What could be better than summertime, when the sun graces us with her golden touch, enriching our days with vitamin D and the serotonin we craved all winter long? Yet, added sunshine can also show up on your skin: crow’s feet, dehydration, and swollen under-eyes are all the telltale signs of long days at the beach, or those late-night soirées that catch up with your complexion come morning. But fear not—this isn’t a beauty bummer. It’s a seasonal reality we’ve come to embrace. Fortunately, our summer skincare arsenal is armed and ready to combat sun damage. Enter the saviors of the eye-cream world, our secret weapons against squint-induced crow’s feet and pesky puffiness. These magical potions do more than just soothe—they’re your frontline defense in the battle against wrinkles and damage. Keep scrolling to shop our favorites—and remember to always keep sunglasses and a hat at the ready during these warmer months.
Best Splurge
Yes, Le Concentré Yeux is on the expensive side. But this is as close to eye-cream perfection as you can get. The powerhouse product is infused with yeast extracts and the maison’s proprietary Rosapeptide formulation, which will firm, hydrate, and de-puff your eye area immediately. Give your eye area a little TLC with a gentle massage when you apply this, too.
For Nighttime Hydration
This restorative remedy is a real treat for your eye area, especially after a long, hot summer day on the water. Store Chanel’s Crème Yeux in the fridge for an extra soothing effect before bedtime. The calming gel-cream is enriched with the brand’s superbly rejuvenating camellia extract, which not only hydrates the skin around your eyes, but also feels splendid the minute it touches your face.
Best Overall for Antiaging
Why do we keep returning, over and over, to this high-performance eye cream? It’s very simple: because seeing is believing. Plus, it’s packed with some of the most uniquely effective antiaging marine extracts on the market, which deliver stellar firming and smoothing results each and every time we apply. Three elements we felt were most beneficial: the brightening molasses clay and sea kelp from the Jeju Islands, as well as La Mer’s signature Miracle Broth. It’s no wonder this is one of our go-to’s for consistently radiant eyes.
For Plumping (and Best Travel Companion)
Skincare enthusiasts rave about this Swiss line for very good reason: the results are instantaneous, and this eye cream is a standout. The luxurious formula lifts and plumps, while seamlessly reducing signs of fatigue, making it a must-have for anyone looking for hydration, brightening, and rejuvenation in one product. Its size is also TSA-friendly.
To Remedy Dark Circles Immediately
All that squinting is not doing your eye area any favors, but this light-yet-powerful eye cream—favored by numerous dermatologists worldwide—is a true winner. It’s one of our top picks, thanks to its concentrated flavonoid and caffeine-rich formula, which delivers dramatic results. Not only does this product minimize the appearance of crow’s feet, but it is sublime in helping with dark circles. We especially appreciate its featherlight consistency, perfect for the hot and humid summer days.
Best Clean Beauty Eye Cream With Retinol Actives
This eye cream does brighten the eye area fabulously, but it also gently resurfaces the skin with microencapsulated retinol and Bakuchiol seed, to give an even and smooth appearance. Saffron is the hero component here, as it naturally brightens to give the eye a healthier and glowing appearance. All ingredients in this composition are clean and sourced in India.
The Drugstore Gem
Who are we to argue with the millions of beautiful women across Europe who use this product, and look divine? Reasonably priced and highly regarded, this beloved brand is an excellent choice for everyone, particularly those with sensitive skin or allergies. Infused with La Roche-Posay’s thermal spring water, the eye cream is packaged in airtight, contaminant-free containers and is free from parabens and alcohol.
The Herbal-Infused Cream That Wears Beautifully Under Makeup
We love all the herb and fruit extracts in this healing eye cream because they deliver results with the help of Mother Earth. There’s also a velvety texture here that seamlessly settles into the skin before you apply makeup. Enriched with our favorite antioxidant ingredients, like anti inflammatory turmeric and vitamin C-rich Indian gooseberry, this product not only shields against UV damage, it also boasts probiotic-rich kombucha for added skin nourishment.
Best Brightening Eye Serum
Who thought something with a hero ingredient called horse chestnut would be so amazing for eye brightness? Leave it to Epicuren, the brand adored by aestheticians, to create a product that dramatically lessens dark circles with the latest tech. This fast-acting eye cream feels wonderful with each application, and contains nourishing sweet almond oil and potent antioxidant-rich guarana extract for cell turnover.
Best Overall to Treat Dark Circles
We hold this eye cream in high regard for a variety of reasons, but mostly due to the powerful blend of L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, and phloretin, which helps significantly with an uneven skin tone around the eyes (yes, hyperpigmentation can affect that area, too). The three actives also provide superior protection against free radicals and promote overall radiance with each application.
