The skin around the eye is the most thin and delicate of the entire face, which means both that it's very prone to dryness and irritation and that it's typically the first place where we start to see signs of skin ageing appear. Plus, because the skin here is so thin, puffiness from fluid retention is more obvious under the eyes than it is elsewhere on the face, and dark circles appear quickly when skin is dehydrated .
While I've learned that using an eye cream or serum in my daily skincare routine is the best way to address eye concerns in the long-term, under-eye patches can have an instant impact when I need to see results fast. Whenever I wake up with particularly swollen or puffy eyes—usually after a late night at my laptop or a few too many glasses of wine—a pre-chilled under-eye patch is the first thing I reach for, and they never fail in leaving my eyes feeling soothed and refreshed. Top tip: Keeping eye patches cool in the fridge boosts their soothing, cooling benefits tenfold.
Delivering a hefty dose of hydrating and active ingredients to the eye area, a good under-eye patch can make a big difference in just 10-20 minutes. Dry skin, dark circles, crow's feet, and puffiness are just a few of the concerns that can be addressed with the right combination of ingredients. The likes of hyaluronic acid, caffeine, and niacinamide are popular choices due to their brightening and hydrating benefits.
There's also been some really impressive innovation within this product category recently, with many brands switching to reusable and recyclable materials, while others have experimented with different patch shapes in order to target the wider eye area—great for those concerned with fine lines and wrinkles.
Under-eye patches may not be a typical step in my daily skincare routine, but as someone who frequently wakes up with tired and puffy eyes, you'll always find a tub or a few sachets of them stashed in my fridge alongside the oat milk. Over the years, I've tried many an eye mask in my attempts to figure out the best (and fastest) way to brighten, hydrate, and depuff my eyes, so below I've rounded up my top-rated options.
1. Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Hydra-Gel Eye Patches
Ask any makeup artist what eye masks they use to prep skin for makeup application and chances are it will be these ones, which have something of a cult status within the beauty community. They're saturated in a hydrating serum, packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and collagen.
2. Dieux Skin Forever Eye Masks
Using fewer single-use products is high on my agenda, so the fact that these eye patches are multi-use was a major selling point for me. They're designed to be used with your own eye serum or cream—they seal the product in to improve absorption—and can be used time and time again without losing their sticking power. Simply use, rinse, store, and repeat.
3. Peace Out Puffy Eyes
In addition to hydrating dry under eyes with a hyaluronic acid blend, these biocellulose patches are soaked in a caffeine serum, which helps to relieve the water retention that can make under eyes look puffy. I use them while drinking my morning coffee for the ultimate wake up call.
4. Garnier Anti-Fatigue Jelly Eye Patches
If, like me, you're prone to waking up with eyes that feel hot and itchy, these ultra-cooling eye patches work using an innovative technology which reduces skin's temperature to -7C. They're instantly cooling and refreshing, and what's more, they're affordable and made with compostable material.
5. Beauty Pie Depuffing Under-Eye Gel Pads
If you're looking for under-eye patches that provide "anti-ageing" benefits in addition to hydrating and depuffing your eyes, these are a dream for targeting fine lines and crow's feet. The lightweight gel pads are pre-soaked in a serum that contains brightening niacinamide and peptides.
6. Patchology Restoring Night Eye Gels
I typically use under-eye patches in my morning skincare routine, but if my eyes are feeling tired after a long day or lots of screen time, then these are my go-tos. They're soaked a serum that contains retinol, arnica, peptides, and squalane—even when the patches are removed, the serum remains to work throughout the night.
7. 111 Skin Cryo De-Puffing Eye Mask
I have a stash of these in my fridge for when I need to depuff my eyes fast—truly nothing works quicker. True to their name, they have an instantly cooling sensation once applied, which feels amazing when the eye area is particularly puffy and swollen. I always find that the sachet is full of serum, which I like to keep in the fridge and use on my eyes for a few days afterwards.
8. Révive Masque Des Yeux Instant De-Puffing Gel Eye Mask
What I really love about these eye masks is that they cover the entire eye area, not just the under-eyes. Made from hydrogel and drenched in a blend of peptides and antioxidants, they help to nourish and firm the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and crow's feet.
9. Lush Cucumber Eye Pads
harnessing natural ingredients is the cornerstone of Lush's beauty philosophy, so I wasn't surprised to learn that these patches are made not from plastic, but from a purée of cucumber and seaweed. They're basically an elevated alternative to placing cucumber slices on your eyes—and trust me, it feels so good. Plus, they target the full eye area, not just the under-eyes, so they're perfect for targeting dry lids.
10. Talika Eye Therapy Patch
These reusable under-eye patches sit like little pillows beneath the eyes, infusing dry skin with a nourishing blend of shea butter and ceramides. If your eye area is the first to shown signs of dryness when the weather is cold or you're using active ingredients like retinoids or acids, these are great for soothing sensitivity and restoring the skin barrier.
11. Rodial Dragon's Blood Jelly Eye Patches
These masks are thin and Rodial does not scrimp on the serum, which means they're slippery and not the easiest under-eye patches to apply. However, they really are worth the faff. Once removed, skin appears noticeably brighter, smoother, and plumped with moisture.
12. Topicals Faded Under Eye Masks
If you struggle with under-eye patches sliding off during use, try these Topicals ones, which literally stick to your skin. They're specifically designed to brighten dark circles and address long-term hyperpigmentation, so are packed with powerful active ingredients like niacinamide, odic acid, tranexamic acid, and alpha arbutin.
13. Loops Under Eye Mask
Described by the brand as 'like a multi-vitamin for the eye area', these jelly-esque masks tick all of the boxes. Thanks to ingredients like retinol, niacinamide, glycerin, and pearl extract, they hydrate, brighten, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and depuff under-eyes.
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