Today I want to answer one of the questions I get asked a lot. What eye cream is the best under makeup?
I’m a big fan of eye creams, and they are one of the products I include in my skin care routine twice day.
I confess that I look for different things in an eye cream for morning versus the night.
At night, I want my eye cream to be full of active ingredients to fight aging. A lot of hydration is good at night, and it doesn’t matter if the heavy moisturizers leave behind a residue since I’ll be asleep anyways.
In the morning, I want lightweight moisturizers to prep my skin for makeup without leaving behind a greasy residue. I also want caffeine to temporarily tighten the skin, and light diffusers to make my under eye look brighter. I consider any active ingredients to fight aging to be a bonus in the morning, my main concern really is prepping my under eye for concealer.
I have used a huge number of eye creams over the years, and these are the best ones that I’ve found for preparing my under eye for makeup. I’ve noted what added ingredients you’ll find in each product, so you can find one that works well for you.
My favorite eye cream to use under makeup
My current everyday favorite is the Tula, I like that it is lightweight and sinks in quickly but still hydrates my skin. If I had an unlimited budget I would be using the Kate Somerville Line Release each day as that cream has the best light diffusion.
I use The Ordinary Caffeine Solution on days that I look super tired as that has a lot of tightening power. Finally, when my skin is dry or I need extra hydration (such as during the winter or when I’ve been in the super arid hospital on call), I reach for the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream.
1. Rodan+Fields Active Hydration Bright Eye Complex
Caffeine, Vitamin C, Antioxidants
PS
2. Tula Multi-Spectrum Eye Renewal Serum
Caffeine, Retinoid, Peptide, Vitamin C, Antioxidants
3. Kate Somerville Line Release Under Eye Repair Cream
This one is my favorite of the Kate Somerville eye creams. The 2 I featured here feel very similar, but Line Release has more light diffusion and that is amazing when you are extra tired and need to cover up some bags! But note that the less expensive Age Arrest (below) is very similar in feeling, but with less light diffusion. I do notice a difference between the two.
Retinoid, Peptide, Vitamin C, Antioxidants
4. Kate Somerville Age Arrest Eye Cream
Telo-5 to fix telomere DNA damage, Antioxidants
PS
5. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution (also on Amazon)
Definitely a lot of caffeine in this oil, but it tightens like crazy and it does sink into my skin nicely.
PS
6. Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Eye Treatment Eye Transforming Cream
Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Antioxidants, slightly peach to color correct under eye circles
PS
7. Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream
Vitamin C, Antioxidants
PS
8. Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream
Peptide, Antioxidants
PS
9. SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair
Retinoid, Peptide, Vitamin C, Antioxidants
Note, the items marked with PS above are pregnancy safe.
More to read about eye creams
The Best Active Ingredients in Eye Creams
Do you need an eye cream? Dr. Cynthia Bailey Weighs In
Dermatologists’ Favorite Eye Creams
I’m a doctor, a mommy and a bit of a beauty addict. If you let me, I can take 2 hours to get ready in the morning. Really. I'm on a quest for faster beauty that works!
Oooh, I want to try the Oil of Olay. I have used the Clinique one and it’s good too.
Hi Doctor,
Can i check is the eye product below also pregnancy safe?
Product name: SWANICOCO FERMENTED PEPTINE EYE CARE CREAM
Ingredient list: Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract, Aspergillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl carbonate, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus/Lemon Peel Ferment Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Extract, sh-Polypeptide-11, sh-Oligopeptide-2, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hexapeptide-12, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate , Cetearyl Olivate, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sorbitan Laurate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Ginsenosides, Colloidal Platinum, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica (Fig) Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Grifola Frondosa Fruiting Body Extract, Maltodextrin, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Beta-Glucan, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Allantoin, Arginine, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Adenosine
Looks safe!
Just to say thank you for all your work and share of knowledge!
Is skin & co truffle therapy eye concentrate safe for pregnancy?
AQUA, COCO-CAPRYLATE, OLEA EUROPAEA OIL UNSAPONIFIABLES, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE, POTASSIUM PALMITOYL HYDROLYZED RICE PROTEIN, DIMETHICONE, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE, SODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE, TUBER MELANOSPORUM EXTRACT, PULLULAN, ALGAE EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED HIBISCUS ESCULENTUS EXTRACT, PAULLINIA CUPANA EXTRACT, POTASSIUM AZELOYL DIGLYCINATE, HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL, DAUCUS CAROTA SATIVA ROOT POWDER, PANTHENOL, SODIUM HYALURONATE, PHENETHYL ALCOHOL, SODIUM POLYACRYLATE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, TOCOPHEROL, GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE, P-ANISIC ACID, PARFUM, ORYZA SATIVA POWDER, DISODIUM EDTA, COUMARIN, LINALOOL, DEXTRIN.
Safe for pregnancy and nursing