal tip. RoC says the applicator massages away visible signs of fatigue.

• Fragrance-free. RoC labels it fragrance-free.

Tradeoff: because it contains retinol, RoC suggests starting every other day and wearing SPF 30 or higher in the morning.

Best for: dark circles that haven’t budged with caffeine alone.

Price: $38.99 for 0.5 fl oz.

6. La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Eyes Discoloration Treatment: best for discoloration

La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Eyes Discoloration Treatment with Melasyl pairs niacinamide and Melasyl, the brand’s dark-spot ingredient, with caffeine and peptides. It comes with a cryo-cooling applicator, and La Roche-Posay reports a 21% reduction in the look of dark circles in an eight-week clinical study of 63 women, and says it was tested on all skin tones.

Key features:

• Made for brown discoloration. Niacinamide and Melasyl target the look of pigmentation.

• Cooling applicator. La Roche-Posay says it depuffs eyes.

• Fragrance-free. La Roche-Posay labels it fragrance-free.

Tradeoff: its main focus is discoloration, so it’s a less direct fit if puffiness is your bigger concern.

Best for: dark circles that look brown rather than blue or purple.

Price: $44.99.

7. CeraVe Eye Repair Cream: best for sensitive skin

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream combines niacinamide, three ceramides and sodium hyaluronate with a marine and botanical complex that CeraVe says helps reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness. It’s fragrance-free and carries the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance.

Key features:

• Ceramides and niacinamide. It hydrates the thin skin around the eyes.

• Fragrance-free. CeraVe labels it fragrance-free.

• Drugstore price. It’s sold widely through retailers.

Tradeoff: it has no caffeine or retinoid, so it’s gentler but less targeted than most picks here, and it contains sweet almond oil.

Best for: sensitive or dry skin around the eyes.

Price: $19.99.

How to use an eye cream

• Use a small amount. A pea-sized amount is usually enough for both eyes, patted on with your ring finger.

• Put it on after serum and before moisturizer. Our guide to skincare routine order shows where eye cream fits.

• Wear sunscreen around your eyes. Cleveland Clinic says sun-driven pigmentation is one cause of dark circles.

• Try the simple fixes too. Cleveland Clinic suggests a couple of extra pillows to keep fluid from collecting overnight and a cold compress for puffiness.

• Ease into retinoids. If your eye cream contains retinol or retinal, start a few nights a week, as our list of the best retinol products for beginners explains.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most effective eye cream for dark circles?

That depends on what’s causing them. Caffeine suits dark circles from visible blood vessels and puffiness, while niacinamide, vitamin C and retinoids suit discoloration. The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream is our top pick for most people, and RoC Derm Correxion covers several causes at once.

Can an eye cream get rid of dark circles?

It can reduce how they look, but it rarely makes them disappear. Shadows from hollowing under the eyes are structural, so a cream won’t change them. Cleveland Clinic notes that even the best eye cream can’t fix a bad night’s sleep, and suggests niacinamide or kojic acid for inherited discoloration that persists when you’re rested.

What causes puffy eyes in the morning?

Usually fluid that collects under the eyes overnight. It’s often worse after a salty meal and is linked to allergies, and sleeping with your head slightly raised can help.

Does caffeine help puffy eyes?

It can. A 2016 review describes topical caffeine as an effective option for dark circles linked to swelling and visible blood vessels, which is why several eye creams on this list use it.

When should you see a doctor about dark circles?

Cleveland Clinic advises seeing a provider if a dark circle or swelling appears under only one eye.