Skin type it’s best for: mature skin | Key ingredients: retinol, panthenol, vitamin C, vitamin E | Fragrance-free: yes
Frequently Asked Questions
Does eye-tightening cream work?
Surprisingly, yes, but some have temporary skin-smoothing effects while others minimize the look of fine lines, sagging, and wrinkles over time with consistent use. Certain skin-care ingredients, like silicates, can have an instantly tightening effect on the under-eye area, as Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, mentions to Allure. Another way they work their magic is by adding hydration to the eye area. “When the skin is more visibly hydrated, it looks tighter,” Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hackensack, New Jersey, explains.
Collagen-stimulating ingredients, such as peptides, retinol, and vitamin C, help firm and tighten the delicate skin around your eyes, too, with consistent use. Keep in mind that eye-tightening creams won’t give you the same undereyes you had the day you were born, though. They can, however, effectively help diminish the appearance of fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness under your eyes.
How to apply eye cream
Dermatologists typically recommend gently tapping eye cream onto your eye area with your ring finger. It places the least amount of pressure on the delicate skin and is less likely to tug at it.
Do you use eye cream or serum first?
Serum should be applied before eye cream. A general guideline experts suggest: Layer your skin-care products from thinnest to thickest consistency.
When to apply eye cream
Firming eye cream can be a part of your morning and nighttime skin-care routines. The only caveat: Eye creams formulated with retinol should only be used at night. (In the morning, you can reach for an eye cream with SPF.)
Meet the experts
- Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Ocean Springs, Mississippi
- Mona Mislankar, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Javon Ford, a Los Angeles-based cosmetic chemist
- Kunal Malik, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at New York City’s Spring Street Dermatology
- Donna Hart, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas
- Quynh-Giao Sartor, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Houston, Texas
- Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York
- David Li, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Boston, Massachusets
- Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hackensack, New Jersey
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.