8 Best Eye-Tightening Creams for Puffiness and Fine Lines

The best eye-tightening creams have become viral sensations, racking up millions of views (and buys) due to their visibly firming results. Undereyes seemingly go from puffy to smooth in the blink of an eye—albeit temporarily. Although they may seem gimmicky, many eye-tightening creams come highly recommended by board-certified dermatologists. Sure, their effects are short-lived, but they work. They even benefit the delicate, ultra-thin skin around your eyes over time with the help of collagen-boosting ingredients, like peptides, says Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Our Top Eye-Tightening Creams

Of course, these eye-tightening creams are not bottled-up versions of IPL treatments or a blepharoplasty (eye lift), but they truly do the trick to help tighten, plump, and firm the skin around your eyes in a pain-free pinch. If one of your skin-care goals is to minimize the appearance of dark circles, offset sagging, smooth eye wrinkles, or all of the above, an eye cream—especially one with firming benefits—should be the first thing you add for undereyes that look more awake, and an overall more energized complexion. With that, consider these the ones to try.

Best Overall: SkinCeuticals A.G.E Advanced Eye

Why it’s worth it: Allure’s best eye cream lists consistently include the SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye because it’s a past Best of Beauty winner, and many dermatologists swear by it. According to Kunal Malik, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, this eye treatment combines immediate visible improvements with long-term benefits by addressing the advanced glycation end-products (a.k.a. A.G.E.), which naturally develop and build up in our bodies as we age and cause our skin to sag. A.G.E. Advanced Eye’s potent blend of peptides, in particular, helps reverse them by improving firmness, tightness, and elasticity.

This undereye-tightening cream is also spiked with proxylane, blueberry extract, and flavonoids to help decrease the appearance of crow’s feet, as Lauren Penzi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, has told Allure. “With regular use, patients have definitely noticed a decrease in the appearance of fine lines around the eyes,” she added.

Best for Puffiness: Dr. Loretta Tightening Eye Gel

Why it’s worth it: Dr. Loretta’s Tightening Eye Gel earned its Best of Beauty seal in 2019 for its highly effective, ultra-versatile formula that takes a literal 360 approach to rejuvenating the eye area. Tap it around the circumference of each eye, including your upper eyelid, to harness the benefits of tetrapeptide-5 and antioxidant-rich nannochloropsis oculata extract (a form of microalgae). Both help deflate puffiness, restore tautness, and kick-start collagen production for a smoother, more resilient eye area.

Best for Crow’s Feet: Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Eye Zone Treatment

Why it’s worth it: Most of us think of eye cream as something that lives strictly for the undereye, but Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Eye Zone Treatment is an overachiever that tackles the entire area. “This cream targets all around the eyes—brow bone, eyelid, crow’s feet, and undereye included—which makes it especially helpful for multiple concerns like dark circles and sagging above or below the eyes,” says Dr. Spearman. The cushiony texture melts in quickly, allowing the niacinamide and peptides in the formula to get to work improving firmness and evening out skin tone, she says. If you’re looking for brightening and lifting in a single step, this formula works hard on all fronts.

More eye-tightening creams we love

Best for Dark Circles: Alastin Skincare Restorative Eye Treatment

Why it’s worth it: No eye cream will erase dark circles or puffiness overnight (if only), but with consistent use, Alastin Restorative Eye Treatment will show up for your skin. This lightweight, nourishing formula tackles all the usual suspects: uneven tone, fine lines, and undereye bags. “This cream targets discoloration and dullness with retinol, peptides, and antioxidants, and it smooths fine lines while making the skin look more radiant and refreshed,” says Dr. Spearman. Green tea extract helps minimize the look of dark circles, while the brand’s proprietary TriHex Technology supports the production of new, healthy collagen. And don’t just take our word for it—derms use it themselves: “I often use this in the morning for a subtle brightening effect that layers nicely under makeup,” she adds.

Best for Dry Skin: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme

Why it’s worth it: All eye creams help with dryness to some extent, but Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Crème takes it several steps further. The bouncy gel-cream floods the area with humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, while emollients like squalane and jojoba esters lock that moisture in to keep delicate skin supple. For tightening, the formula leans on tripeptide-32 and antioxidant-rich probiotics—like bifida ferment lysate and lactobacillus—that support smoother, firmer-looking skin over time. “This formula works on multiple levels by firming, hydrating, and brightening the eye area,” says Dr. Spearman, who recommends it to patients who want to address early signs of aging and likes that the gel-cream formula absorbs quickly.

Best for Milia: Neocutis Lumière Firm

Why it’s worth it: The ingredient list for Neocutis Lumière Firm reads like a who’s who of skin-care heavy hitters: growth factors for collagen support, proprietary peptides for firmness, caffeine to de-puff, and vitamin C for antioxidant protection. “The skin around the eyes is delicate, thin, and prone to milia, which is why I often recommend eye creams like this one that are lightweight, oil-free, and clinically proven to firm, hydrate, and brighten without clogging pores,” says Debra Luftman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Beverly Hills and Calabasas, California; she uses it herself in the mornings to give her eyelids a subtly lifted look throughout the day. This cream fits that bill perfectly with its silky, quick-absorbing texture that smooths and nourishes without any heaviness. Its growth factors (proteins that help stimulate cell renewal) work to keep the periorbital area looking lifted and resilient.

Best for Hooded Eyes: Revision Skincare DEJ Eye Cream

Why it’s worth it: If you have hooded eyes (i.e., your lids slightly droop over your eyes), consider this eye-tightening cream recommendation from Dr. Malik. Specifically formulated for your eye shape, the Revision Skincare DEJ Eye Cream delivers a nourishing formula through a pump or a flat metal applicator. (The choice is up to you at checkout.) “It contains antioxidants, peptides, and other actives that address the multiple signs of aging around the delicate undereye area,” Dr. Malik says. You can also count on them to help lift the drooping skin around your eyes and improve its firmness and elasticity.

Best Drugstore: Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Triple Action Eye Cream

Why it’s worth it: If Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Triple Action Eye Cream could talk, it would remind you that texture matters just as much as ingredients, especially around the eyes. “While gels can feel refreshing, a true cream like this one delivers long-lasting hydration and structure-supporting actives without greasiness or heaviness,” says Dr. Luftman. Niacinamide, adenosine, and hyaluronic acid work together to firm, smooth, and plump the delicate eye area, while dextran sulfate helps deflate puffiness. The formula also includes antioxidant-rich fruit extracts and nourishing safflower seed oil to boost radiance and support the barrier. And of course, there’s Avène’s signature base: Avène’s unique thermal spring water is long recognized for its calming, anti-inflammatory properties,” she adds. Gentle enough for sensitive skin, it’s a reliable choice for visible tightening and lasting suppleness.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does eye-tightening cream work?

Surprisingly, yes, but some have temporary skin-smoothing effects while others minimize the look of fine lines, sagging, and wrinkles over time with consistent use. Certain skin-care ingredients, like silicates, can have an instantly tightening effect on the undereye area, as Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, mentions to Allure. Another way they work their magic is by adding hydration to the eye area. “When the skin is more visibly hydrated, it looks tighter,” says Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Collagen-stimulating ingredients, such as peptides, retinol, and vitamin C, help firm and tighten the delicate skin around your eyes, too, with consistent use. Keep in mind that eye-tightening creams won’t give you the same undereyes you had the day you were born, though. They can, however, effectively help diminish the appearance of fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness under your eyes.

How do you apply eye cream?

Dermatologists typically recommend gently tapping eye cream onto your eye area with your ring finger. It places the least amount of pressure on the delicate skin and is less likely to tug at it. Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut, says to “Apply along the orbital bone, not too close to the lash line.” You can also “use a chilled roller or gua sha [with your eye cream] for a spa-like boost,” she suggests as an optional upgrade.

Do you use eye cream or serum first?

Serum should be applied before eye cream. A general guideline experts suggest: Layer your skin-care products from thinnest to thickest consistency.

When do you apply eye cream?

Firming eye cream can be a part of your morning and nighttime skin-care routines. The only caveat: Eye creams formulated with retinol should only be used at night. (In the morning, you can reach for an eye cream with SPF.)

What in-office treatments are available for more intensive eye tightening?

We’ll let the pros take it from here: Dr. Gohara recommends radiofrequency microneedling (like Morpheus8), which is her “go-to for boosting collagen and elastin deep in the dermis.” If you’re looking for a non-invasive treatment (microneedling is considered minimally invasive, by the way), “Ultrasound-based devices like Ultherapy precisely target deeper layers to contour and tighten for a more lifted look,” Dr. Gohara adds. But, even with professional treatments, you shouldn’t negate your topicals. The strongest, most results-driven combination is always in-office treatments coupled with consistent at-home care.

Meet the experts

• Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Connecticut
• Margarita Lolis, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group based in Hackensack, New Jersey
• Debra Luftman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group based in Beverly Hills and Calabasas, California
• Kunal Malik, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Spring Street Dermatology based in New York City
• Dara Spearman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Radiant Dermatology Associates
• Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Ocean Springs, Mississippi

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For our list of the best eye-tightening creams, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

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