6 Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles, According to Dermatologists

How we tested & why you can trust us:

It’s of huge importance to us that you can trust our product recommendations. So, to compile this guide to the best eye cream for wrinkles, we first spoke to experts about what to look for in a solid buy. Dr. Camp says that we’d want to look for an eye cream that has ingredients like retinol or vitamin C. He says that retinol can improve collagen production, which helps to tighten and firm wrinkled skin around the eye area. Elsewhere, “vitamin C has antioxidant properties that protect skin from the damaging effects of free oxygen radicals, which contribute to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” Dr. Camp says.

Marie Louise Maxwell, an expert in her 60s, has been busy testing eye creams for wrinkles from her home in London.

Howard Sobel, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, adds that niacinamide and hyaluronic acid help improve hydration, which makes fine lines less visible.

With the experts’ ingredient rules in mind, we tested over two dozen eye creams for wrinkles that fit the bill, and had experts and Glamour editors carefully evaluate the formulations based on the ingredients, texture, and the difference they made in our skin over time.

• Ingredients: Our winners include hydrating, plumping, brightening, and wrinkle-reducing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, vitamin E, vitamin C, niacinamide, and retinoids that have been proven to smooth out the skin and minimise the appearance of wrinkles.
• Texture: Because the eye area is so delicate, we made sure to only select formulas that melted into the orbital area, feeling cushiony and never irritating.
• Efficacy: The best eye creams for wrinkles needed to make a difference when it came to smoothing lines. The options on our list visibly softened crow’s-feet and creases, while also leaving our under-eyes looking brighter and less dull.

1. Best Overall Eye Cream for Wrinkles: Perricone MD Triple Retinol Renewal Eye Cream

Marie Louise testing eye creams for mature skin at home in London.

The top spot in our guide goes to Perricone MD’s Triple Retinol Recovery Eye Serum, a formulation which is infused with antioxidant-rich coenzyme Q10 and naturally derived vitamin A to brighten and smooth under-eyes, while increasing firmness over time. According to the brand, 91% of testers agreed that their eye area looked and felt smoother after four weeks’ worth of use, while it resulted in statistically significant reduction in fine lines and crow’s feet across the same time period. But how did it fare in our testing?

Marie Louise’s Review: “I have sensitive skin and, in the past, I’ve had some fairly unpleasant experiences with {retinol} formulas that were too aggressive. So, when it comes to Vitamin A skincare, I’m super cautious. Initially, I was nervous about trying a retinol eye-cream in case I reacted again – especially around the eyes where the skin is so fragile and thin. But if there was one brand that could deliver, it’s Perricone MD.

“I have been a fan of their products since the late nineties when they first launched. They were one of the first doctor-led skincare brands; the science that goes into their products is known to be top-level. This eye cream has been cleverly formulated to combines three forms of retinol which make it work at different speeds in a gentle and controlled way. I introduced it slowly, using it just a few nights a week to begin with. No irritation. Texture wise, it feels nourishing rather than harsh, almost more like an eye treatment than a typical active product. Within a few weeks, the skin around my eyes looked fresher, smoother and less tired, especially those fine dehydration lines that can make concealer sit badly on mature skin. I also noticed my under eye area looked brighter and slightly firmer without ever feeling stripped or sensitised.”