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There are very few instances where you can fully treat under-eye circles. But even though some causes are tougher to treat than others, most of the time there are products that can provide some improvement, says Rayhan. Since there are many factors that cause dark circles, you usually need to treat them using a few different methods, he says.
Cosmetic procedures are the most effective way to treat dark circles, according to our experts. If the discoloration is caused by volume loss creating shadows, injectable fillers (typically hyaluronic acid-based) or a lower eyelift (called lower blepharoplasty) are most effective, while laser skin resurfacing with a CO2 laser can help with thinning of the skin and blood pooling, says Rayhan. Chemical peels performed in-office by a dermatologist or skin care professional can also help treat hyperpigmentation or discoloration, says Garshick.
If cosmetic procedures aren’t for you, using over-the-counter eye creams and skin care products can still help reduce the appearance of dark circles. (Keep in mind that you won’t get the same results as you would get from in-house cosmetic procedures.) One of the best ways to reduce the appearance of darkness under the eyes is by hydrating and moisturizing the area using eye creams with ingredients that induce collagen, like retinol and vitamin C.
You should always wear sunscreen during the day — even around the eyelids — to protect the skin, especially since hyperpigmentation from sun damage can worsen dark circles over time, according to Rayhan. While some factors may be out of your control, “using sunscreen helps prevent UV damage that can contribute to volume loss and hyperpigmentation which can otherwise lead to dark circles,” says Garshick.
When shopping for over-the-counter treatments for dark under-eye circles, the dermatologists I spoke to recommend considering the following factors:
Each of the following over-the-counter products is dermatologist-recommended, an NBC Select editor favorite and/or includes ingredients that align with expert guidance.
One of our favorite eye creams, this RoC option has retinol to help stimulate collagen production (which experts say keeps the structure of your skin firm and provides underlying support), but is also gentle enough that it doesn’t irritate the delicate under-eye skin, says Dr. Nkem Ugonabo, a board-certified dermatologist at Union Derm. It also has glycerin, which pulls moisture into the skin, says Dr. Heidi Waldorf, a board-certified dermatologist and owner of Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics.
L’Oreal’s Revitalift eye cream includes a combination of retinol, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to reduce puffiness and brighten the skin under the eyes. It also gets top marks from Waldorf for having skin-plumping glycerin and dimethicone, as well as caffeine for reducing redness and discoloration.
Neutrogena’s retinol eye cream is also made with hyaluronic acid and dimethicone, and is a great drugstore option, according to Waldorf. It not only works to decrease the appearance of fine lines and dark circles, but also keeps the delicate skin under your eyes hydrated, she says.
I love using Isdin’s K-Ox eye cream daily to combat my dark circles. It brightens my under eyes, leaves the area feeling hydrated and the ceramic applicator is cooling on my skin. The eye cream also has haloxyl, an ingredient that helps even out skin tone and keeps the under eyes firm, according to the brand.
This eye cream has a lightweight, whipped texture and is a favorite of NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin. Like others on our list, this eye cream has vitamin C and caffeine to help brighten, depuff and support the production of collagen, according to the brand. Malin, who dabs less than ¼ of a teaspoon onto the skin, stores the cream in her fridge to provide an instant cooling effect.
This eye cream has vitamin C, which helps brighten the under-eye area, experts say. It also has jojoba seed oil, shea butter and beeswax, which are all gentle for the eye area and hydrate the skin, according to the brand. However, although the cream is fragrance-free, it still may irritate more sensitive eyes.
This Garnier eye roller can serve as a quick fix for under-eye puffiness and dark circles because it has caffeine, vitamin C and mint to help reduce the appearance of the under-eye bags, says Garshick. Its convenient roll-on applicator has a cooling effect that can help you easily apply the gel cream to the under-eye area, according to the brand.
This Alastin eye treatment has brightening and hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and green tea, says Ugonabo. It also has a blend of active peptides that helps firm up the skin and even out skin tone under the eyes, according to the brand. It’s noncomedogenic and hypoallergenic, which also makes it a good option for those with sensitive skin.
Waldorf recommends Supergoop’s mineral eye cream because it has zinc oxide, which is great for sensitive skin, and SPF 40 to protect the skin from harmful UV rays (you should look for a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30 to provide an adequate amount of protection, experts say in our guide to face sunscreens.) This SPF eye cream also has a blend of probiotics and caffeine to brighten the skin and alleviate any redness, according to the brand.
Cooling products are helpful for reducing swelling and puffiness since the cold causes the blood vessels to constrict, says Garshick. “This is why I often recommend putting eye cream in the refrigerator to get the added cooling benefit or using eye creams that contain a cold metal applicator for the added de-puffing benefit,” she says.
This Charlotte Tilbury eye serum comes with a metal applicator that has an instant cooling effect to de-puff the eyes, according to the brand. It also has a blend of caffeine and peptides, which our experts say can keep the under-eye area looking smoother, brighter and more refreshed.
Packed with alpha hydroxy acids, hyaluronic acid and peptides, this eye cream has protective antioxidant benefits, says Waldorf. “Fruit stem extract contains antioxidants and other ingredients that may be protective to aging cells. It also has caffeine to reduce puffiness,” she says.
This Neocutis eye cream targets dark circles with ingredients like vitamin C, caffeine and peptides. It also has growth hormones, which are proteins that help regulate good collagen processes (which restores the skin) and reduce bad collagen processes to avoid volume loss around the under-eye area, according to our experts. Suitable for all skin types, the brand recommends using this cream in the morning and evening.
These Pacifica patches, which have a 4.5-star average rating from over 1,500 reviews on Amazon, are packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to brighten and hydrate your under eyes. The patches are also infused with aloe to moisturize and soothe the delicate skin around the eyes, according to the brand. You can purchase these individually or purchase them in a pack of four
One of our favorite under-eye patches, this expert-recommended option has hyaluronic acid and caffeine to help improve the look of fine lines and under-eye hyperpigmentation, according to the brand. The patches are fragrance-free, and you can apply them in the morning and at night, according to Peter Thomas Roth.
“Puffiness can be reduced temporarily by using topicals with ingredients like green tea polyphenols and caffeine, which helps the fluid shift,” says Waldorf. She likes using these Skyn Iceland topical cooling pads before a special occasion, presentation or photo shoot to help de-puff and brighten up her under eyes. You can pop them into the fridge for a cooling effect that also helps reduce swelling and puffiness, says Waldorf. Free of parabens and silicones, these pads can help seal moisture and plump the skin in just 10 minutes, according to the brand.
“I often recommend patients apply a tiny amount of Aquaphor healing ointment under the eye at night to help seal in moisture,” says Ugonabo. Designed for dry, cracked skin, the Aquaphor Healing Ointment can go beyond under-eye care: You can use it as a lip moisturizer, facial moisturizer, hydrating mask and more, according to the brand.
Sunscreen helps protect the skin from UV rays that cause sun damage, which can ultimately help diminish the appearance of dark circles in the process, says Dr. David Rayhan, a board-certified dermatologist at Rayhan Dermatology. He recommends this tinted sunscreen from EltaMD — which makes some of our favorite SPF lip balms and tinted moisturizers — because “it contains zinc oxide and iron oxide, which help prevent damage from ultraviolet light,” he says.
Silk sheets and pillowcases can help prevent tugging at the skin, which can ultimately reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, experts explained in our guide to silk bedding. Though they’re not going to fully treat dark circles, chronic friction can cause pigment production: “If your pillowcase is irritating your eyelids, this could be contributing to the problem,” says Rayhan. Waldorf recommends investing in this Slip silk pillowcase because it’s machine-washable and designed to reduce friction on your face. The pillowcase is available in both Queen and King sizes and comes in multiple colorways, including pink, silver and pistachio.
Some makeup-removing wipes, especially those that require rubbing the under-eye area, may cause redness and irritation and even worsen hyperpigmentation, according to our experts. Farmacy makes some of our favorite acne scar treatments and editor-favorite lip masks, and this balm from the brand is one I use daily to double cleanse. It has a smooth, silky consistency and melts easily into my skin, so I don’t have to rub my eyes with a coarse wipe to remove my eye makeup. It has sunflower and ginger root oils to remove eye makeup without stripping or drying out the skin, and it has papaya extract to gently exfoliate, according to the brand.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I’m an updates editor at NBC Select and I’ve covered skin care since 2021. For this article, I spoke to four dermatologists to narrow down the best treatments for dark under-eye circles, and highlighted their recommendations for the best products to consider.
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