Our Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles

Your eyes are not only the first thing people notice about you, they’re also one of the most vulnerable parts of your body. As we get older, we produce less collagen – an important building block of the skin – and our skin begins to thin and lose elasticity, so it is more prone to signs of ageing such as wrinkles. Around your eyes, the skin is already very thin though, so fine lines can form here first. Dynamic wrinkles caused by facial movements such as squinting and smiling can also appear here such as crow’s feet. 

With more needs, your eyes need more attention and eye products with the right ingredients. 

What to look for in an eye cream 

1. Skin type

Just like your cleanser, moisturiser and toner, your eye cream is formulated to tackle your skin’s specific needs. If dark circles are your biggest bugbear, look for vitamin C-rich creams that will brighten your under-eye area and formulas that feature tone-evening niacinamide. Those with dry skin should gently dab on rich nourishing creams that hydrate, especially as your delicate eye area is where your skin is thinnest and has the least elasticity and moisture. Those with mature skin may find anti-wrinkle creams help to minimise the appearance of crow’s feet and fine lines, too. 

2. Ingredients 

Retinol 

When it comes to anti-ageing ingredients, retinol, which is a form of vitamin A, usually tops the list for its regenerating properties. A staple in many night-time routines, it helps to stimulate collagen production and cell turnover for a smoother, plumper appearance. It’s important to always follow with a layer of SPF the following day though as it can make your skin more susceptible to sun damage. 

Caffeine 

Caffeine isn’t just effective at making your mind feel more awake, it can help your eyes look more awake too. As an anti-inflammatory, it can help to reduce the appearance of puffiness. 

Hyaluronic acid 

Hyaluronic acid is naturally produced in the body and makes up part of your skin’s framework. It’s a powerhouse humectant that can hold onto water (up to 1,000 times its weight in water, to be precise) to give your skin its plump and hydrated appearance. Just like with collagen, our bodies start to produce less hyaluronic acid as we age, and wrinkles can start to appear. Topical hyaluronic acid serums and creams can help to keep your levels topped up, replenish your skin, and make wrinkles less noticeable. 

Amino acids 

Amino acids perform essential functions in your body. At a skin level, these include promoting cellar repair, keeping skin hydrated and providing antioxidant protection from harmful substances. 

Vitamin C 

A potent antioxidant, vitamin C can also help to stimulate and maintain your body’s natural collagen production while providing antioxidant protection from free radical damage. When applied topically to the skin, it can not only encourage a brighter, plumper complexion, but prevent environmental stressors such as UV exposure from damaging the cells responsible for skin elasticity and collagen production. 

Niacinamide 

A much-loved multitasker, niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that can benefit every skin type. Its list of benefits includes pretty much everything you would want in your daily skincare routine too – it can improve hydration, even out skin tone, reduce inflammation, redness, and signs of ageing. It can also strengthen your skin’s natural barrier, stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid production and protect from environmental damage. 

Peptides 

Peptides are strings of amino acids that form proteins in the skin such as collagen, elastin and keratin. Incorporating peptides into your skincare routine can therefore help to stimulate collagen production, and replenish your depleting levels to target signs of ageing and leave your skin looking plumper and younger. 

Ferulic acid 

While it doesn’t repair existing skin damage, ferulic acid is a powerful antioxidant that acts as a protective shield to protect from further free radical damage from pollution and radiation. These can lead to wrinkles, loss of firmness and sunspots forming. 

Collagen 

Collagen makes up as much as 80% of the skin’s structural protein, but from your mid-20s your body starts to produce less. Daily hydrolyzed collagen supplements can help to top up your collagen stores to improve your skin’s elasticity and hydration, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. 

3. Formula 

As your delicate eye area can be sensitive and prone to dryness, especially in the colder months, fast-absorbing, moisture-boosting creams are usually best for this area, and gentle enough to use on a daily basis. To target different concerns – for example, tired eyes in the morning and wrinkles at night – you can also use different eye creams in your morning and evening routines. Antioxidants can help to protect from free radical damage from sun exposure and radiation during the day, while richer, more heavy-duty night creams can flood the area with moisture for a more comfortable night’s sleep and smoother, rested look on waking. 

4. Skincare routine 

As your under-eye area is sensitive, you’ll want to keep it clear of any impurities that can cause irritation with a gentle cleanser. Following the rule that you should apply your products from the thinnest to the thickest, lightweight eye creams should be applied next before thicker, heavier moisturisers. Heavy-duty eye creams, however, can go on top of more lightweight moisturising creams. To get the most skin-replenishing benefits from your eye cream, you may find it helps to apply it while your skin is damp to help lock in hydration. Don’t forget to include your eye cream in your pre-bedtime skincare routine too, and also don’t forget to apply SPF daily to keep your skin protected from UV rays that can cause premature ageing. 

Our best eye cream for wrinkles 

How to apply eye cream the right way 

1. Apply the eye cream on clean and dry skin 

Without cleansing, your skin could accumulate dirt, oil and bacteria and prevent your skincare and all its active ingredients from penetrating deeper. Using a gentle cleanser can help to clear your skin’s surface and pores to make them more receptive to the eye creams and serums that follow. As the best way to apply your eye cream is with your fingers, make sure your hands are also clean before you reach for your eye cream. You don’t want to transfer any unwanted nasties to this delicate area. 

2. Use a pea-sized amount 

Small but mighty, eye creams are potent formulas packed with active ingredients, so you don’t need to lather on lots. Always read the instructions of the specific product you’re using, but generally, a pea-sized amount of eye cream should make a difference. 

3. Apply the product using tapping or pressing movements 

As the eye area is fragile, you don’t want to irritate or stretch the skin by rubbing or pulling it. Instead, dab your eye cream on with your ring finger, which is your weakest and therefore will put the least amount of pressure on the skin. Starting at the inner corner underneath your eye and moving outwards, apply small dots of cream up to your brow bone, gently tapping the area to stimulate circulate and encourage absorption. Unless your product advises you to, do not apply cream on or near your eyelids to avoid irritation. 

4. Consider your skincare routine 

In addition to applying eye cream to cleansed skin, you’ll want to follow it with a layer of lightweight moisturiser to help soothe and hydrate skin. Nourishing ingredients to look out for include hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Sunscreen should also be the essential final step of any daytime skincare routine, regardless of your skin type. Make sure to apply it 15 minutes before you go outside and reapply every two hours if you’re staying in the sun. Look for a high-factor, broad-spectrum SPF to prevent sunburn and more signs of ageing, such as fine lines, from forming. To take advantage of your skin’s overnight recovery mode when it gets to work to repair and replenish itself, follow your eye cream with a layer of nourishing night cream before bed. It will help to top up your moisture levels and support cell renewal. 

FAQs

Can retinol make eye wrinkles worse? 

Retinol’s anti-ageing benefits are widely known. When applied at night, this powerhouse ingredient can encourage a smoother, more even and glowing complexion in the morning. Its potency can however come at a price – it can irritate some skin types, in particular sensitive skin and also the delicate skin under your eyes. If your skin is sensitive in this area, start slow and build up your tolerance gradually. Also apply a moisturiser first to combat retinol’s drying effect. Waiting 30 minutes after cleansing to apply your retinol cream or serum can also help to limit irritation. Follow the morning after with a layer of sunscreen – retinol can encourage sun sensitivity. 

How can I tighten the skin under my eyes? 

Sadly, loose skin under your eyes can be caused by a number of things you can’t control, such as your genetics and simply getting older. How much time you spend in the sun can also play a part. To keep your skin looking tight even when your collagen and elastin levels are on the decline, look for eye creams packed with ingredients such as retinol and vitamin C. Never leave home without applying a layer of SPF either. 

How do you get rid of upper eyelid wrinkles? 

Targeting the muscles that maintain your upper eyelids with tightening exercises can help to make folds less noticeable. Use a face ball to help lift the skin. Be careful when removing your eye makeup, too. Use a gentle formula that doesn’t strip the eyelid of natural oils and avoid scrubbing and pulling the skin. 

When should you start using an eye cream? 

The short answer is yesterday. When it comes to incorporating an eye cream into your daily skincare routine, it’s best to start as early as possible. Don’t wait for wrinkles and crow’s feet to form, preventative skincare is your best friend when it comes to delaying signs of ageing. 

How often should you apply eye cream? 

Just as cleansing and moisturising should be part of your morning and evening skincare routines, we recommend applying eye cream twice a day, too. They don’t have to be the same eye cream though. Incorporating different active ingredients into your AM and PM routines can help you to target different skin concerns. In the morning, don't just reach for the caffeine in the kitchen, caffeine-rich eye creams can also help to reinvigorate tired eyes. At night, ingredients such as hyaluronic acid can help to lock in moisture and strengthen your skin barrier. 

Do you put eye cream on your upper eyelids? 

Every eye cream comes with its own instructions, so make sure you always read the bottle before applying yours. There are very few eye products that are designed to be used on your eyelids though. As getting eye cream into your eyelashes can accidentally encourage product to enter your eyes and cause irritation, we’d steer clear of applying any product too close to your lids or lash line. 

Do you put moisturiser on before or after eye cream? 

We know it can be hard to remember what products to use when, but using your skincare products in the wrong order can make them less effective. If you can’t remember all the steps, remember this – apply your products from the thinnest to the thickest. Lightweight serums can penetrate skin deeper when they’re not prevented from doing so by rich, thicker moisturisers. Similarly, your lightweight eye cream will work better when applied before a heavier moisturiser. If your eye cream is heavier than your moisturiser though, dab it on last.