What an Eye Cream Can (and Can’t) Do

Whether you're trying to soften wrinkles, fade dark circles, or depuff tired morning eyes, a good eye cream can help. But you need to pick one that’s actually meant to address your skin concerns.

 

In this episode, senior beauty writer Abbie Kozolchyk explains precisely what to look for in an eye cream. She breaks down the specific ingredients to look for depending on your personal skin concerns, how to judge results over time, and when to move on if you’re not seeing a change in the skin around your eyes.

 

Abbie tested more 50 eye creams with 65 testers aged 23 to 84 to make recommendations for her Wirecutter guide to eye creams. She reveals our top picks, from a $13 drugstore tube that yielded shockingly dramatic results to a splurge-worthy $130 cream that works wonders on deep crow’s feet.

 

This episode covers:

• Why eye creams aren't just face creams in disguise: The skin around your eyes is incredibly thin and delicate. Standard face moisturizers are often too harsh for the eye area. Specially formulated eye creams deliver targeted, more effective treatments.
• What topical creams can and can’t do: While eye creams can't erase deep wrinkles or eliminate dark circles caused by underlying vasculature (veins showing through thin skin), they can subtly soften expression lines, fade hyperpigmentation-related darkness, and help drain fluid to reduce morning puffiness.
• The active ingredients to seek out: Retinols and peptides are best for wrinkles; niacinamide is a powerhouse for brightening dark circles; caffeine and cooling applicators help depuff; and humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid pull in much-needed moisture for dry skin.
• Why it takes time to see results: Consistency and patience are necessary. Active ingredients need a bare minimum of 30 days to show results, and you may even need six to eight weeks before deciding if a product is working or if it's time to move on.

 

Products we recommend: 

• Best all-around eye cream: CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream
• A luxe, multitasking eye cream: Innbeauty Project Extreme Cream Eye
• Best for dark circles: Alastin Restorative Eye Complex
• Best for wrinkles: Skinbetter Science EyeMax AlphaRet Overnight Cream
• Best for stubbornly dry skin: Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb
• Best for soothing and depuffing: Cocokind Revitalizing Eye Cream
• Abbie recommends the Peek Scents Organic Rose Phyto3 - Facial Oil and Facial Cream

 

Additional reading:

• The 6 Best Eye Creams of 2026
• The 7 Best Retinol Products of 2026
• The 16 Best Drugstore Skin-Care Products of 2026 
• The 7 Best Moisturizers of 2026 

 

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

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