Just A Big List Of Expert Eye Care Tips: Nix Dark Circles, Grow Lashes & More

For such a small amount of facial real estate, the eyes dominate quite the significant chunk of beauty conversation. I'd argue it's because the eye area is essentially a microcosm of just about every beauty concern out there. Discoloration? Hello, dark circles. Fine lines? Yep, and crow’s feet, too. Even hair growth gripes (like shedding and brittleness) make their way into the discussion—eyelashes are tiny hairs, after all.  

Given the many intricacies of the eyes, it can be difficult to compile every single eye care tip into one scannable field guide. Difficult, yes, but not impossible! Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about caring for the eyes—from under-eye wrinkles to dark circles to puffiness, lash growth, and more. 

The skin around your eyes is the thinnest, most sensitive region of your entire face. Because the epidermis is so thin, the skin under your eyes is a lot more sensitive to sun damage, pollution, and oxidative stress. Your skin already thins with age (thanks to a loss of collagen), but the area around your eyes is usually the first to sag. 

Your eyes also emote quite a bit throughout your lifetime, making the area a vulnerable spot for fine lines. That’s not to say you should never squint or laugh again, but constantly contracting those muscles can create wrinkles over time; it’s another reason why the area tends to be first to show fine lines with age. 

And because the skin is so thin and delicate, it can easily dry out, crease, or swell after a late night, bout of poor sleep, or uptick in stress. They say the eyes are windows to the soul—in skin care, their brightness (or lack thereof) can offer a peek into your overall health. 

Whether you use a proper eye cream or simply tap some moisturizer onto the area, you need to give the eye area some extra T.L.C. Depending on your specific skin care goal—be it puffiness, dark circles, fine lines, etc.—you may reach for a slightly different formula (don’t worry; we’ll offer recommendations below), but antioxidants, humectants, and peptides are generally A+ players. 

No matter which targeted product you use, consider this your sign to start hydrating the fragile skin. 

2.

Protect from free radicals. 

When free radicals come in contact with the skin (via air pollution, smoking, UV exposure, etc.), they put it into a state of oxidative stress. Over time, this can actually speed up the skin aging process1, triggering concerns like dark spots, fine lines, and sagging. And because the skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most fragile region of your whole face, you might notice those changes sooner than others. 

All that to say: Do your best to protect the skin from those free radicals. Some aggressors, like air pollution, are simply out of your control, but there are ways you can fend off that oxidative stress. Stop smoking if you currently are, use SPF (more on that in a minute), and make sure you have plenty of antioxidants in your skin care line-up. 

3.

Find the right topicals. 

4.

Take care of your lashes. 

Told you we’d come back to SPF! Up to 80% of the signs of skin aging3 are due to UV damage, and since the eyes are already so susceptible to accelerated aging, that damage can show up pretty quickly. 

"In addition to protecting the skin of your face with SPF, it is important not to forget the eyelid skin and other sensitive areas," double board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, M.D., says about eye wrinkle treatments. Either find an eye cream that includes SPF, or tap your regular sunscreen underneath and around the eyes. Just make sure to strategically apply the lotion and avoid touching the orbs themselves, lest you face any stinging or irritation.

7.

Promote collagen production.

The 8 best products to try.

Best for fine lines: Origins Plantscription Wrinkle Correction Eye Cream With Encapsulated Retinol

Pros

Gently brightens & smooths fine linesThick formula that’s great for nighttime hydration

Cons

Doesn’t come with a spoon or spatula

Key ingredients: AnogeissusEncapsulated retinolNiacinamideCaffeineHyaluronic acid

Price: $58

Retinol is your best bet for easing fine lines, but this antioxidant-rich formula uses encapsulated retinol to ensure it remains gentle enough for those under-eyes. Plus, the soothing oils and butters (cocoa seed butter and sunflower seed oil, to name a couple) buffer the active so you’re left only with bright, firm, silky-smooth peepers. In fact, after 142 women tested the product twice a day for 4 weeks, 89% of them said their eye area looked more youthful. 

Best for puffiness: ILIA Bright Start Retinol Alternative Eye Cream

Pros

Eases fine lines & puffinessSmooth applicationFragrance-free

Cons

Ceramic tip can be difficult to sanitize

Key ingredients: CaffeineSea fennel extractAvocado extractPeptides

Price: $46

This silky formula includes sea fennel extract (which is often touted as a natural retinol alternative), upcycled avocado extract, caffeine, and peptides to smooth and refresh tired, sallow under-eyes. Not to mention, it features light-reflecting pearl pigments to provide some instant brightness. Caffeine itself is great for reducing puffiness, but this eye cream also comes with a cooling ceramic tip—when you glide the applicator around your eyes, it doubles as a de-puffing tool. 

Best for dark circles: Kinship Brightwave

Pros

Doubles as a color correctorCooling & whipped, creamy texture

Cons

Doesn’t come with an applicator

Key ingredients: Vitamin CRed algaeChaga mushroomSea buckthorn berry

Price: $35

This creamy formula is filled with ingredients known for their brightening, anti-inflammatory benefits. Of course, you’ll find vitamin C esters to even discoloration, but you’ll also discover red algae to attract hydration and chaga mushroom to provide de-puffing, energizing properties.

Plus, the orange-peachy hue (derived from sea buckthorn berry) helps cancel out unwanted blue tones, so it functions like a color corrector. It’s also fragrance-free, which means you won’t irritate the sensitive eye area with any essential oils or perfumes. 

Best for dryness: Savor Beauty Caviar Eye Cream

Pros

Comes with a spatula applicatorSuper hydratingRich whipped texture

Cons

Contains essential oils, if you’re sensitive to those

Key ingredients: CaffeineWhite truffle extractCaviar extractCoQ10

Price: $68

I have super dry under-eyes, and this is one of the only creams that delivers lasting hydration. I suspect it has to do with the caviar and white truffle extracts—aside from just sounding fancy, both ingredients feed the skin barrier with nourishing fatty acids. There’s also CoQ10 to support collagen production and caffeine to bright dark circles. And even though it does contain essential oils, I don’t notice any lingering fragrance, only supple moisturized under-eyes. 

Best under-eye patches: Three Ships Beauty Brighter Days Red Algae + Avocado Biodegradable Eye Masks

Pros

100% biodegradableBudget-friendlyVery brightening & hydrating

Cons

Can be slippery on the skin

Key ingredients: Avocado extractRed algaeGlycerinAllantoin

Price: $29

I cannot get enough of these brightening eye patches—good thing the jar comes with 30 pairs, right? The hydrating serum contains glycerin and red algae extract to attract moisture, allantoin to soothe and reduce inflammation, and upcycled avocado extract to deliver conditioning fatty acids. And like the name suggests, these eye patches are 100% biodegradable: Pop them in warm-hot water for 10 minutes so they can dissolve, then you can pour the remaining liquid down the drain. It really works!

Best lash serum: twenty/twenty beauty Get Growing Lash & Brow Serum

Pros

Simple 3-ingredient formulaFormulated by an eye doctorVery conditioning

Cons

You need your own brush or cotton swab to apply

Key ingredients: Castor oilArgan oilCoconut oil

Price: $52

This lash growth serum was formulated by Hilal-Campo herself, so you know it’s oh-so easy on the eyes. With castor oil (known for its lash-enhancing abilities), argan oil, and coconut oil, it strengthens and conditions lashes with absolutely zero irritation. No fragrance, no alcohol, and no uncomfortable side effects. 

Best tool: True Botanicals De-Puff Under Eye Roller

Pros

Easy to cleanCan use with any serum or creamSmall enough to reach precise areas

Cons

Some reviewers note the roller can get stuck

Key ingredients: Stainless steel

Price: $38

To help your serums and eye creams sink into the skin, use this adorable roller tool. (It’s also a great addition to the eye creams above that don’t come with their own applicator.) The stainless steel material always stays cool so you can de-puff the eye area, and the natural weight helps stimulate circulation and move stagnant fluid. The result? Toned, bright, fresh under-eyes. 

Best makeup remover: Renée Rouleau Soothing Eye Makeup Remover

Pros

Very gentleBig bottleFragrance-free

Cons

Very thin consistency, so you may need a lot of product with each use

Key ingredients: Polysorbate 20Cocamidopropyl betaine

Price: $34.50

You need to take off your makeup at the end of the day, but that doesn’t mean you must succumb to red, bleary, stinging eyes. This oil-free remover from famed esthetician Renée Rouleau melts away stubborn makeup (even waterproof mascara) without blurring your vision or leaving behind a greasy residue. The light, watery formula has a pH level of 7.5 which is similar to the pH of your own tears (tear fluid has a pH range of was 6.5 to 7.6), so it’s especially comforting on the orbs.