Best Hydrating Eye Creams

The eyes may be the window to your soul, but they’re also the first place where age, fatigue, dehydration, and dryness show up. While dry skin can appear anywhere, it can be a bit more challenging to treat around the eye area because it’s the thinnest area of skin on the body, and there are no oil glands to keep it moisturized and protected. To make matters even more complicated, as we get older, collagen and elastin production decreases, and fine lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet begin to set in. Vital moisture is needed now more than ever to keep the skin plump, supple, and smooth.

The List

BEST OVERALL
Carrot & Stick The Eye Cream

Carrot & Stick’s The Eye Serum

FULL LIST
Formulyst Anti-Aging Eye Cream,

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift and Firm Eye Cream Sunscreen SPF 15

Tata Harper Restorative Eye Creme, $105

Neocutis Lumière Riche Extra Moisturizing Illuminating Eye Cream

La Mer The Eye Concentrate

Sunday Riley Autocorrect Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream

Eye Cream Versus Traditional Moisturizer

Eye creams are formulated differently than facial moisturizers because the skin around the eyes is thinner (by approximately 40 percent than the rest of your face) and more delicate. This area is also highly prone to showing the signs of aging first, as the eye area skin tends to be drier. Eye creams are formulated to be milder than face creams since the area around the eye is more sensitive to irritation.

Some experts feel it’s okay to use your daily moisturizer around your eyes but think about it this way. You wouldn’t use soap or a typical cleanser to remove your eye makeup, so why would you apply your daily or nightly hydrator around your eyes? The best eye cream for moisture typically contains active ingredients in concentrations specifically formulated for the thin, delicate skin around the orbital area. Eye creams, gels, and serums are often ophthalmologist tested, too.

Best Hydrating Eye Creams

BEST OVERALL
Carrot & Stick The Eye Cream

This revolutionary treatment uses highly effective botanical extracts to reduce signs of stress and fatigue, including eye bags and dark circles. The Persian silk tree has an anti-glycation effect that helps delicate skin around the lids feel tighter. St. Paul’s wort boosts the appearance of collagen and elastin, restoring vitality.

Carrot & Stick’s The Eye Serum

A blend of advanced peptides reduces the look of discoloration and rich moisturizers combat dryness. Crow’s feet are smoothed, puffiness is reduced and skin is visibly lifted and brightened with every application.

FULL LIST
Formulyst Anti-Aging Eye Cream
Formulated with clarifying concentrate and moisture-rich complexes that stimulate, strengthen and hydrate, this lightweight formula is also enriched with hyaluronic acid to help restore your skin’s natural suppleness and elasticity while visibly smoothing away wrinkles. Delivering five anti-aging actions in one, this advanced eye treatment leaves skin feeling smoother and tighter while dramatically reducing the appearance of dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness.

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lift and Firm Eye Cream Sunscreen SPF 15
You’ll love the fact that this nourishing and deeply hydrating eye cream is an excellent option for the daytime due to the addition of SPF 15. While it has a creamy texture, it’s not too thick for makeup enthusiasts. It contains several dry eye superstar ingredients, including cholesterol, ceramides, glycerin, dimethicone, and beeswax.

Tata Harper Restorative Eye Creme
Daffodil bulb and safflower oleosomes (a source of vitamin E) and 13 other sources of skin-plumping hydrators replenish the skin’s moisture barrier. This multi-correctional eye cream also depuffs while minimizing the appearance of fine lines and dark circles.

Neocutis Lumière Riche Extra Moisturizing Illuminating Eye Cream
Neocutis has several excellent eye creams, but this one remains an absolute best-seller time and time again. It’s formulated with skin-plumping hyaluronic acid to hydrate the eye area deeply. Additionally, antioxidants and growth factors protect, repair, and reduce wrinkles, while caffeine reduces puffiness.

La Mer The Eye Concentrate
Pricey? You bet — but that doesn’t stop some people from considering this cult eye cream as their favorite. Like all La Mer products, this eye cream harnesses the power of Miracle Broth, a unique blend of algae that is meant to work wonders on all skin ailments. This eye cream helps to improve the appearance of dark circles and fine lines thanks to the mineral hematite while adding a heavy dose of moisture. Eyes are left looking nourished, smoother, and brighter.

Sunday Riley Autocorrect Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream
Ultra-hydrating cocoa and shea butters, sodium PCA, and watermelon rind extract give the eyes an immediate surge of moisture while Brazillian ginseng and caffeine refresh by reducing puffiness and dark circles. You’ll look as though you got a good night’s sleep, even if that’s not entirely the case.

Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream
This rich cream relies on the power of squalane to lock in moisture around the delicate eye area. Astaxanthin, one of the most potent antioxidants, helps prevent oxidative damage. Paracress extract helps lift saggy eyelids by reducing muscle tension and tightening collagen fibers by stimulating fibroblasts. Hint: Best eye cream for dry eyelids alert!

Best Hydrating Eye Cream: The Bottom Line

We recommend Carrot & Stick The Eye Cream. For optiminal results, use Carrot & Stick’s The Eye Serum first. 

While dry skin can appear anywhere, it can be a bit more challenging to treat around the eye area because it’s the thinnest area of skin on the body, and there are no oil glands to keep it moisturized and protected. While various causes affect the dryness of the eye area (think allergies, hot water, too much time in the sun, or simply not moisturizing), genetics are sometimes to blame.

Though you can’t alter your DNA or stop the aging process, you can hydrate the delicate eye area by tweaking your lifestyle habits and using the best eye cream for dry skin. The best under-eye hydrating cream will contain a combination of humectants, occlusives, emollients, and barrier ingredients to help repair, protect, and support your skin’s ability to retain moisture. However, tweaking a few lifestyle habits can be advantageous as well. Drink plenty of water, wear sun protection, wash your face with tepid or cool water, and consider staying away from potent ingredients such as retinol if your eye area is overly dry — even if it’s a warrior against aging.