15 Best Retinol Eye Creams That *Actually* Work

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I'm going to let you in on a little skincare secret. The best eye cream is an eye cream with retinol. Why? Because retinol is the gold standard ingredient when it comes to anti-aging, and also because I've tested dozens of highly effective retinol eye creams over my decade-long career.

Derms agree with me too. Retinol is proven to increase cell turnover (your skin's natural renewal process) and stimulate collagen and elastin production, says dermatologist Arash Akhavan, MD. For you and your eye area, that translates to smoother and firmer texture, fewer fines lines and wrinkles, and less prominent dark circles and pigmentation, says dermatologist Lindsey Yeh, MD.

Great, right? But here's the thing: Retinol is STRONG, and some formulas are way too harsh and aggressive for your delicate eye area. So to save you from a painful game of trial-and-error (and a lot of potential flaking and redness), I tested and reviewed countless formulas to bring you this list of the 15 best retinol eye creams that smooth and brighten your skin without irritating the hell out of it.

✔️ P.S., This is new, up-to-date info, bb. We updated this article in July 2023 to add new top-rated retinol eye creams, complete with specs and reviews, and delete outdated oldies, just for you.

Keep scrolling for the full list of top-rated retinol eye creams, plus how to shop for a new retinol eye cream and how to properly use one in your skincare routine.

Redermic Retinol Eye Cream

This is hands down one of the most impressive eye creams I've tested. The formula has never once irritated the skin around my eyes (a rarity especially when it comes to retinol eye creams) and it has a silky gel-cream texture that glides on skin and sinks in quickly sans residue. As for the results, expect fewer fine lines and less noticeable puffiness and dark circles after about a month of regular use.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, caffeine, thermal spring water

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "The change in my under eyes has been remarkable from using this," writes a tester. "I use it every night and I noticed a huge difference in about a week. I have tried tons of other under eye creams. This doesn’t leave your skin in that awkward dry stage before the skin peels off. You just slowly notice it gently exfoliating."

Eyes Retinol 24 Night Eye Cream

Remember that thing about certain retinol eye creams being suitable for nighttime only? This is one of them. The silky cream contains a retinol complex along with two potent antioxidants to firm and brighten your skin while you snooze. I tested it out for a month and noticed that the tiny creases under my eyes were softer and smoother.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, vitamin B3, vitamin E

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "When I received this eye cream I thought it was really small, but after using it for a month or so I realized that it goes a long way," writes a tester. "I only need a small amount for each eye and at my current rate I guess it would last around four or five months which makes it very good value for money."

Retinol Firming Eye Cream

Many retinols can be deactivated my sunlight, making them only suitable for your P.M. skincare routine. But not this retinol eye cream from Kate Somerville. It's made with a stable form of retinol that stays potent throughout the day—plus, in my testing experience, the non-greasy, non-pilling formula wears perfectly under foundation and concealer too.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, bakuchiol, hyaluronic acid

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I love this product. It seems to make a difference in my fine lines and does so in the gentlest way possible. I've been using this eye cream for months now and I love the ease of application and its effectiveness. That said, it's expensive (so don't squeeze to hard because a little goes a long way!) but a must have my for my eyes," reads one tester's review.

Retinol Eye Cream

Finding a good eye cream that's less than $12? Hard. Finding a good retinol eye cream under $13? Basically impossible. So when I found this top-rated retinol eye cream from The Inkey List, I was pretty damn excited—and I was even more excited by the results after testing. It significantly reduces the appearance of dark circles and the rough texture around my cheekbones, without giving me redness or flaking.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, glycerin, shea butter

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I love this eye cream. It's super affordable and it's lightened my dark circles significantly."

Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Eye Cream

This rich and creamy retinol eye cream is ideal for anyone dealing dark circles (hi, me). It combines vitamin C and retinol to fade hyperpigmentation and thicken your skin to make dark circles less visible. It's even got a dose of ceramides to help keep your delicate eye skin strong and moisturized throughout the day.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, vitamin C, ceramides, peptides

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I'm in love with this eye cream," reads one review. "The consistency is perfect, not too light and not too thick."

Advanced Retinol Multi Correct Eye Cream

This award-winning retinol eye cream is a cult-favorite among dermatologists, estheticians, and beauty editors. It genuinely works (expect smoother, firmer skin around your eyes with continued use) and it's gentle too. The magic? A patented technology called NIA-114 that helps make retinol less irritating, making it a suitable retinol option for those with sensitive skin.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, glycerin, hibiscus extract

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "After about a month of using this eye cream I noticed a difference in my under eye area," writes a reviewer, adding that their skin was "brighter and fine lines were less visible." "It doesn't irritate but is strong enough to make a difference," writes another reviewer.

5 Stars Retinol + Niacinamide Eye Serum

If you're hesitant to use an eye cream because you're afraid of putting anything on your skin that has a thick, sticky texture, then you'll love this option from Sunday Riley. The texture is similar to that of a face serum, and the formula is packed with retinol to smooth fine lines and niacinamide to brighten up dark shadows.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, niacinamide, ceramides

• Fragrance free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I love this! It makes my eye area looks younger, and it's not sticky at all," reads one review.

Retinol Ceramide Line Erasing Eye Cream

This rich eye cream combines plumping and smoothing retinol with brightening niacinamide, firming peptides, and moisture-boosting ceramides (they're a must for a healthy skin barrier) to make your eye are look younger and more wide-awake without feeling flaky or dried out in the process.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, peptides, ceramides, niacinamide

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "This product has been wonderful. It lightweight, goes on smooth, and is definitely worth trying. I would recommend this to anyone with fine line concerns!"

Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Cream

Think of this as an overnight face mask, but specifically for your eye area. The rich creamy formula cocoons your delicate eye skin in a layer of moisture (TY, avocado extract) and infuses it with a time- released retinol that's both effective *and* gentle.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, avocado oil, coffeeberry extract

• Fragrance-free? No

THE REVIEW: "If I could give it more stars I would. It feels cooling, calming, creamy, ughhhh it's fabulous and I love it! It's not too heavy but still feels so rich and nourishing."

Retinol Eye Cream with Triple Hyaluronic Acid

If the thought of using retinol around your dry, delicate eye area freaks you out, try starting with this ultra-gentle and hydrating retinol eye cream. The formula is infused with soothing oat extract and hyaluronic acid to draw moisture to the skin for long-lasting hydration and an instant plumping effect, and the retinol it uses is actually encapsulated, making it extra gentle on skin.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, oat extract, hyaluronic acid

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I’ve been wanting to try an eye cream with retinol but have been hesitant since the rest of my skin doesn’t seem to get along with retinol," says a reviewer, adding that "I'm happy to report this did not irritate the skin around my eyes at all!"

Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

Retinol eye creams area a long game (most formulas requires months of regular use to yield a result) but this formula from Neutrogena is proven to improve your skin's texture around your eyes in as little as a week, thanks to a glucose complex that boosts the retinol's efficacy for faster results.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I felt like I noticed visible results after the first use and have continued to see results throughout my first week of use," writes one tester, adding "I even use it on some fine lines on my forehead area."

Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream

There's a reason basically everyone and their mother raves about this retinol eye cream: It's gentle and it works. The hypoallergenic formula truly reduces crow's feet, dark circles, and under-eye bags without causing any redness or dryness to your eye area.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, glycerin, panthenol

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I've been using this eye cream for almost ten years and I still love it," says a reviewer. I get many compliments on my skin and comments about the lack of wrinkles around my eyes for my age."

Age Reversal Eye Complex

Fine lines? Puffiness? Dark circles? This multitasking eye cream helps treat them all. It contains retinol to plump lines and wrinkles, niacinamide to reduce inflammation, and ash tree bark extract to brighten the look of dark circles and boost hydration levels too.

• Key ingredients: Retinol, niacinamide, ash tree bark extract

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "The most amazing eye treatment on the market for smoothing visible fine lines and wrinkles," says a tester. "My eyes look brighter, smoother, and transformed! My husband uses it as well and we are both hooked! Invest in this product!!!!"

Eye Cream Firm + Brighten

Just because this retinol eye cream is natural doesn't mean it's any less powerful than other options on the list. The hero ingredient is actually bakuchiol—a natural, plant-based ingredient that treats skin to the the same smoothing and glow-boosting benefits as retinol.

• Key ingredients: Bakuchiol, peptides, caffeine, rosehip oil

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "I've only used this a few times and can already see a difference," says one tester. "It has a serum-like texture and the scent is nice without being too strong."

EyeMax AlphaRet Overnight Cream

Dermatologists love this potent retinol eye cream from Skinbetter Science. It uses something called AlphaRet technology, which combines a retinoid and an alpha hydroxy acid to visibly reduce crow's feet, wrinkles, and crepey texture under and around eyes after four weeks of nightly use.

• Key ingredients: Retinoid, AHA, vitamin C, vitamin E

• Fragrance-free? Yes

THE REVIEW: "Works like a dream. Even though it’s a bit pricey, I’ve found that a little goes a very long way! So glad I was recommended to try this!”

Is retinol eye cream or vitamin C eye cream better?

Neither retinol eye cream or vitamin C eye cream is better—the best formula depends on what you want your eye cream to do. In general, vitamin C eye creams are great for minimizing dark hyperpigmentation and discoloration around the eyes, while retinol eye creams are excellent at smoothing crow's feet and softening the look of lines and crepiness. That said, retinol eye creams are able to minimize dark circles as well by thickening the skin under your eyes, so retinol eye creams are better multitaskers IMO.

What's the best retinol eye cream?

The best retinol eye creams contain more than just retinol. Brightening ingredients (like vitamin C and niacinamide) and hydrating and moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic, ceramides, and squalane are all things to look out for in your eye cream as well. Added moisturizing ingredients are especially important if your skin is on the dry or sensitive side, says Dr. Akhavan.

How to choose a retinol eye cream:

Make sure your retinol is designed specifically for your eye area

When using retinol around your eyes, it's best to use a formula that's specifically designed for the eye area, says Dr. Yeh. The delicate skin around our eyes tends to be more sensitive and prone to irritation, and retinol eye creams (unlike, say, the retinol you may use for treating acne) are formula with those concerns in mind, says Dr. Yeh.

Regular face retinols may also contain too high of a percentage for the eye area, but specific eye creams containing retinol will have the appropriate amount, says Dr. Akhavan.

Start off low and slow

When shopping for a new retinol eye cream, it is best to start with the lowest percentage you can find and then work your way up to a higher concentration, says Dr. Akhavan. "This will help you avoid any irritation or reaction." You always want to use your retinol eye cream sparingly at first—one or twice a week at first, increasing your frequency as tolerated.

Opt for a fragrance-free formula if possible

Fragrance, whether it's synthetic or naturally-derived, can be potentially irritating when used in skincare products. This is especially true for eye creams since the skin around the eyes tends to be more prone to irritation and inflammation. Many derms will say to play it safe and choose a fragrance-free formula if possible.

Meet the experts:

• Arash Akhavan, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at The Dermatology and Laser Group in New York, NY, and a faculty member at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. He specializes in non-invasive and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures as well as skin cancer prevention and treatment.

• Lindsey Yeh, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in cosmetic dermatology. Dr. Yeh is the co-founder and medical director at B.TOX.BAR, an aesthetic dermatology boutique in Los Gatos, CA.
  

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Lauren Balsamo is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing skincare stories that range from the laser skin tightening to the best wrinkle creams. She’s an authority in all skincare categories, but is an expert when it comes to retinol and eye creams. She regularly tests and analyzes retinol eye creams for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top dermatologists and estheticians to assess new formulas and brands.

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