10 Best Hydrating Eye Creams for Eliminating Dryness and Under-Eye Circles

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A woman with freckles and blue eyes pictured
Author Name: Beth Rush
Date: Thursday May 2, 2024

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Dark circles can make you look tired even if you’ve had enough rest. It’s not just sleep deprivation that causes this problem, but also aging. Many rely on skincare products to reduce puffiness and swelling and fix loose skin. If you’re looking for the best hydrating creams, here are 10 bestsellers to resolve your under-eye skin woes. 

What Ingredients Hydrate Under-Eye Circles

Online shops are loaded with options for eye creams. Choosing one can be a difficult decision. When buying, look for these skin-healthy compounds for optimal hydration and care.  

  • Hyaluronic acid: It attracts water and improves skin elasticity.
  • Caffeine: It’s a staple of many beauty products because of its skin-healthy benefits, reducing puffiness and dark marks under the eyes.
  • Peptides: They encourage collagen production, a protein responsible for skin health. It can minimize fine lines and skin thinning. 
  • Niacinamide: It controls oil and brightens and hydrates the eye area.
  • Glycerin: It’s a thicker ingredient that works best for dry skin.
  • Ceramides: It boosts skin’s strength and moisture.
  • Retinol: It’s a form of vitamin A that does wonders by stimulating collagen and preventing wrinkles and lines. 
  • Bakuchiol: It’s a plant alternative to retinol or retinoid and, therefore, has the same effect of improving collagen synthesis for a rapid skin cell turnover. 

Like how the best supplements for muscle growth require the right ingredients such as protein, creatine and beta-alanine, eye creams with specific formulas make them more effective at hydration. Read the labels to ensure they have these skin-boosting components. 

10 Best Hydrating Eye Creams

Here’s a roundup of the bestselling eye creams in the market. 

1. CeraVe Eye Repair Cream

Get it on Amazon for $11.14

This hydrating CeraVe eye cream boasts three of the best ingredients for the skin — ceramides to maintain its barrier, hyaluronic acid to retain moisture and niacinamide to soothe it. The company made this product using its patented MVE technology, which delivers continuous moisturizing compounds to the skin underneath the eyes for round-the-clock hydration. It’s indispensable to many people’s skincare routine and a reliable companion for solving under-eye woes. 

2. Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel

Get it on Amazon for $5.99

This next bestseller is an excellent remedy for rejuvenating and energizing eyes during days when you lack sleep. It reinvigorates them, effectively masking the tiredness and puffiness. It’s formulated with two potent skin nutrients — hyaluronic acid and caffeine. 

A pea-sized amount can reduce swelling and make the skin under your eyes plump and firm. More importantly, it has a pH level of 5.2, making it highly gentle and safe for all skin types. 

3. Neutrogena Retinol Eye Cream

Get it on Amazon for $17.99

One of the best hydrating eye creams for dark circles, this product is touted for its combined pure retinol and hyaluronic acid to combat fine lines, especially targeting the stubborn crow’s feet. It plumps, moistures, hydrates and rejuvenates the skin without unsafe ingredients like fragrance, mineral oil, parabens and dyes. 

Recommended by many dermatologists, its non-greasy formula won’t leave your eyes feeling sticky and oily. It’s an effective and affordable staple you won’t regret adding to your skincare items. 

4. L’Oreal Paris Eye Defense Cream

Get it on Amazon for $12.27 

Another excellent creation from an iconic company, this blends hyaluronic acid and caffeine to smoothen out visible imperfections and awaken tired-looking eyes. True to its name, the blend of these two powerhouses defends your skin against signs of premature aging while supplying hydration to keep them healthy. Above all, this gel quickly penetrates the skin, delivering all the skin-healthy ingredients deep down. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best hydrating eye creams for dry eyes and fine lines. You’ll love its fresh, clean scent. 

A girl applying eye cream

5. Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel-Cream

Get it on Amazon for $14.79

This item is essential in people’s routines because it’s the best eye cream for dry, sensitive skin. The company is a household name, praised by its millions of customers for producing skincare lines specialized for sensitive skin. 

Like their body bar and facial wash, you can guarantee this product with hyaluronic acid is also non-irritating. Plus, it’s lightweight — you won’t feel like there’s product sitting on your skin. It comes in a travel size — carry it conveniently for instant hydration anywhere. 

6. The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream

Get it on Amazon for $11

This works like magic, instantly reducing puffiness, fine lines and under-eye bags. It’s packed with a powerful duo of caffeine and albizia julirissin bark extract used in traditional Chinese to treat bruises, burns and ulcers. 

As a skincare ingredient, it parades robust antioxidant properties. But it doesn’t stop there — this product also contains Matrixyl 3000 peptides that remove the creases below the eyes and prep it for makeup. Use it in the morning and evening. This budget-friendly cream will impress you with its simplicity and effectiveness.

7. e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration Eye Cream

Get it on Amazon for $10

The body is at least 60% water and drinking enough liquid can hydrate the skin, especially during winter. However, extra care for the under-eye area is essential because it’s thin and sensitive. You need more than sufficient fluid intake to treat dryness and maintain its glow. 

If you’re looking for the best eye cream for dry skin, try this hyaluronic acid- and peptides-infused product that deeply nourishes and hydrates. This 100% vegan beauty item works like a primer under makeup, locking in moisture for a smooth finish. Plus, it minimizes dark circles, leaving your eyes looking rejuvenated. 

It’s non-greasy, easily absorbed by the skin and boasts a Leaping Bunny certification. No animals were used to test the product. Hydrate sensitive skin without irritation and burning feeling with this cream.

A girl with hydrated skin

8. LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream 

Get it on Amazon for $21.99

If you’re a TikTok fan, you’ve probably watched a reel or two featuring this product. It claims to be TikTok’s favorite eye cream — it has over 80,000 good reviews. Its all-natural ingredients make it outstanding, offering powerful hydration to reduce the bags and smooth out wrinkles. It combines rosehip and hibiscus to lift the skin, counter any signs of aging and moisturize without irritating. 

Plus, it’s cruelty-free. Annually, 155 million animals are used in laboratory experiments to create various makeup supplies. However, no parabens, synthetic ingredients or live creatures were used to test this product. Try it for yourself and see what an excellent-rated product does. You’ll quickly find it’s one of the best hydrating eye creams for wrinkles. 

9. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream 

Get it on Amazon for $9.92

Bakuchiol is a retinol alternative with equal anti-aging benefits. This plant-boosted product is generously infused with bakuchiol, fermented black rice and bamboo short bark extract — all these naturally derived ingredients make it non-irritating while incredibly moisturizing. 

It’s one of the outstanding hydrating eye creams for wrinkles, crow’s feet and fine lines, giving you a radiant look after regular use. Add this to your regimen if you’re looking for a sustainable product. It’s Environmental Working Group (EWG) certified, meaning it’s completely safe to use and free of toxic environmental contaminants. You can rest assured you’re using a green product.

10. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Eye Cream 

Get it on Amazon for $29.99

Dermatologists around the world recommend this last item for good reasons. It has complex ingredients that soothe, hydrate and comfort ultra-sensitive skin, consisting of niacinamide, thermal spring water with selenium and dipeptide. 

It’s the best eye cream for dry eyelids and flakey surrounding areas. Although it’s more expensive than the others, one bottle can last for months. A bead-size amount is enough to keep under-eye woes at bay. Try this formula if you have sensitive skin. You’ll be amazed at how effectively this delivers what it promises.  

Add These Hydrating Eye Creams to Your Skincare Supplies

The eyes are the window to the soul. They can almost tell whether you’re in a good or bad mood or you’ve got enough sleep or the other way around. These hydrating eye creams are a one-step addition to your skincare routine but make a massive difference in your look and confidence. Include one in your routine.

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