Starting to notice your makeup settle into creases around your eyes? Or fine lines appearing at their outer corners? The delicate eye area is actually one of the first parts of the face where people spot these initial signs of skin ageing like looser skin, fine lines and wrinkles. Due to thin skin in this area and constant eye movement, creases form very easily, and over time, can develop into more persistent wrinkles—commonly referred to as 'crow's feet'. Fortunately, a dedicated eye cream can help.
When it comes to addressing signs of skin ageing in the eye area, the best eye creams for wrinkles and fine lines are those designed with hydration and cell repair in mind. Ignore anything that focuses on dark circles or puffy under-eye bags, or that claims to do a bit of everything—finding the right product depends on focussing on the specific concern you want to address.
The best ingredients to look out for in eye creams for wrinkles include retinol to help stimulate collagen production and prevent thinning skin, ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier and prevent dehydration and peptides to firm, lift and smooth skin.
With the help of facialist and skin coach, Charlie Perry, dermatologist Sonia Khorana, and makeup artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis, I’ve compiled a definitive edit of the best eye creams for wrinkles.
Shop the Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles:
- The Facialist's Pick: Medik8 Crystal Retinal Eye Cream
- The Dermatologist's Pick: RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream
- The Makeup Artist's Pick: Seoulista Beauty Instant Wonder
- The Beauty Editor's Pick: NIOD Fractionated Eye-Contour Concentrate
Can eye cream help with wrinkles?
"Eye creams can be incredibly effective for minimising the appearance of wrinkles around the delicate eye area, but they do need to be formulated correctly and used holistically alongside well-informed expectations," says Perry. "For example, creams with retinal and peptides can help stimulate collagen production and support skin elasticity, addressing fine lines and sagging. Hyaluronic acid is another key ingredient for plumping and hydrating the skin, which smooths out wrinkles."
Perry also notes the importance of other lifestyle factors like hydration, adequate sleep, a balanced diet and consistent facial massage to support circulation and lymphatic drainage, alongside product use. "Topical products can’t reverse the natural fat loss around the eyes as we age either, but they can support skin firmness and hydration, making wrinkles less pronounced," she adds.
What eye cream ingredients help with wrinkles?
"As a general rule of thumb; for those concerned with wrinkles, look for vitamin A (retinol/retinal) or bakuchiol (a gentler plant-based alternative) which helps to boost collagen production and smooth fine lines," says Perry. "Peptides support skin’s strength and elasticity, and hyaluronic acid helps with moisture retention which can often fill in fine lines caused by dehydration."
Perry advises being mindful of avoiding eye creams that are too heavy for your skin type, as this can lead to milia; small bumps that are caused by a buildup of dead skin and keratin trapped under the skin.
How should you apply eye cream?
According to Perry, application is key when it comes to eye cream—gentle touch is essential as the skin is much thinner here than the rest of our face. "Always use your ring finger (the weakest finger) to tap a small amount of cream around the eye area, avoiding direct contact with the eyelid," she explains. "A pea-sized amount is generally all you need. Tap the product lightly around the orbital bone and don’t drag the skin. This tapping motion also boosts circulation in the area, which can help with both the appearance of dark circles and puffiness."
The best eye Massage for Fine Lines and Wrinkles
For an added boost, Perry teaches her clients these simple eye massage techniques to enhance the effects of eye cream.
1. Gentle Tapping Circles
Use your index and middle fingers to tap gently around the eye in small circles. Start at the outer corner, move along the cheekbone, up the brow bone, and back to the start. Repeat 3 times in each direction (clockwise and counterclockwise).
2. Upward Pressure Points
Place your middle fingers just under the brow bone near your tear ducts. Gently press upward for 3-5 seconds, then press inward toward the nose.
3. Temple Massage
Use your index and middle fingers to massage your temples in small, circular motions, moving outward and upwards to release tension.
4. Tap to Finish
Lightly tap around the entire eye area with your ring fingers to encourage absorption of the product and boost circulation.
The Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles
1. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Eye Cream: The Facialist's Pick
"As a facialist, I often recommend Medik8 Crystal Retinal Eye Cream to my clients, and it’s quickly become my own go-to for targeting fine lines and wrinkles around the delicate eye area," says Perry. "It includes a gentle yet effective form of vitamin A (retinal) which Medik8 has done extensive research on. I love how it hydrates and smoothes the skin with the inclusion of ceramides, helping to reduce the appearance of puffiness and dark circles."
2. RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream: The Dermatologist's Pick
"This is a lightweight gel-cream formula and has an accessible price point with active ingredients that are proven to work," says Khorana. "It contains retinol, glycerin, vitamin E and vitamin B5 to help combat under-eye concerns and deliver an immediate hydration boost to the skin. It's also great for people who are new to retinol as it respects the skin barrier (thanks to panthenol and glycerin)."
3. Seoulista Instant Wonder Eye Cream: The Makeup Artist's Pick
"My favourite eye cream for mature skin is the Seoulista Beauty Instant Wonder—it has a cool arctic tip that helps to distribute the cream and massage and depuff as you apply it," says Nguyen-Grealis. "It's very gentle on the eye, cooling and light, so absorbs quickly to give an effective result instantly."
4. NIOD Fractionated Eye-Contour Concentrate: The Beauty Editor's Pick
Granted, this is an eye serum, not an eye cream, but that only means this formula is even more potent and active. In fact, take a look at the ingredient list and you'll get an idea of just how effective it is. Multiple forms of peptide technologies precisely deliver key actives to minimise the appearance of fine lines under the eye, soften deep expression lines, reduce “crows’ feet,” and firm and lift sagging skin. I've seen some incredible before-and-after pictures from people I know who use this—the effect it has upon wrinkles and lines is nothing short of dramatic. It's the kind of product where once you start using it, you never go back to anything else.
Shop More Eye Creams for Wrinkles:
Try out this retinoid-boosted eye serum for yourself and you'll understand that the hype behind this product really is warranted. 2% granactive retinoid softens wrinkles while niacinamide reduces the appearance of fine lines, and vitamin C stimulates collagen production.
This unique bi-phase formula combines the hydration of an eye cream with the potency of an eye serum. The result? Smoother, tighter skin and reduced fine line and wrinkles.
If you're on a budget, this is a slightly more affordable eye cream (although not quite as potent or active) alternative to NIOD's Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate. it's still highly effective—clinical trials demonstrated a significant improvement in under-eye wrinkles and crow's feet in just four weeks.
Estée Lauder's iconic Advanced Night Repair Serum is renowned for its ability to restore and replenish dry, wrinkle-prone skin, so it only makes sense that this eye-specific version works just as well for wrinkles in the eye area. After three weeks of use, 89% of consumers who tested noticed initial signs of ageing to be diminished.
Despite its affordable price tag, this eye cream is still packed with powerful, proven ingredients. The hero ingredient is Matrixyl 3000, a peptide blend which boosts collagen and elastin production in order to strengthen and plump up skin.
Another powerhouse formula, this one drawing upon the benefits of peptides, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and bakuchiol to hydrate and repair the delicate eye area.
Like all Dr. Dennis Gross products, this hardworking formula is packed with potent active ingredients in order to deliver fast and effective results. A blend of retinol, rambutan, bakuchiol and ferulic acid help to reduce the appearance of lines, wrinkles and crepiness.
If you have dry and dehydrated skin, then wrinkles will easily form in the eye area, which lacks the oil glands that allow skin to keep itself well hydrated. This nourishing formula draws upon squalane and glycerin to hydrate skin and ceramides to support the skin barrier, helping to prevent moisture from escaping.
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