Lucy Abbersteen
As with most skincare categories, eye creams, balms and serums can address myriad skin concerns; the best eye creams for wrinkles, specifically, will work to reduce the look of fine lines and crow’s feet, while caring for the delicate skin around the eye.
Picking the best eye cream is important because the skin here is three times thinner than the rest of the face and as our collagen levels decline, crow’s feet and wrinkles can form. As our eyes are so expressive, this area is more susceptible to creasing due to the repetitive movements. “Dynamic wrinkles around the eyes form when you move, such as smiling, which is when you can see crow’s feet,” explains Dr Sonia Khorana, a cosmetic doctor and GP with a special interest in dermatology. “These dynamic wrinkles can become static wrinkles over time due to the natural ageing process and environmental factors, like sun exposure.”
As for the age-old question, is eye cream necessary? It may seem like just another step, but great skincare routines often include eye cream. They have been specifically formulated to treat this delicate area and, unlike the best face moisturisers, contain gentle concentrations of ingredients with lightweight textures that won’t cause puffiness or trigger milia.
The trickier part is finding your perfect formula, but that's where this guide comes in. After testing many, many formulas, we've reviewed nine of the best eye creams for wrinkles ahead – every product here is handpicked and guaranteed to plump and hydrate skin.
The best eye creams for wrinkles, reviewed our beauty team
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £56 for 15ml for | Key ingredients: Tripeptide-32, hyaluronic acid
You've probably heard of Estée Lauder's iconic Advanced Night Repair serum – you may well already use it – and this little pot of gold is powered by the same exclusive, patented peptide (Tripeptide-32), which supports the skin’s circadian rhythm, protecting by day and repairing at night.
Alongside this power peptide, you've also got hyaluronic acid, which delivers a 72-hour skin-drenching effect. This combination targets any eye concern you may have, from dark circles and puffiness to crow's feet and protection against environmental aggressors. After days of not sleeping following a delightful double wisdom tooth extraction, this eye cream saved me from looking like a total zombie. In fact, my eyes looked brighter and less fatigued after just a few days, which is a real testament to this cream.
It's designed to be used both day and night, which, as somebody with very little dressing table real estate, is very appealing. Happily, the silky gel-cream consistency is so light and fast-absorbing it plays really nicely with makeup, never pilling under foundation.
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Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £33.50 for 15ml | Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, niacinamide, caffeine
Formulated with sensitive skin in mind, this serum is fragrance-free and tested under ophthalmological control. Hydration is the name of the game here. Hyaluronic acid re-plumps fine dehydration lines almost instantly, while vitamin B5 helps to bolster the skin barrier function just one hour after application. A healthy skin barrier means your skin is better able to hold on to moisture so the eye contour stays nice and plump.
4% Niacinamide and caffeine make the serum doubly effective against eye bags, improving dark circles and decongesting puffy eyes. The de-puffing results are enhanced by a steel ball applicator, which is used to massage the serum around the eye. It's immediately cooling and the act of massaging the eye will go a little way to taking down trapped fluid under the eye. Go easy on how much you squeeze out around the eye – I found that applying too much left a slight film across my skin. Not a problem before bed, but it doesn't sit very nicely under makeup. My skin definitely feels a little firmer since using this and looks less like I'm running on no sleep.
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Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £89 for 15ml | Key ingredients: Retinoid complex, cotton wool grass extract, marine kelp complex
Murad's retinol eye serum is one of the pricier picks in our edit, but there's a lot to justify its hefty price tag. The benefits of retinol eye cream are well-documented – it stimulates collagen and elastin production, leading to firmer, more even-toned skin. However, the potential side effects are also infamous; if too high a concentration is used too soon, dryness and redness are common – neither of which is appealing for the delicate skin around the eye. Murad's retinol complex – a fast-acting retinoid, a time-released retinol and a retinol booster – works to increase efficacy while minimising potential irritation. Hydrating cotton wool grass extract and a firming marine kelp complex also work to soften lines.
Thanks to its gel-like texture, a little goes a long way, so the bottle will last ages. The teeniest drop spread around my eyes effortlessly and melted into my skin well. Retinoids like this should only be used in the evening, but I found it soaks in so well that I could hit the hay soon after without worrying about smearing the spendy serum over my pillowcase. I did experience mild tingling the first couple of days of applying this, but it wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest; my skin seemed to acclimate within a few days of use. I do think my eyes look fresher thanks to this; they're not so puffy (my current bugbear) while the lines don't glare back at me quite so much in the mirror.
Reasons to buy: You want something potent with a lightweight texture
Reasons to avoid: Quite an investment to buy and repurchase
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £54 for 15ml for | Key ingredients: Beta-glucan, fermented roselle extract, heart leaf extract, jujuba fruit extract
Given that my eye issues are not limited to wrinkles, I appreciate a product that tackles multiple concerns at once. I'd say Shiseido Eye Concentrate is the "wash and go" of eye creams, addressing dark circles, puffiness, dry skin, fine lines, and even damaged eyelashes. The silky serum is so light, it can be applied all over the eye, including across the eyelid.
20 years of research have gone into studying microcirculation and skin immunity to create this formula. The former is crucial to dispelling dark circles and puffiness. The latter helps make the skin more resilient against signs of ageing so the eye area looks stronger, radiant, and more awake. The fruits of this labor are clear to see. In clinical testing, dark circles, puffiness and fine lines were visibly diminished after just one week. It's been about the same amount of time for me and I can definitely say my wrinkles and eye bags look less obvious.
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Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £38 for 15ml | Key ingredients: Niacinamide, vitamin E
Niacinamide is a form of Vitamin B3, revered for its ability to fade hyperpigmentation, and in this case, dark circles. It's also been shown to make significant improvements to fine lines and wrinkles. Olay has plenty of know-how when it comes to niacinamide, with over 25 years’ of expertise in championing this ingredient in its products, so I expected big things from this eye cream.
In tandem with niacinamide is vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect the skin against the damage caused by free radicals – nasty, skin-ageing molecules that develop from environmental aggressors like UV exposure, pollution and smoking. This ingredient also happens to be very hydrating. If you see little lines cropping up around the eye when your skin feels a little parched, take it from me that this is going to sort you out. Olay says the eye area should appear visibly smoother and renewed after 14 days; in my experience it certainly has a nice, quenching texture, and melts around the eye, which I found yielded some superficial wrinkle-smoothing.
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Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £105 for 15ml | Key ingredients: Peptides, glycerrhetinic acid
Yes, this is very expensive for a small pot of eye cream, but it's got the goods to back it up. Like many of the best eye creams for wrinkles on this list, it addresses multiple ageing concerns, from dark circles and puffiness to lines and crow's feet. The cream tackles these outward symptoms through the prism of glycation – when excess sugar molecules bind to collagen and elastin fibers. The formula is enriched with blueberry extract and proxylane to protect collagen and elastin fibres from damage so crow's feet look softer, and dark circles less visible.
If you find your eyes look tired, puffy, and a little bit crinkly, this is a dream cream. There are optical diffusers that subtly perk up under-eye shadows within seconds, and the rich texture immediately plumps out little wrinkles around the eyes. Although the cream is thicker and more solid than others on this list, it melts into the skin and disappears with an even texture that makes an ideal base for makeup. I find my eyes look well-rested whenever I use this.
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Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £53 for 15ml | Key ingredients: CL1870 peptide complex, sigesbeckia orientalis extract, hyaluronic acid
This smart eye cream targets fine lines and dry eyes with two superstar ingredients. First, there are peptides. These messaging molecules "talk" to skin cells to get them to go into repair mode, boosting collagen to target multiple issues such as crow’s feet, puffiness and dark circles.
The second is hyaluronic acid. As we get older, our skin becomes drier, so an eye cream with hyaluronic acid is ideal for locking in moisture and plumping up the skin, which in turn decreases wrinkle depth. Refreshing and almost cooling to apply with a luxurious feel, this cream may be too heavy for some, but I found it sinks in nice and quickly without flaking or pilling under makeup. It's also designed to be used both day and night, so you don't have to splurge on a separate eye cream for your skincare night routine – something else I appreciated. The real wrinkle-reducing results are likely to show up after a good few weeks' use but, so far, my delicate eye-area definitely seems smoother and less fragile.
Reasons to buy: You want something hydrating that targets fine lines
Reasons to avoid: May be too heavy for some preferences and skin types
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £102 for 20ml | Key ingredients: Tensing polyfermented honey
I can't promise you a full night's sleep, but this serum tries its darndest to make you look as if you've had one. A true sweet treat for the eyes, the dual serum champions the youth-enhancing effects of honey to ) boost radiance and correct dark circles, and B) lift, re-sculpt, and smooth the eye contour area. It even helps to strengthen eyelashes, making them appear denser at the root.
For me, it was like a shot of espresso in eye serum form, immediately reviving my tired eyes, making everything look brighter, and for the first time in I-can't-remember-when, somewhat alive. You apply it across the entire eye area, which includes the eye contour, eyelids, and even eyelashes, in the morning and in the evening. After a few days, I noticed my dark circles looked clearer, and my under-eyes smoother and less swollen. Tick. Tick. Tensing polyfermented honey delivers a tightening action on wrinkles that I'm yet to see evidence of in the mirror, but I have every faith that this is going to continue to make my crinkly eyes look less haggard.
Reasons to buy: You want something that quickly perks up tired eyes
Reasons to avoid: You don't have a three-figure budget
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
RRP: £45 for 15ml | Key ingredients: Vitamin C, retinol, ceramides
If you want to tackle deep wrinkles around the eye by going in with all guns blazing, that means calling on retinol. This wonder ingredient goes deep into the skin and works at a cellular level to increase elastin and collagen production, strengthen the delicate skin around the eye and smooth out wrinkles. This eye cream's secret sauce also includes ceramides, which make up the skin's outer layers and helps it hold on to water, as well as four types of vitamin C to brighten the eye area.
Formulated with a modest amount of vitamin A (0.01% retinol to be precise), it's a good entryway into retinol, and shouldn't cause irritation around the eyes. Still, if you have sensitive skin, it's a good idea to start slowly. Use it once a week for the first week, twice for the second, and so on, upping the frequency as long as your skin is happy. My skin took to it really well, and my eye contour does feel a little tighter, with my fine lines and wrinkles noticeably softening over time.
Reasons to buy: Active-heavy formula
Reasons to avoid: May be irritating to very sensitive skin
How we tested the best eye creams for wrinkles
A selection of the eye creams tested by our beauty editor
I have a natural advantage when it comes to testing the best eye cream for wrinkles because I have a plethora of lines around my eyes, from general crepiness to crinkly crow’s feet. Needless to say, I’m looking for creams that actually make a difference to the appearance of wrinkles (puffiness and dark circles would be nice, too), rather than just offering a temporary plumping effect with a fleeting surge of moisture. As well as how well I found each cream to reduce the look of wrinkles, all of the following factors were taken into account in my reviews.
- Price: Eye creams are notoriously expensive, having to pack in active ingredients while. However, value for money in line with a cream's advanced technical abilities was key.
- Packaging: As well as making for an easy-to-dispense cream, it didn't hurt for the packaging to look the part, too.
- Formula: Ingredients like retinol, peptides, and niacinamide were all top of my eye cream wishlist, for their "anti-ageing" benefits.
- Texture and feel: Needed to absorb well and not feel heavy or greasy. Would it sit on my skin and get lost in my pillow at night, or pill under makeup in the morning?
I tested the creams for weeks, assessing the effect each one had on fine lines, wrinkles, and overall firmness of the eye area. Some of can be used am and pm, others (owing to their sun-sensitive ingredients) only at night, with the selection covering a range of mid-to-luxe price points.
Which creams are best for wrinkles around the eyes?
Finding the best eye cream for wrinkles takes some research and strategy. First, weigh up the packaging. While many eye creams come in jars, they are less hygienic than tubes, given that you need to repeatedly dip your finger into the cream. Not only that, choosing a tube or air-tight pump bottle also reduces exposure to air, which could cause certain ingredients to deteriorate.
The next thing to consider is the ingredients. Seek out soothing skincare ingredients that hydrate and strengthen the skin's natural barrier. Not only will this soften the appearance of existing fine lines, but also make skin less susceptible to developing more wrinkles in the future. Here are a few ingredients to look out for, as recommended by Dr Sophie Shotter, award-winning aesthetic doctor and founder of the Illuminate Skin Clinic.
- Retinol: “The anti-aging powerhouse responsible for stimulating the fibroblasts to produce more of the skin’s essential proteins, resulting in firmer, smoother skin.”
- Vitamin C: “Essential for collagen production within the skin: it is impossible for your skin to make collagen without vitamin C, which is why a topical eye cream containing this ingredient is very helpful.”
- Ceramides: “Dehydrated or dry skin can make wrinkles appear deeper; ceramides work to lock moisture into the skin, plumping it up and minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.”
- Hyaluronic acid: “A powerful skin hydrator, this also helps to activate the fibroblast cells to produce more endogenous hyaluronic acid as well as collagen.”
Can eye cream get rid of wrinkles?
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you're expecting miracles from your eye cream, you should probably lower your expectations. "No skincare product can magically erase deep-etched wrinkles," says Heather Wish, UK Education Manager for Paula's Choice, "but what a great eye cream product can do is hydrate, nourish, and smooth skin texture, diminish the look of fine lines, brighten, ease puffiness, and support skin's underlying structure."
"Products that utilise a mixture of antioxidants (green tea, vitamin C, liquorice), skin-repairing ingredients (retinol, peptides, niacinamide) and skin-replenishing ingredients (ceramides, hyaluronic acid glycerin), plus sunscreen will go a long way to keep your skin looking youthful," she says.
The most important takeaway is to protect your skin, Wish stresses. "Everything you’re doing to take care of your skin won’t matter if you let the sun’s rays undo it," she says. "Sunscreen is the number one anti-wrinkle product that most people neglect – you may not see the repercussions now, but you will later." Most sunscreens are absolutely fine to apply around the eye but as the skin here is more delicate, mineral formulas, made with zinc or titanium dioxide, are usually the best sunscreens for sensitive skin, and won't sting your eyes.
How to apply the best eye cream for wrinkles
When it comes to smoothing out wrinkles in the eye area, half the battle is how you apply your cream. "The most important thing is to make sure you have a light touch so that you don’t pull or tug at the skin," explains Wish. "If you see your skin move, you’re causing it to sag sooner, which is why applying eye creams gently is so crucial for the delicate eye area skin.
"A lot of people recommend using your ring finger because it naturally exerts less pressure, but it really doesn’t matter, as long as you do a gentle patting motion instead of aggressively rubbing," she adds. Apply a grain of rice-sized amount for both eyes after your facial serum(s) and before your best face moisturiser.
Our expert panel
Stephanie is an experienced beauty editor who works across Future's women's titles, including woman&home. As an experienced beauty ed, she has tried dozens of eye creams over the years and revisited a selection (as well as testing some newbies) for this guide.
Dr Sonia Khorana is a GP and cosmetic doctor with a special interest in dermatology, who delivers aesthetic treatments from the Kat & Co and MediZen clinics in Birmingham. With her expertise in skin and skin treatments, she knows what makes a good eye cream that targets fine lines and wrinkles.
Dr Sophie Shotter is an aesthetic doctor and the founder of Illuminate Skin Clinic. She also practises on Harley Street. As a leading skin treatment specialist, Dr Shotter knows which topical creams and skincare ingredients work well on this delicate area.
Heather Wish is the UK education manager for skincare brand Paula's Choice, the name behind one of the eye creams featured in this guide. Heather's background means she was well placed to explain some of the key ingredients that go into effective eye creams for wrinkles.