The 17 Best Eye Creams for Dry Skin of 2024

Contrary to popular belief, eye creams are not a scam. “The skin around the eye is very thin and delicate. It’s also one of the first areas to show signs of aging,” says Dr. Michael Somenek, a board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Washington, DC. He adds that regular application of quality eye creams can prevent the signs of premature aging by providing consistent hydration in the form of nourishing vitamins, antioxidants, and plant-based oils, to the eye area.

Because the under-eye area is thinner, it’s unable to retain moisture as easily as other parts of our body, and without proper hydration from an eye cream, the area can become dry, especially in the winter, leading to taut-feeling and dull-looking skin. It also can make under-eye concealer look cakey or flake, calling more attention to the area, but the best under-eye creams are flush with hydrating ingredients ready to fight the good fight against dry, dehydrated skin.

Best Overall

Drunk Elephant Ceramighty AF Eye Balm

Sephora

What We Love: The creamy, whipped balm texture is buildable and richly hydrating.
What We Don’t Love: There is a slight fragrance and may irritate the most sensitive skin types.

If your dry skin is seriously thirsty, this eye balm is one of the best Drunk Elephant products to grab. Formulated with a three percent ceramide blend and 10 percent plant omega-lipid complex, this moisturizer supports the skin barrier and also softens the skin’s texture with regular use. 

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Rachel Westbay is a fan of this ceramide-boosted cream. The NYC-based derm notes that it provides “immediate, noticeable hydration and softening properties.” Meanwhile the fatty acids within the omega-lipid complex, along with the antioxidants, work to maintain the moisture balance, ensuring long-lasting hydration. To round out the rockstar ingredients list, calming oat oil soothes discoloration and linolenic acid improves the skin’s texture.

Key Ingredients: Oat kernel oil, vitamin F, ceramide blend, provitamin B5, and evening primrose, chia seed, flax seed, avocado, and marula oils | Fragrance-Free: No | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Drugstore

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream

Amazon

What We Love: Lightweight and fast-absorbing, this gel-cream is a great option under makeup. 
What We Don’t Love: It’s not hydrating enough for those with extra dry skin.

Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost line is brimming with some of our favorite products for dry skin, including skin-plumping serums and creamy concealers, and the gel eye cream is another winner. The lightweight water-based gel soaks into the skin quickly, allowing you to apply makeup right over it without waiting for it to dry down. 

Additionally, the soothing, cooling formula taps hyaluronic acid, a mighty water-attracting molecule, as its main active ingredient to trap hydration in the skin and keep it moisturized from dawn till dusk. Like many gels, it could feel slightly tacky if you over-apply the product, so be wary you’re not laying it on thick, especially over textured skin. 

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, plant sugars | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Eye Cream for Fine Lines and Dry Skin

Macrene Actives High Performance Eye Cream

Neiman Marcus

What We Love: This long-lasting and super-rich cream feels like a soothing balm, making it perfect for those in need of a deep dose of hydration.

What We Don’t Love: The thick cream can take a while to absorb.

Rich, creamy, and white as snow, our eyes look instantly hydrated, and way less crepey each time we pat on the Macrene Actives High-Performance Eye Cream. Plus, our makeup went on smooth as glass after applying it, once we waited a little extra time for it to fully soak into our skin

Considering that the thrice Harvard-educated board-certified dermatologist Dr. Macrene Alexiades founded a medical research company, runs her dermatologist practice (beloved by supermodels), and formulates her own line of hyper-active skincare with plant-based ingredients that she grows and harvests herself, we’re unsurprised by how much we love using this rich eye cream. Her High-Performance Eye Cream contains 38 plant-based active ingredients (including peptides, hyaluronic acid, and caffeine) to visibly brighten, reduce the appearance of fine lines, combat puffiness, and firm the skin. Basically, it’s everything you need in one simple — and recyclable — glass bottle. 

Key Ingredients: Red and blue algae, peptides, mushroom extract, hyaluronic acid, vitamins C and E | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Eye Cream for Dry, Sensitive Skin

CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream

Target

What We Love: Its light consistency absorbs easily into skin, providing a moisturized foundation for makeup.
What We Don’t Love: Due to its quick absorption, it isn’t long-lasting.

Developed with dermatologists, this hydrating and firming eye cream is a foolproof — and affordable — solution. The caffeine-based eye cream also taps peptides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and ceramides to quickly improve skin elasticity, discoloration and puffiness around the eyes. However, while the featherlight texture treats sensitive skin kindly, especially dry under-eyes may need a few extra layers to retain more moisture. 

Key Ingredients: Peptides, niacinamide, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, ceramides | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Natural

Superegg Phyto Bounce Eye Contour Solution

Amazon

What We Love: Thanks to a lighter-than-air formula, the gel eye cream looks invisible under makeup and applies like a dream.

What We Don’t Love: It’s not super tightening.

Sick of walking around with Crypt-Keeper-adjacent under-eyes, we sought out the skincare brand Superegg who hatched the idea that buoyant, bright skin starts with the all-natural ingredients you pour into it. This formula is loaded with the good stuff, including easily recognizable ingredients, like vitamins B3 and C and hyaluronic acid, alongside a few lesser-known, but equally effective ones, such as diamond powder (to reflect light and illuminate shadowy bags) and tremella mushroom. All together, they culminate in a stand-out eye cream that doesn’t mess around with hydration for sensitive, dehydrated skin. 

“Sorry, but all my products have to be cute too, especially if they’ve become desk decorations like this one has as I’m prone to pick up the sleek forest-green tube and sneakily tap it on for an extra shot of moisture when arctic office air blasts my skin dry,” says commerce writer Irene Richardson. The gel formula is so lightweight and invisible that it is practically water, but it retains a consistent texture that doesn’t budge or slide around under-eye contours.

(P.S. We suggest rounding out your routine with the skin lifting and plumping Calm Movements Eye and Cheek Mask, which Beauty Director Lauren Valenti says was one of her Best Beauty Buys last year.)

Key Ingredients: Tremella mushroom, peptides, caffeine, niacinamide, rice bran oil, vitamins B3 and C | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Eye Cream for Dry Eyelids

Dieux Skin Auracle Reviving Eye Gel

Dieux Skin

What We Love: It's a sustainable option that works for all skin types and addresses dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness.
What We Don’t Love: Though it’s formulated to be hydrating, you’ll want to layer a moisturizer on top if you’re extra parched.

Some products just have it all. Dieux Skin’s new eye cream, Auracle, hydrates while reducing the appearance of dark circles, and fine lines and wrinkles. The gel-serum texture contains a handful of innovative and renewable ingredients, including 10 percent glycerin, which helps to keep skin moisturized and protected, algae polysaccharides to visibly camouflage dark circles and discoloration, along with peptides to boost skin’s firmness and minimize puffiness. 

The best part? They’re all safe to use on sensitive skin — even on the eyelids. Plus, we feel better about our purchase knowing the brand packages its product in 100 percent recycled aluminum and donates $1 of every sale to LGBTQIA+ communities internationally. 

Key Ingredients: Marine algae, peptides, glycerin | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.68 oz

Best Eye Cream for Very Dry Skin

Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment

Amazon

What We Love: Simple, cost-conscious, and effective, Aquaphor makes a fantastic nighttime eye cream.
What We Don’t Love: Its thick occlusive texture is naturally greasy, which can cause under-eye makeup to slide.

Ok, we cheated. Aquaphor isn’t technically marketed as an under-eye cream, but Dr. Lian Mack, a New York-based board-certified dermatologist, says it's a great solution if you suffer from eczema or have excessively dry, cracked skin. Even the most sensitive skin types can tolerate the barrier ointment, hence why slugging, which involves slathering the ointment across your skin, is the slimy little TikTok trend dermatologists actually stand behind (vampire masks, maybe not so much). 

“The occlusive properties of Aquaphor help to create a seal for the skin, locking in moisture,” says Mack. The petroleum jelly-based ointment has more beneficial properties than Vaseline because it also contains lanolin, glycerin, and a few additional hydrating ingredients. 

“Petrolatum is a thick and occlusive emollient that helps prevent 99 percent of transepidermal water loss,” says Dr. Westbay. “Some patients with very dry eyes may find it helpful to layer on thick, occlusive emollients at nighttime, or as many times throughout the day as you’d like and can tolerate.”

Key Ingredients: Petroleum, glycerin, provitamin B5 | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 1.75 oz

Best for Under Makeup

Ilia Retinol Alternative Eye Cream

Sephora

What We Love: Designed specifically to work flawlessly under makeup, the cream’s brightening ingredients also neutralize dark under-eyes.
What We Don’t Love: Due to the slight tint, it’s a morning-only solution.

Ilia’s first-ever skincare product, Bright Start Retinol Alternative Eye Cream, is so good that we deemed it a shot of espresso for our eyes. The celebrity-worn brand behind Kate Hudson and Martha Stewart’s lightweight formulated a bouncy eye cream specifically designed to be concealer-friendly. It sinks into the skin quickly without leaving a greasy finish, giving it all-day staying power under makeup. 

With ingredients like sea fennel extract, which is sustainability harvested off the coast of France, to address fine lines and wrinkles, upcycled avocado extract to hydrate, and caffeine to reconcile puffiness and under-eye bags, the silky-feeling cream glides right on with the help of a cooling ceramic-tipped applicator. Pro tip: Pop it in the fridge overnight so it doubles as a de-puffing tool while you apply. 

Key Ingredients: Sea fennel extract, avocado extract, caffeine, peptides | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Eye Cream for Dry Skin and Dark Circles

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye

SkinCeuticals

What We Love: Using innovative and patented ingredients, SkinCeuticals is effective in the fight against under-eye discoloration.
What We Don’t Love: It's a pricey option that takes time to see a visible payoff.

We’ve come across some real lemons in the skincare industry, but SkinCeuticals, specifically its editor-lauded anti-aging serum and cream, is always our most reliable bet. This eye treatment tames dark circles in two timelines: Instantly and long term. 

For an instant cure, the A.G.E. Advanced Eye Complex tapped optical diffusers to reflect light, minimizing the appearance of dark circles. Over time, their patented, beechwood-based sugar molecule Pro-Xylane, paired with peptides and flavonoids, work in tandem to diminish dark circles while also restoring skin’s firmness. Keep in mind that consistency is key and you’ll need to be diligent with a twice-a-day application to see these results. 

Key Ingredients: Proprietary wild fruit flavonoid blend, caffeine, licorice root extract, peptides | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Eye Cream for Dry Skin and Wrinkles

StriVectin Tightening Eye Serum

StriVectin

What We Love: Targeting crepey skin, this eye serum is clinically proven to tighten the entire eye area with consistent usage.
What We Don’t Love: The serum can pill when skincare or makeup is layered atop it.

Whether we’re brightening our complexions with its exfoliating face pads or using its pore-minimizing serum to banish breakouts, StriVectin is one of those brands that consistently understands the assignment — and the Tighten & Lift Peptight Eye Serum is no exception. The brand's triple peptide blend works alongside caffeine, microalgae and Kakadu plum extract to moisturize, support collagen production, and leave crepey skin feeling and looking firmer. As with all StriVectin products, the formula also includes the brand’s trademarked NIA-114, an optimized form of vitamin B, which has been clinically proven to strengthen the skin barrier. 

In an 8-week clinical trial, participants reported a 100 percent improvement in the look of firmness, 96 percent improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and 93 percent improvement in the look of under-eye puffiness. 

Key Ingredients: Peptides, caffeine | Fragrance Free: No | Size: 1 oz

Best Hydrating Eye Cream for Dry Skin

Dr. Loretta Tightening Eye Gel

Dermstore

What We Love: This award-winning eye gel is chock-full of potent ingredients to manage puffiness, dark circles and dehydration.
What We Don’t Love: It can cause makeup to cake and skincare to pill.

One of the brand’s best-selling — and InStyle editor-approved — products is the lightweight-feeling, but mightily potent-acting, Tightening Eye Gel. This serum-like gel addresses a long list of woes: Signs of premature aging, dark circles, puffiness, and crow’s feet. Developed with a long list of the brand's proprietary patented ingredients, most notably the Chromabright complex to fade uneven pigment, this bouncy gel neutralizes damage caused by free radicals and the sun's rays, while the marine algae peptides leave skin feeling supple and comfortable.

Pro tip: For immediate results, lightly dab it on with your finger then massage it in with a cooling tool, like ice globes, cryotherapy devices or even just freezer-chilled spoons. We’d probably save it for nighttime application, however, since it may cause makeup to pill. 

Key Ingredients: Proprietary Chromabright complex, algae extract, lipochroman, hyaluronic acid, marine algae peptides | Fragrance Free: Yes | Size: 0.67 oz

Best Brightening

Isdin K-Ox Eye Cream

Amazon

What We Love: This effective cream feels great and is clinically proven to brighten dark circles.
What We Don’t Love: The results are subtle and long-term, so banish any expectations of overnight before and afters.

Barcelona-based skincare brand, Isdin developed a revolutionary eye cream, K-Ox Eyes, with less than a dozen ingredients, each one chosen specifically for their effectiveness to ease dark circles and puffiness. The formula includes darkness-reducing vitamin K, as well as a handful of circulation-boosting ingredients. 

Never heard of vitamin K? It’s a particularly helpful ingredient in eye creams. “One of the best ingredients for the under-eye, in general, is vitamin K,” says Dr. Westbay. “This vitamin works to improve swelling, dark circles, and circulation under the eye, which is perfect for creating a brighter and more hydrated under-eye.” 

Key Ingredients: Vitamin K, hyaluronic acid | Fragrance Free: No | Size: 0.5 oz

Best with Retinol

Sunday Riley Retinoid + Niacinamide Eye Serum

Sephora

What We Love: It provides a retinoid-strength solution to boost collagen.
What We Don’t Love: This retinoid ester cream can still invite the temporary “retinol uglies” into your life for the first week or two.

No anti-aging conversation is complete without at least mentioning retinol — the multitasking ingredient that turns over skin cells and turns back time on complexions.  But on the flip side, it's also known to wreak havoc on skin, especially for new users. Thankfully, Sunday Riley found a way to incorporate the superstar ingredient into an eye cream that won't dry out this delicate area. 

Two different retinoids work together to supercharge collagen production while the moisturizing complex of ceramides and olive oil keeps the skin barrier thriving. The formulation is thoughtfully rounded out with niacinamide, which not only brightens discoloration, but also targets crow's feet and fine lines. That said, we still recommend incorporating this into your routine slowly because any form of retinol can be intense for first-time users.  

Key Ingredients: Retinol, niacinamide, ceramides, olive oil, tiger grass, poppy seed extract | Fragrance-Free: No | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Hyaluronic Acid Gel Eye Cream

Olay Hydrating Eye Gel

Walmart

What We Love: Olay’s classic gel treatment provides a cooling sensation upon contact.
What We Don’t Love: Eye gel doesn’t offer significant solutions beyond hydration.

The fragrance-free formula offers a mix of peptides and hyaluronic acid to help keep skin well quenched, plus it imparts an instant cooling sensation upon application. 

The refreshing eye gel is especially effective for anyone looking for an eye treatment that hydrates the under-eye area, but without the sticky or greasy residue that is so often left in its wake. It’s also great for layering under makeup or thicker moisturizers in the winter. Will it make you look like you sleep 10 hours every night on Egyptian cotton sheets and goose feather-down pills? Not exactly (but really, what does?), but it will make your dry under-eye look hydrated and healthy, and at an affordable price tag.

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, amino peptides, niacinamide | Fragrance- Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Hydrating Eye Cream for Mature Skin

Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Treatment

Sephora

What We Love: This thick balm aims to hydrate and reduce redness while also addressing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
What We Don’t Love: The deeply rich cream may take longer to absorb into the skin.

As we age our skin, specifically in our late twenties, our skin begins losing moisture more rapidly — there’s no shame in the game, it just means you need to lather on an extra nourishing formula. 

Dr. Somenek recommends Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment for its luxurious texture and the long-lasting hydration that washes over dehydrated skin and settling into the skin barrier. Rife with avocado oil to condition and visibly soften skin, alongside shea butter, one of the best defenses against dry skin, this moisturizer is like a tall glass of water to your under-eye area, while still feeling light and airy to the touch. Still, you’ll likely wait a few extra minutes longer for it to dry down than you might with a gel formula.  

Key Ingredients: Avocado oil, copper PCA, beta-carotene, shea butter, citric acid | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best Smoothing Eye Cream for Dry Skin

BeautyStat Universal C Eye Perfector

Saks Fifth Avenue

What We Love: Developed by a leading cosmetic chemist, it offers one of the highest percentages of vitamin C of any eye cream, making it one of the most effective formulas to treat hyperpigmentation.
What We Don’t Love: This high level of vitamin C can be intense for sensitive skin users.

Created by famed cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson,  the Universal C Skin Refiner became a cult-classic skincare product — it was the world's first 20 percent vitamin C serum, containing stabilized L-ascorbic acid (the purest form of vitamin C) through a patented encapsulated system for maximum potency. 

Now, the brand’s Universal C Eye Perfector has a potent five percent L-ascorbic acid to eradicate sun spots, hyperpigmentation and fine lines. The velvety gel-cream formula also cleverly includes pure EGCG, the most effective form of polyphenol, a derivative of green tea, to brighten and calm inflammation. Robinson also included hyaluronic acid and his patented CMH Repair Complex — a mix of caffeine, magnolia and hemp oil — in the formula for the kind of hydration that lasts all day. 

Key Ingredients: 5% pure vitamin C, hemp oil, green tea extract, caffeine, licorice root | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Size: 0.5 oz

Best with SPF

Supergoop! Mineral Eye Cream

Nordstrom

What We Love: The illuminated, pearlescent tint adds instant brightness and serious sun protection.
What We Don’t Love: Applying it too close to the waterline can cause burning or discomfort (as does almost all sunscreens).

Think about how truly delicate the skin under your eye is — now imagine blasting it with the thousands of harmful UV rays. Scary, right? Sunscreen for eyelids and the surrounding area is easy to neglect, but leave it to Supergoop to create a truly versatile skin and sun-care hybrid formula that contains one of the highest SPFs available for the eye area. It also includes probiotics, caffeine, and botanical ingredients to fortify, hydrate, and brighten the under-eye area. Thanks to the SPF and slight tint, it’s ideal for a morning skincare routine, whether you’re bracing for blue light online, but especially for days spent outside.

Key Ingredients: Zinc oxide, wild butterfly ginger flower, pomegranate, caffeine | Fragrance-Free: No | Size: 0.5 oz

What to Keep In Mind 

• Skin Type: “Eyelids frequently become dry relative to other parts of the body because eyelid skin is thinner than the skin on other parts of your body and face,” says Dr. Westbay. However, dry periocular skin may be caused by several other factors, too, including inflammatory skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, allergies and the use of harsh or drying soaps and toners. “For those with dry skin around the eyes, it's recommended to drink plenty of water, keep the area moisturized, and avoid harsh skincare products like exfoliants,” says Dr. Westbay.
• Active Ingredients: Dry skin around the eye area is both very sensitive and very reactive, meaning you only want to use a handful of tried-and-true ingredients. “Because loss of moisture is a huge factor in what causes and also perpetuates the symptoms of dry skin, choosing ingredients that prevent further water loss and/or directly hydrate the outer layers of the skin is key,” says Dr. Westbay. 
• Humectants, such as aloe vera and hyaluronic acid, attract water like a magnet and work in harmony with emollients to keep moisture locked into the skin. Meanwhile, naturally occurring lipids known as ceramides seal the skin barrier, keeping it healthy and intact, while peptides are amino acids that penetrate the skin barrier to rebuild and repair damaged cells. Dr. Westbay recommends an eye cream filled with anti-aging squalane, which she calls “one of the most common and important lipids" produced naturally within the body, and as this process slows down with age, dry skin becomes a more common concern, even for those who never struggled with it before.
• Fragrance-Free: While some eye creams include a light scent, those with sensitive, ready-to-turn-red skin should seek out fragrance-free iterations. “People suffering from dry eyes should also consider looking for products that are fragrance-free and without many additive ingredients,” advises Dr. Westbay, who adds that this is especially true if you have a condition like eczema.
• Texture: “Ideally, eye creams should be cream-based, rather than a thinner lotion,” says Dr. Westbay. “Many lotions are alcohol-based, meaning they evaporate once on the skin, which can actually exacerbate dryness.” Dr. Somenek agrees, explaining that “thicker, hydrating creams work better for dry skin around the eyes as opposed to oily skin, which benefits more from retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids, and green tea extracts.”
• Eye Health: Eye creams are formulated to go near the eyes — but not all formulas are eye-safe. “Eye creams must be formulated with the highest standards to ensure they don't harm ocular health,” says Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo, an ophthalmologist based in New Jersey. “The skin around the eyes is very thin, so creams can absorb very quickly or migrate into the eye.”
  

Your Questions, Answered 

How do you hydrate the skin around your eyes?

The best way to hydrate the skin around the eyes is to use creams that contain nourishing and calming ingredients. “Use a thicker or heavier cream with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, designed to strengthen the skin barrier and pull moisture to the skin, respectively,” adds Dr. Mack. 

How do you use an eye cream?

No matter what product you use, make sure you’re applying your eye product correctly. 

First and foremost, consider the pressure. Use either your index or ring finger to gently and delicately tap the cream onto the under-eyes. But never drag or rub the product into the skin, as that could irritate the fragile area. And a pea-sized amount of cream between both eyes should suffice, notes Dr. Mack. 

After washing your face, dab the cream under the tear troughs and the periorbital area both morning and night, being especially careful to not get too close to the eyes, says Dr. Hilal-Campo, and consider avoiding the eyelids altogether. “It’s not recommended to apply eye cream on your eyelids unless the directions say it’s safe to do so,” says Dr. Somenek. 

If you find your eye cream constantly sneaking into the eyes and causing irritation, consider only using eye cream at night, when you’re less active, which will help prevent product migration into the eyes, says Dr. Hilal-Campo. 

Why Shop With Us 

Irene Richardson updated this article. She is a beauty and fashion writer on InStyle’s evergreen commerce team, where she covers trending skincare, haircare, clothing, and more. 

Kristin Limoges is a freelance editor who has been reporting on beauty news and trends for more than a decade. She writes for numerous publications, including Byrdie, Harper’s Bazaar and WWD. To compile this list, she researched and tested countless eye creams (especially taking into consideration her ultra-sensitive under-eyes). She also consulted with leading skin and eye experts — Dr. Rachel Westbay, Dr. Lian Mack, Dr. Michael Somenek, and Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo — for their expertise and their favorite products.

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