The Best Under-Eye Creams for Dark Circles

We’ve all been there. Maybe you’ve been working long hours at the office, or maybe you just decided to stay up all night playing the latest video game. The next day, after you’ve woken up (assuming you went to bed), you look in the mirror and notice that tell-tale sign of fatigue: dark circles under your eyes. 

It’s for these situations (and many others!) that we compiled this list of the best under-eye creams for dark circles. To complicate matters, while, yes, fatigue can cause dark circles, it’s not the only source. So, let’s break it down a bit.

Leading Causes of Dark Circles

Most typically, those dark circles are caused by being overly tired after burning the midnight oil one too many times. However, a few other causes are worth mentioning:

• Age
• Heredity
• Allergies
• Sun exposure
• Rubbing or scratching at your eyes
• Eczema or dermatitis
• Hay fever

Because of all the different causes for dark circles under your eyes, some of these recommendations may be more or less effective depending on your individual case. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

1. Blu Atlas Restorative Eye Stick

The first product on our list comes from the male grooming brand Blu Atlas, with its Restorative Eye Stick. But, of course, dark circles are an issue shared by everyone, so women are more than welcome to give this eye stick a shot as well.

When using Blu Atlas Restorative Eye Stick, you can expect a reduction in both dark circles and puffiness within a few days of beginning regular application. Many user reviews speak highly of the restorative properties of this stick.

To make Blu Atlas an even better choice: with this and other products, the company uses primarily natural ingredients (96% of the Restorative Eye Stick’s ingredients originate from natural sources). 

What can you expect to find in this stick? Blu Atlas has included three key ingredients: rose water, ascorbic acid, and Coffea canephora. The rose water reduces the effects of dark circles and puffiness with the help of vitamin C and phenolics. Then, ascorbic acid brings even more vitamin C to the table. This powerful antioxidant causes detoxifying reactions and collagen formation in the skin. Lastly, the Coffea canephora, found in sub-Saharan Africa, is a great source of even more antioxidants and caffeine to protect against skin damage.

2. CeraVe Eye Repair Cream

Next up on our list is CeraVe’s Eye Repair Cream. Just rub this cream under your eyes and the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, and other signs of fatigue, will be reduced in no time.

CeraVe’s cream works by applying the power of ceramides. These lipids are already found within the skin barrier, and all of CeraVe’s products are formulated with three key ones (hence the company’s name (CeraVe). 

If you’re worried about your skin care products leaving behind greasy residue, you have nothing to fear from this cream. It absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves behind a non-greasy finish. All of CeraVe’s products are tested by dermatologists to ensure they’re great for your skin.

On top of that, CeraVe Eye Repair Cream is tested by ophthalmologists so you know that it’s also perfectly safe for your eyes.

3. Velamo Advanced Retinol Eye Stick

If you happen to use the next product on our list in public, people might just wonder why you’re applying lipstick to your eyes. Yes, the design of this Velamo Advance’s Retinol Eye Stick is quite indistinguishable from that of a stick of lipstick. 

At the end of the day, a product’s design matters little as long as it’s effective, and this one does wonders to reduce the appearance of dark circles and wrinkles. Best of all, this stick is perfectly safe for sensitive skin—because the last thing you want if you’re struggling to reduce the appearance of dark circles is to irritate your sensitive skin.

Every night before bed, just apply a modest amount under your eyes in circular motions. Just how long does it take for the effects of this eye stick to appear? With regular application, you can expect results in 3–4 weeks. Just like that, you can go back to staying up all night and no one will be the wiser. 

4. Neutrogena Hydro Boost + Caffeine Eye Gel Cream

When you think of skincare brands, chances are that Neutrogena is a name that pops into your mind pretty quickly. Dermatologists everywhere recommend the company for the benefits its products can have for your skin. 

With all this in mind, it’s no surprise that the company’s got a solution for those dark circles, earning Neutrogena a spot on this list for its Hydro Boost + Eye Cream.

To create this hydrating gel, Neutrogena leverages the effects of a peptide complex to minimize the appearance of dark circles. Next to that, a natural hydrator already found in our skin, hyaluronic acid, further reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. Combine these ingredients, along with the caffeine, and those dark circles will be gone in no time.

Like all of Neutrogena’s products, Hydro Boost + Caffeine Eye Gel Cream is free of parabens, phthalates, dyes, and has never been tested on animals.

5. Cetaphil Deep Hydration Refreshing Eye Serum

Next up on our list is Deep Hydration Refreshing Eye Serum from Cetaphil, which provides 48 hours of hydration to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. This product is actually powered by Cetaphil’s latest hydration technology, HydroSensitiv Complex, which the company introduced in 2020. This technology is a culmination of nearly 80 years of expertise and hydrates even the most sensitive of skin. 

It works with the help of two key ingredients: hyaluronic acid and vitamin B3 (in the form of niacinamide). Once applied, you’ll discover skin that’s smoother, more glowing, and suppler. As a result, your eyes get that radiant, healthy glow instead of unsightly dark circles. 

In addition, the serum has been tested and won’t clog your pores despite its long-lasting effectiveness, and it’s perfectly safe for sensitive skin. You can even combine it with other Cetaphil products to further boost your skin’s hydration. 

6. RoC Retinol Correction Line Smoothing Eye Cream

The skin around yours is some of the most sensitive on your body, which is only compounded if you also happen to have sensitive skin in general. That’s why so many of these eye creams must be carefully formulated to avoid any adverse side effects. 

As such, the next product on our list of the best under-eye creams for dark circles is from RoC. Retinol Correction Line Smoothing Cream is gentle, rejuvenating, and fully hydrating. It’s actually been clinically proven to visibly revitalize that sensitive skin around your eyes, with virtually no irritation.

With only four weeks of regular application, you’ll find those dark circles visibly reduced, and if you keep using it, you might even find that it reduces the appearance of fine lines and crow’s feet.

As its name implies, the key ingredient in this one is retinol. In fact, RoC pioneered the use of retinol in skincare, spending the last 25 years making it safe and effective for daily use. 

7. Olay Eyes Ultimate Eye Cream

Next up on our list is Ultimate Eye Cream by Olay Eyes (a subdivision of Olay that specifically produces skin care products for your eyes). With its addition of a hint of concealer, this eye cream blends into all skin tones. 

Ultimate Eye Cream includes three key ingredients that renew the skin under your eyes: vitamin B3 (niacinamide—which just so happens to be Olay’s favorite ingredient), peptides, and pigments. Together, these ingredients help you reduce the appearance of dark circles and wrinkles. Gentle enough for daily use, this cream can be applied each morning for a full 24 hours of hydration. 

Perhaps best of all, Olay Eyes Ultimate Eye Cream works almost instantly, and the results only get better over time.

8. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Eye Cream

Don’t let the name fool you; although advertised for wrinkles—and done so with a fair bit of alliteration—this eye cream from Neutrogena is also aimed at helping make those dark circles disappear. 

Much like other creams on this list, Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Eye Cream is, as you might have guessed, an eye cream that uses retinol as its main ingredient along with hyaluronic acid. According to Neutrogena, this is the retinol brand that dermatologists themselves use most. So, if it’s good enough for skin doctors, it’s certainly good enough for you.

And to tie it all together, this cream is made without parabens, mineral oils, or dyes.

9. Penebella Brighten & Repair Eye Cream

This next cream on our list of the best under-eye creams for dark circles runs the gamut of under-eye care. With Penebella’s Bright & Repair Eye Cream, you can reduce not only those dark circles but also fine lines and wrinkles. And it makes the skin under your eyes firmer and more toned. 

To make this cream even more appealing, it also features a plethora of natural ingredients, from the most natural ingredient of all—water—to avocado oil, caffeine, aloe vera juice, collagen, peptides, vitamins B3 and 3, hyaluronic acid, and everyone’s favorite under-eye ingredient: retinol.

Each ingredient in this laundry list serves a specific purpose, but they all come together to ensure that your eyes are as radiant as they can be. And Penebella achieves all this without a single harmful ingredient. 

10. Eight Saints All In Eye Cream

Next on our list is another eye cream that aims to do just about all of it. All In Eye Cream from Eight Saints not only reduces those dark circles with the help of caffeine, but it also lessens the appearance of lines, signs of aging, bags, dark circles, and puffiness. 

With the number of ingredients required to cover all these bases, one might expect All In Eye Cream to be unsuitable for all skin types. However, it’s perfectly suitable. The natural and organic key ingredients, including aloe, protein peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and green tea, are all cruelty- and fragrance-free and made in the USA. 

For any interested customers who might want to give this eye cream a shot without committing to it fully, Eight Saints offers a 30-day return policy. So feel free to give it a try and if it doesn’t quite work for you, you can freely return it and Eight Saints will happily refund you.

11. La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Eyes

This eye cream from La Roche-Posay has been specifically formulated to help treat dark circles with everyone’s favorite stimulant: caffeine. It works, too! Or at least it works well enough for 90,000 dermatologists worldwide to recommend it. 

Aside from the caffeine, another key ingredient in this eye cream is phenylethyl resorcinol, a synthetic antioxidant that helps brighten your skin and reduce the appearance of dark circles. Other ingredients include pure retinol (which is found in many of these creams), as well as La Roche-Posay’s own thermal spring water, which is rich in selenium, a natural antioxidant.

While we can’t say that Pigmentclar Eyes is all-natural because it includes a synthetic antioxidant, it’s free of fragrances and parabens, and it’s suitable for sensitive skin and eyes. Furthermore, it’s tested against allergies, so it’s unlikely to cause an allergic reaction in anyone who uses it.

12. it Cosmetics Confidence in an Eye Cream

Next up on our list is Confidence in an Eye Cream from it Cosmetics. It not only oozes confidence—pardon the pun—but it’s also an effective treatment for those dark circles. The company calls the formula the Super Peptide Anti-Fatigue Treatment. While it won’t put any spring in your step after burning that midnight oil, it will at least ensure your eyes don’t give you away.

Confidence in an Eye Cream (which might be the best-named cream on this list) provides a full 48 hours of hydration. With it, you’ll receive a whole host of benefits: it reduces those dark circles, minimizes any crow’s feet, makes everything firmer, and reinforces the skin barrier function. Expect results within two weeks. 

For the health-/environment-conscious of us out there, this eye cream is fully vegan, paraben-free and fragrance-free, and great for sensitive skin. 

13. LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream

If you’re searching the market for an eye cream made with natural ingredients, perhaps Eye Cream from LilyAna Naturals is just what you need. Though the name is uninspired, this product has a vintage logo that looks like something from the turn of last century. 

Behind that logo is a cream that’s clean, natural, and free from any harmful materials. It’s vegan, all-natural, and made in the USA, with no artificial fragrances or colors. On top of that, it’s free of gluten, parabens, phthalates, SLS, SLES, and petroleum. And LilyAna Naturals never tests its products on animals.

Outside of its all-natural benefits, Eye Cream covers all your under-eye bases. It rejuvenates those dark circles, minimizes lines, and reduces puffiness—all this from a primarily botanical formula made with provitamin A and B5, vitamin C ester, vitamin E, rosehip seed oil, and hibiscus flower and rosemary leaf extract.

14. Remedial Pax Day & Night Eye Cream

Perfect for both men and women, Day & Night Eye Cream from Remedial Pax promises to eliminate those pesky signs of fatigue, like dark circles, and the effects of aging. This cream smooths your under-eye skin to reduce puffiness, fine lines, and crow’s feet, making your skin look radiant and healthy once again.

Day & Night Eye Cream keeps your skin nice and hydrated through the combined effects of collagen and dimethicone, the latter of which functions as a skin protectant and moisturizer. The results of this cream are seen almost immediately, but with longer usage, you’ll see even better results.

The formula also uses natural ingredients, isn’t tested on animals, is non-toxic, and is designed in the USA. It’s also free of parabens and gluten. To top it off, Remedial Pax recently upgraded the jar with an anti-pollution dispenser that allows for easy application, without worrying about it drying out, oxidizing, or losing its quality.

15. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream

If you’ve made it this far down the list, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that many of your options for the best under-eye creams for dark circles include retinol as a key ingredient. Retinol, however, can have some adverse effects for some users, which is why Haruharu is offering this alternative.

Rather than retinol, Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream uses an all-natural ingredient called bakuchiol, which is derived from the babchi plant. So if you’ve tried retinol-based skincare products in the past, and found that they didn’t quite agree with your skin, perhaps this is the cream for you. All signs point to it being about as effective as retinol in reducing those dark circles.

Other key ingredients include fermented black rice and bamboo shoot bark extract, and this cream is 95% naturally derived, vegan, and cruelty-free. 

16. TULA Skincare Glow & Get It

This eye balm from TULA helps your eyes feel more energized while reducing the appearance of dark circles, earning it a place on this list. Out of all our other recommended products, this one features probiotic extracts—but not live cultures. 

The effects of this balm are immediate; your eyes instantly feel hydrated and cooled, with the diminished appearance of lines, puffiness, and of course, dark circles. You’ll even find that this balm brightens the area around your eyes, making your gaze appear even more radiant. 

Glow & Get It is also free of many potentially harmful ingredients, including retinol, parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde, synthetic fragrances, silicone, and gluten. TULA is also a cruelty-free company and even offers a 30-day return policy. So, if you give Glow & Get It a shot and it’s not for you, the company will happily refund you. 

17. Derma-E Vitamin C No Dark Circles Perfecting Eye Cream

Next up on our list is a vitamin C-infused, all-natural cream from Derma-E. This product combines vitamin C’s antioxidant powers with turmeric and mica’s brightening effects to color-correct those overly fatigued dark circles under your eyes. Caffeine also joins the party to help reduce puffiness. 

Vitamin C is great because of its skin-brightening and anti-aging properties. It helps make the collagen in your skin healthy while ensuring that the areas under your eyes are wrinkle-free and even in tone. 

The other natural ingredients include caffeine and golden turmeric. These ingredients diminish puffiness and dark circles and reduce blemishes while bringing out your skin’s natural glow. Derma-E’s products are also 100% vegan and are cruelty-free, and they contain no parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, lanolin, gluten, soy, or GMOs. Even the packaging is recyclable. 

18. L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect

L’Oreal is a trusted and common name in beauty products. So, logic dictates that you can also trust them in regards to eye cream for dark circles. 

Age Perfect runs the gamut of under-eye care. It reduces the appearance of dark circles, bags, puffiness, lines, and crepey lids. Furthermore, vitamin E’s antioxidant properties help heighten your skin’s natural renewal process. 

This cream also absorbs quickly, and keeps your skin hydrated for a full 24 hours. Dermatologists have also verified that Age Perfect is well-suited for sensitive skin, and it’s been tested against allergies. The cream is also free of fragrances, parabens, and mineral oil. 

19. Wilder’s Prime Moisturizing Eye Cream

If you’re a guy, and you’ve been perusing this list thinking to yourself, “Boy, I wouldn’t want to be caught dead wearing any of this makeup,” perhaps this is the cream for you.

Wilder Prime’s Moisturizing Eye Cream is specifically formulated for men’s skin. With active and safe ingredients such as avocado oil, fructose, collagen, and tetrapeptides, this cream reduces those dark circles and bags while being gentle on delicate skin. It’s also great against fine lines and crow’s feet. 

It also has zero fragrances or colors that might irritate sensitive skin. Ultimately, this cream will hydrate your skin, make it more firm, and make you look more youthful. 

20. Origins GinZing

Origins’ new and improved GinZing is fortified with vitamin C and niacinamide, which combine to bring a much-needed reduction in dark circles while hydrating and brightening your eyes. And ginseng helps to improve the look of skin.

According to the company, 93% of people saw positive results in about four weeks of use. This cream even comes in two versions, original and warm, to ensure that it covers as many skin tones as possible. 

This product, and many others from Origins, avoid over 1,500 ingredients that the EU has deemed might be harmful. The company is also vegetarian, and many of its products are vegan. The formulas that aren’t completely vegan have only cruelty-free honey and beeswax.

21. Lumin Dark Circle Defense

Although the name of the next product on our list might remind you of some kind of magical defense against a Satanic cult that calls itself the Dark Circle, the only dark circles this cream protects you from are the ones under your eyes. You’ll have to search elsewhere for protection against the other Dark Circle. 

With regular use, Lumin’s Dark Circle Defense not only diminishes those dark circles, but it also diminishes the other signs of fatigue, specifically eye bags, while reducing the appearance of both fine lines and crow’s feet. This cream is another one specifically formulated for men. 

Originally created in Korea, Dark Circle Defense leverages ginger, green tea, and licorice root, as well as niacinamide (vitamin B3) and caffeine. These ingredients come together to help reduce puffiness and counter those dark circles.

22. Paula’s Choice RESIST Anti-Aging Eye Gel

Last but certainly not least is an eye cream from Paula’s Choice. Anti-Aging Eye Gel is rich in antioxidants to help combat those signs of aging and fatigue while being gentle enough to use on the delicate skin around your eyes. 

By combining licorice with peptides and hyaluronic acid, this cream hydrates, brightens, and plumps that delicate skin around your eyes, helping hide those tell-tale signs of aging and fatigue. 

Across all its products, Paula’s Choice only uses science-backed formulas, with nothing harmful like parabens. Just use the cream twice a day, and watch the results.

That brings us to the end of our list of the best under-eye creams for dark circles. No matter what type of skin you have or your sensitivity toward specific ingredients, there’s a good chance that one of the creams on this list will help make those dark circles vanish.