While you may associate puffy eyes with a lack of sleep, there are actually a number of other factors that can cause swelling under the eyes. In addition to needing some extra rest, allergies, alcohol, and crying can also cause swelling and irritation. Even something as small as having too much salt in your diet can contribute to puffiness. That's why, in addition using one of the best eye creams for puffiness, drinking more water can help decrease fluid retention under the eyes.
When refilling your water bottle alone won't do the trick, there are several key ingredients to look for in an eye cream. Caffeine is one of the most popular and expert-approved ingredients for temporarily reducing eye puffiness. Not only does it work as an anti-inflammatory to calm skin and decrease swelling by constricting the blood vessels under the skin, but it can also help reduce the appearance of dark circles, too. Other ingredients that work as vasoconstrictors include peptides, green tea, and antioxidants like vitamin C. Meanwhile, ingredients like hyaluronic acid can help plump up the thin skin around the eyes, while a retinol specifically formulated for the delicate skin under your eyes can help increase cell turnover and boost collagen production.
While many believe applying eye cream at night is the way to go, it can actually seep into your eyes while you sleep, causing puffiness when you wake up. That's why it's a better idea to apply your eye cream in the morning. Another tip is to store your eye cream in the fridge for a cooling effect when you apply it in the morning, which can help decrease puffiness.
Ahead, you'll find five of the best under eye creams for puffiness, at every price point.
1Best Cooling & Refreshing Eye Cream For Puffiness
Garnier's SkinActive Clearly Bright Anti-Puff Eye Roll is a gel formula that provides a cooling effect upon application. It includes vitamin C and caffeine to help constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling while brightening the under eyes. But in my opinion, it's all about the roll-on tip. Pop it in the fridge for an even more refreshing sensation, and gently roll the applicator from the inner corner of your eye towards the outer corner for several minutes to boost lymphatic drainage, which will help reduce fluid retention. The roll-on application also makes it great for traveling or throwing in your purse to treat puffiness on-the-go.
"This liquid is a blessing to those with allergies. It cools and soothes skin. Also, you don't have bags under your eyes once you smooth it on," raves one reviewer.
2Best Retinol Eye Cream For Puffiness (& Increased Cell Turnover)
For a no-nonsense approach, this drugstore cream uses retinol as its star ingredient to reduce under-eye puffiness in as little as four weeks. Not only does RoC's Retinol Correxion Eye Cream help with puffiness, but it can also help improve discoloration because of its ability to accelerate skin cell turnover. What's more, it also works to increase collagen production (and reduce collagen breakdown), which results in smoother, plumper skin. While retinol might cause redness at first and should always be paired with an SPF, this non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic cream was specifically formulated for the under eyes to help reduce the risk of irritation.
"I've been using this product for over a month now, and I've noticed that the puffiness around my eyes has virtually disappeared," writes one Amazon user, while another says, "[When] I wake up puffy or have irritated skin around my eyes due to allergies, this helps quite a bit with the puffiness."
3Best Brightening Eye Cream For Puffiness
This Origins eye cream was specifically formulated to help with puffiness from a lack of sleep or traveling. While caffeine is touted as the main de-puffing ingredient, the formula also includes green tea to help constrict blood vessels and tighten the skin, as well as cooling cucumber extract. Additionally, panax ginseng helps to brighten the under eyes while ingredients like magnolia extract and chestnut seed extract help to soothe skin and combat redness.
One Amazon user also notes, "[It] wears well under makeup, and it is a light beige color with some reflective, very subtle shimmer to brighten."
4Best Eye Cream For Sensitive & Eczema-Prone Skin
For those with sensitive skin, particularly around their eyes, reach for CeraVe's Eye Repair Cream, which was developed by dermatologists and is accepted by the National Eczema Association. Like their other noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free formulas, this eye cream includes ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid to help repair skin and keep it moisturized. To help with puffiness and dark circles, CeraVe added a gentle marine and botanical complex to brighten and smooth.
"Eczema on my eyelids for months and hydrocortizone cream wasn't even cutting it," writes one reviewer. "A week of this stuff and my itchiness is GONE. My eyes are no longer red and I can actually wear eye makeup again." Another says, "This stuff changed my life. It got rid of the dark circles under my eyes and also worked for the folds around my mouth and nose."
5Best Natural Eye Cream For Puffiness
A favorite of Amazon customers, this natural, vegan eye cream uses coffee, green tea, and vitamin C to help reduce puffiness. 100% Pure's Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream also includes nourishing ingredients like rosehip oil, aloe, and vitamin E to smooth and protect the under eye area. There are no parabens, synthetic chemicals, or artificial fragrances in this cream, making it another great option for skin on the sensitive side.
"Most eye creams for puffiness are only made for [the] area below the eye," writes one reviewer. "I was so happy when I contacted 100% Pure one day ... and they said this product would work well on my swollen upper eyelids and it would be safe without any agitation, and they were right! Since then I've been a REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT CUSTOMER!"
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