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Byrdie / Sabrina Jiang
Applying eye cream has long been a standard beauty practice for women, but it’s time men think to add it to their daily routine too. If you haven’t started taking care of the delicate skin around the eyes, there’s no time like the present. Eye creams may seem like an indulgence, especially when you see some of their price tags, but dabbing just a bit of eye cream on every day will do wonders for the long-term resilience of that skin, as well as daily concerns such as fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles.
Why does the skin around your eyes need its own cream, you ask? Good question. The skin there is thinner and more delicate than the rest of your face, and eye creams are specifically formulated to address concerns that occur around your eyes. Think — too many late nights, stress, and sun damage. The active ingredients vary depending on what the cream is attempting to target most, but all aim to hydrate and plump the skin. Keep your eye out for all-star ingredients like retinol, peptides, caffeine, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, green tea, vitamins C and E, and even caviar—they’ll all give the impression that you’re well rested, even if you’re far from it.
Ready to look refreshed? (Who isn’t?) Read on for the best eye creams for men.
Best Overall
Youth To The People Superfood Hydrate + Firm Peptide Eye Cream
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Sephora
Contains antioxidants
Good value
Plumps and hydrates skin
Texture can be a little waxy
Youth To The People has a proven track record when it comes to superfood-powered products, and this rich eye cream is no exception. Its proprietary blend is full of antioxidants, with ingredients such as kale, spinach, green tea, alfalfa, and vitamins C, E, and K. They work hard alongside aloe and sunflower oil to make a worth-the-price, 100% vegan product that softens lines and energizes tired-looking eyes. The texture can feel waxy, but it absorbs quickly, plumping and hydrating the precious skin around your eyes. It's also made in the U.S.A. and comes in fully recyclable packaging, checking all the boxes for a truly well-rounded eye cream.
Price at time of publish: $52
Active Ingredients: Kale and spinach extracts | Benefits: Smooths, plumps, and hydrates | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Budget
The Ordinary Caffeine 5% + ECGC Depuffing Eye Serum
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Amazon
Inexpensive
Sinks in fast
Bottle lasts for months
Doesn't address all eye concerns
Budget-friendly brand The Ordinary hit the personal care industry like a lightning bolt back in 2016, and it continues to create affordable, effective products for its loyal following to this day. That includes its depuffing eye serum, which would be a worthy addition to your skincare routine. Its caffeine solution and EGCG eye serum sinks in fast and goes deep to fix the problem in record time, helping to reduce the look of darkness and puffiness. It may not address all eye concerns, and the bottle may look small, but it’ll last you for months. Add to that the vegan formula and recyclable packaging, and you have yourself the best bang for your buck—just $10, a fraction of the price of many eye creams.
Price at time of publish: $10
Active Ingredients: 5% caffeine, green tea catechin | Benefits: Reduces dark circles and puffiness | Size: 1 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
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 Byrdie / Joline Buscemi
What Our Testers Say
"The Ordinary is known for its extremely affordable products, and at $6.70, this eye serum lives up to that reputation." — Joline Buscemi, Product Tester
Best Drugstore
CeraVe Eye Repair Cream
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Target
Not greasy
Sinks in fast
Helps reduce puffiness
A little heavy on the skin
Your delicate eye area needs protection, and this CeraVe formula is here to the rescue. This affordable drugstore favorite aims to help rebuild and maintain the skin barrier from the inside out while keeping the eye area hydrated and bright. Goodbye, puffiness! The cream isn’t greasy (hallelujah) and sinks in fast, though it does feel a little heavy on the skin. Still, it's packed with essential ceramides 1, 3, and 6-II, hyaluronic acid, and a unique marine and botanical complex, and it uses a proprietary MultiVesicular Emulsion to deliver all of this goodness. You can’t ask for much more, especially at this affordable price point.
Price at time of publish: $15
Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides | Benefits: Smooths, plumps, hydrates, reduces puffiness | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Splurge
La Prairie White Caviar Eye Extraordinaire
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La Prairie
Helps improve elasticity
Thick, bouncy texture
Feels cooling on the skin
Expensive
Mo money, mo problems… except, of course, when it comes to the skin around your eyes. The key ingredient to this luxurious La Prairie eye cream—and the reason for its ultra-lavish price tag—is the golden caviar (yes, caviar!) extract found within. Caviar extract is shown to have a number of age-fighting skin benefits. When combined with Lumidose, a proprietary molecule developed by the brand that purportedly brightens the skin, it may help minimize the look of dark spots and dark circles, tighten the skin around the eyes, and overall improve elasticity. It also feels oh-so-good on the skin, with soothing cooling properties. Get the most out of this rich treatment by using the accompanying pearl tool to gently massage the lymphatic system while you apply.
Price at time of publish: $630
Active Ingredients: Caviar extract, peptides | Benefits: Improves elasticity, fades discoloration, reduces dark circles and puffiness | Size: 0.7 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Wrinkles
SkinCeuticals Eye Balm
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Dermstore
Rich texture
Helps firm the under eye area
Intensely hydrating
Contains paraffin
SkinCeuticals has long been a leader in the cosmeceuticals game, endorsed by dermatologists time and time again. So it makes sense that the brand's hero eye complex, A.G.E. (which stands for "advanced glycation end-products"), is a favorite. Its optical diffusers almost instantly lighten dark areas, providing serious hydration and helping to firm the under-eye area. According to the brand, it's also formulated to fight glycation, which is a process that occurs as skin ages and causes cross-hatched lines. We love its rich texture and many of its key ingredients, like nourishing vitamin E, but keep in mind this product does contain paraffin.
Price at time of publish: $90
Active Ingredients: Soy isoflavones, vitamin E | Benefits: Smooths, hydrates, reduces dark circles | Dosage: | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Puffiness
Clark's Botanicals Anti-Puff Eye Cream
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Clark's Botanicals
Feels cooling on the skin
Easy to use
Can be used all over face
Could be more hydrating
Clark’s Botanicals has created something special with its potent anti-puff peeper cream. It aims to energize, hydrate, smooth, and soothe, not only around your eyes but on your entire face, if you prefer. That’s thanks to its hard-working and skin-loving ingredients like caffeine, hyaluronic acid, hexapeptide-11, and jasmine extract. Basically, it does a little bit of everything to keep your eyes looking anything but tired, and all in an easy-to-use pump too. While we’d love for it to be a little more hydrating, its list of benefits is more than long enough. Keep this bad boy in the fridge, so it stays cool (and feels cool when you apply—so refreshing!) and lasts longer too.
Price at time of publish: $64
Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, peptides, vitamins C and E | Benefits: Smooths, plumps, reduces puffiness | Dosage: 1-2 pumps | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Dark Circles
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Vitamin C Eye Crème
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Sephora
Layers well under makeup
Moisturizing
Jar lasts for months
Potentially irritating
How’s this for a power duo: banana and gold? Yes, real gold. This banana powder, collagen, vitamin C, and gold-infused eye cream is a bestseller for Ole Henriksen, and it’s easy to see why. This little jar of magic works hard to help brighten and color-correct dark circles, as well as ease the look of crow’s feet. As if that’s not enough, the smooth slip of this sunny-hued salve creates an ideal canvas for concealer, making application all the easier and encouraging it to last longer too. The jar may look small, but by using just a few dabs every day, it’ll last you months.
And don’t worry—it doesn’t smell like bananas. In fact, it’s fragrance-free. While it does not contain sulfates, parabens, or phthalates, if you have sensitive skin, give the ingredients list a good look over, as some may be potentially irritating.
Price at time of publish: $43
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, collagen | Benefits: Smooths, reduces dark circles | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best With SPF
Supergoop Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40
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Nordstrom
SPF 40
No white cast
Tinted formula gives eyes a boost
Not as hydrating as other options
Assuming you already slather sunscreen on your face every day—you do, right?—here’s a friendly reminder to also protect the thin, delicate skin around your orbital bone. When it comes to SPF, don’t forget the eyes! This Supergoop option is our favorite since it includes just a hint of tint, which helps keep this 100% non-nano zinc oxide SPF 40 eye cream from going on chalky white. Sure, it’s not as hydrating as other options on this list, but it’s fast-absorbing, fending off UV damage and brightening tired eyes. That’s more than reason enough to click “add to cart,”, especially with peace of mind that your most delicate skin will keep pristine for years to come.
Price at time of publish: $40
Active Ingredients: 14.4% zinc oxide, mica | Benefits: Protects from UV rays, boosts radiance | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Dry Skin
Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
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Sephora
Rich texture
Layers well under makeup
Moisturizing
Contains parabens
There’s no wonder why this creamy avocado eye treat from Kiehl’s is one of the iconic brand's best-selling products. We’re big fans of its thick, rich texture, especially if you’re prone to dry skin. Not only does the product feel good, but it works wonders, too, since this treatment floods dry, tired skin with new life—instantly. With a unique application (warm it up between fingers first to release the watery hydration), this cream sends moisture deep within the skin while also acting as a barrier to keep it there. It's a win-win product, especially if you intend to layer it under makeup since it essentially acts as a primer. Keep in mind that it contains parabens, so if that’s a no for you, choose a different option from this list.
Price at time of publish: $25
Active Ingredients: Shea butter, avocado oil | Benefits: Smooths, hydrates, primes skin for makeup | Size: 1 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Oily Skin
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream
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Amazon
Lightweight
Good value
Smooths skin
Not as hydrating as other options
We can practically credit Neutrogena and its Hydro Boost line for letting us all know the value of hyaluronic acid. Able to hold 1,000 times its weight in water,2 the skin-friendly acid packs a powerful punch of hydration wrapped up in a lightweight package—perfect for those with already-oily-enough skin. It works hard to hydrate and smooth, all in a gentle formula that can be used daily. Adding that extra boost to the eye area is an important step to seeing long-term benefits. It’s not as hydrating as other selections on this list, but considering its affordable price, no complaints here.
Price at time of publish: $15
Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Smooths, plumps, reduces puffiness | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Overnight
Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask
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Amazon
Rich texture
Nice packaging
Hydrates skin overnight
Can irritate sensitive skin
Put your skin to work while you snooze the nighttime hours away. This richly textured eye sleeping mask includes avocado oil, which is high in omega 3 fatty acids plus vitamins C and E.3 When combined with anti-aging powerhouse retinol, they make for a great delivery system to help address wrinkles all night without drying the delicate eye area. (If you have sensitive skin, this may not be the best option for you since retinol can be irritating.) We’re total suckers for its packaging too, which adds a dose of color and sophistication to your medicine cabinet or wherever you keep your skincare products.
Glow Recipe takes it one step further, though, and keeps this mask thicker and richer, ensuring it stays on all night. Talk about beauty sleep.
Price at time of publish: $42
Active Ingredients: Encapsulated retinol, avocado oil | Benefits: Smooths, hydrates, reduces puffiness and fine lines | Dosage: Pea-size amount | Size:0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Serum
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correction Eye Serum
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Sephora
A little goes a long way
Firms skin
No oily residue
Can't necessarily be used with exfoliating acids
There is maybe no better skincare combo than retinol and the powerful antioxidant ferulic acid. While retinol fights and can even reverse wrinkles, ferulic acid's free radical-scavenging properties fight off the damage before it happens.4 When delivered in this concentrated serum, it’s a perfect lightweight alternative to more dense formulations. However, if you’re a skincare aficionado like us, the biggest benefit is how easy it is to layer, increasing the efficacy of all the products you use along with it. (Just avoid pairing it alongside exfoliating acids—that combo can be irritating.) The price is a commitment, but a little goes a long way, so you’ll be pleased with how long this petite bottle lasts you, leaving you with firm skin and no oily residue.
Price at time of publish: $71
Active Ingredients: Retinol, bakuchiol | Benefits: Firms, reduces fine lines | Dosage: Half a pump | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
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Byrdie / Olivia Hancock
What Our Testers Say
"For me, the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correction Eye Serum knocked it out of the park in terms of firming my skin and improving texture around my eyes." — Olivia Hancock, Product Tester
Final Verdict
Youth To The People Superfood Hydrate + Firm Peptide Eye Cream rightfully earns our best overall pick. It’s packed with antioxidants, which effectively help soften lines, hydrate, and brighten even the most tired of eyes. A more affordable option we love is The Ordinary Caffeine 5% + ECGC Depuffing Eye Serum, which only costs $10 and reduces the look of darkness and puffiness in record time. To specifically target dark circles, add Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Vitamin C Eye Crème to your skincare routine.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Geeta Yadav is a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Skin Science Dermatology in Toronto. She practices general, medical, and cosmetic dermatology.
What to Look For in an Eye Cream for Men
Retinol
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Geeta Yadav explains that because the skin around the eyes is thinner than other parts of the face, it tends to show wrinkling and discoloration more easily from age 40 onwards. That said, she recommends eye creams with anti-aging benefits, particularly those that contain retinol. “Retinol is the gold standard for anti-aging,” she explains. “It’s clinically proven to help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, making it a must for tackling crow’s feet. It can be an irritating product, however, so this type of formulation—while effective—might not be tolerated by everyone.”
Hyaluronic Acid
“I find that a lot of men are resistant to using moisturizer, let alone eye cream,” says Dr. Yadav. While she strongly recommends that they use both, she suggests seeking out formulas that contain hyaluronic acid. “This ingredient is a humectant and can hold 1,000 times its weight in water to help keep the skin hydrated,” she says. “Hydrated skin looks healthier, plumper, and more youthful.” It’s also lightweight in texture and feel, making it a plus for anyone resistant to heavier, greasier-feeling moisturizers and creams.Â
Caffeine
If fighting puffiness is your goal, Dr. Yadav recommends opting for formulas that contain caffeine, which she says can work wonders. “Because it’s a vasoconstrictor, it helps tighten leaky blood vessels around the eye, which temporarily reduces swelling,” she says. “Look for it in a product with a rollerball applicator if you want that massaging action and cooling from the metal.”Â
Why Trust Byrdie
Full-time freelance writer Megan McCarty has been writing about the best of the best of beauty, fashion, and design for over 15 years, and her work can be seen in InStyle, Domino, Architectural Digest, Bustle, and more.
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