The Best Eye Creams for Men Will Sort Those Eye Circles and Fine Lines
The first line of defense against fine lines and dark circles is a quality men’s eye cream.
Before you scoff, know these jars of cream are worlds apart from the moisturizer you slather on the rest of your face. The best ones out there are fine-tuned to cater to the delicate skin that surrounds your eyes, gently shifting puffiness, brightening discoloration, and plumping out those creeping lines. “The skin around the eyes is up to ten times thinner than the rest of the face, making it vulnerable to the effects of sun exposure, environmental pollutants, and glycation (a process that depletes the skin’s collagen),” says Dr. Gary Goldfaden, founder of Goldfaden MD.
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“Everyone should be using an eye cream by their mid-twenties,” he says. “Visible changes under and around the eye area include hyperpigmentation or ‘dark circles’, fine lines, and textural changes due to the thinness of the skin from diminished levels of collagen production.”
But what exactly should you go for? We're all made of different stuff, and one man's rehydrating cream is another's facial oil slick. You’ll need to ascertain your specific skin concerns, then choose a line of attack best suited to sorting them.
If it’s morning puffiness, a sluggish circulatory system is likely the culprit. “As we mature, the small blood vessels and capillaries lose the ability to return the blood back to the system and tend to back up into the lymphatic tissue, where fluid is accumulated, thus causing puffiness,” explains Dr. Goldfaden. To remedy this, look for an eye cream containing vitamin K, caffeine, or tea extracts.
Dark circles require a two-step approach. First, curse your parents, as sunken shadows are largely a genetic issue, then console yourself with the fact that an antioxidant-rich eye cream may help brighten any surface pigmentation.
And when it comes to fine lines, you’ll need to call on the big one: retinol. Also known as vitamin A, it’s pretty much the most widely revered skincare ingredient on the planet.“Retinol can help to increase cell turnover, thereby minimizing dark circles and textural changes. It can also stimulate collagen production to prevent volume loss,” confirms Dr. Goldfaden. Sensitive soul? Skip this one – it’s hardcore stuff, after all – and plump for peptides instead.
Here, we've picked out the best men’s eye creams for every skin type.
The 8 Best Eye Creams to Try Now
1| BEST FOR PUFFINESS
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 30ml
If you’re simply looking to shift puffiness in the morning, The Ordinary’s no-messing caffeine serum should do the trick. Remember: tap gently. lookfantastic.com
2| BEST FOR DARK CIRCLES
Goldfaden Md Bright Eyes
Goldfaden MD’s cult eye cream calls on hard-working natural ingredients – including soy-derived peptides and antioxidant red tea – to illuminate and protect that delicate skin. It might feel light on application, but it packs a heavyweight brightening punch. spacenk.com.uk
3| BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN
Cerave Eye Repair Cream
Nothing says NHS helpline more than a cheap, chemical-loaded eye cream. So if your skin is easily upset, stick with tried-and-tested, skin-compatible ingredients like ceramides.
Found naturally in the skin, these oily lipids support the skin barrier, ensuring essential moisture doesn’t evaporate. This eye cream delivers an extra-large helping of them to needy skin, as well as a hit of hyaluronic acid for extra hydration. lookfantastic.com
4| BEST FOR A SERIOUS REBOOT
Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum
There are few retinol-based eye creams on the market, due to the ingredient’s tendency to irritate skin. Murad, however, has struck the perfect balance with this brand-new formula, which combines three different forms of retinol with moisturizing plant-derived fatty acids. Use it at night only, and remember your SPF moisturizer by day (retinol will make you more sun-sensitive). cultbeauty.co.uk
5| BEST FOR STRESSED SKIN
Dr Dennis Gross Skincare B3 Adaptive Superfoods Stress SOS Eye Cream
Dr. Dennis Gross’ latest line is designed to counteract the effects of stress on our skin. This creamy, (naturally) ginger-scented eye cream will eliminate crepey texture instantly and deliver a noticeable brightening effect in the longer term. The superfood extracts inside are encapsulated, meaning they stay potent until the moment they reach your poor, tired skin cells. cultbeauty.co.uk
6| BEST FOR DRY SKIN
Clinique for Men Anti-Age Eye Cream
You won't find any skincare pseudoscience in Clinique's long-trusted offering. This no-nonsense eye cream contains caffeine to shift puffiness, and shea butter to deliver deep moisture to eternally thirsty skin. lookfantastic.com
7| BEST FOR OILY SKIN
Institut Esthederm Intensive Hyaluronic Eye Contour
This lightweight gel won’t make you look 20 years younger, but it will impart featherweight moisture that lasts an entire day. The milky serum texture is ideal for the cream-averse, and the hyaluronic acid inside is a proven moisture-grabber. lookfantastic.com
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8| BEST FOR SPF
Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect
Eye creams are trickier to formulate with trustworthy SPF protection, which is why you don't see so many of them on the market. The boffins at Medik8 have mastered it though: this no-messing cream will shield your under-eye area properly (which is, of course, the best way to stave off wrinkles). cultbeauty.co.uk
This story originally appeared on Esquire.co.uk. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
