These 19 Eye Creams for Wrinkles Are Better Than Botox (2024)

Key ingredients: Peptides, caffeine, niacinamide

Size: 0.5 fl oz

When it comes to anti-aging skincare, expensive is not always better. “This is an affordable product with peptides that help hydrate the skin,” says Dr. Lal. Investing in hydrating eye creams can help plump and smooth the under eyes and reduce fine lines.

Amazon rating: 4.5/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “CeraVe has used ceramides in their formulas before it was popular within the skin care market. Containing both peptides, ceramides, niacinamide, and caffeine, you get great ingredients for an even better price.” — Danielle James, ELLE.com beauty director

Key ingredients: Ceramides

Size: 0.88 fl oz

Consider this cream a fresh glass of water for your under eyes. The fast-absorbing formula melts into your skin like butter to disperse a hydrating, cooling formula that reduces dryness and dullness.

Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I’ll sing the praises of Curel to anyone who will listen—it’s just that good. The eye cream is my little secret to hydrated, younger-looking eyes. It creates a smooth base for my under-eye makeup and soothes dry areas.”— Nerisha Penrose, ELLE.com beauty commerce editor

Key ingredient: Avocado

Size: Size 0.95 fl oz

Avocado is great on toast but even better as a superfood staple in skin care for its nourishing benefits. Kiehl’s utilizes avocado to boost hydration and brighten around the eyes.

Nordstrom rating: 4.3/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I like a thick under-eye cream, and this one is top-notch. It’s hydrating and helps my under-eye makeup not dry out. Perfect for the cold, dry, winter months or anytime you can use a little extra hydration (which, for me, is always).”—Danielle James

Key ingredients: Harungana extract, shea butter

Size: 0.5 fl oz

This eye cream was designed to work quickly, and it absolutely does the job. In just a minute, you’ll notice tightening and a reduction in fine lines. With consistent use, the benefits only get better.

Ulta rating: 4.3/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “Not only did this eye cream hydrate and tighten, but it was also the only eye cream that cleared up a patch of eczema I had on my eyelid a couple of years ago. This is a product I can trust to do right by me each and every time I use it—I’ve finished two bottles, and I’m sure I’ll go back to it again eventually.” — Carol Lee, associate beauty e-commerce writer

Key ingredients: Caffeine, peptides

Size: 0.05 fl oz

If you have sensitive skin, using retinol–particularly around the delicate eye area–can be terrifying. However, this gentle eye cream uses ingredients that mimic the anti-aging and brightening effects of retinol, without the side effects.

Sephora rating: 4.4/5 stars

An ELLE Editor says: “The flat, ceramic tip is a treat for my puffy eyes in the morning because it feels like I’m giving my under-eye area a cooling massage. I love that there’s a tiny opening where the product dispenses, so I can control how much cream I put on. Plus, the tinted cream gives a brightening effect that lasts well after the product melts into your skin.”—Nerisha Penrose

Key ingredients: Caffiene, wild fruit extracts

Size: 0.5 fl oz

SkinCeuticals is the gold standard when it comes to anti-aging skincare. “This product has unique technology that fights glycation end products that occur with aging. It also helps reduce the appearance of dark circles,” says Dr. Lal.

Key ingredients: Peptides

Size: 1 fl oz

Skincare and instant results shouldn’t go together, but this eye gel changes all that. Immediately, you’ll feel your under eyes tightening while the product dries. With time and consistency, fine lines fade thanks to a trio of peptides.

Amazon rating: 3.8/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “The instant results are truly remarkable. Upon application, the Eye Tightener works its magic, visibly tightening and lifting the delicate skin around my eyes. Fine lines, wrinkles, and puffiness seem to vanish, leaving a smooth and revitalized appearance. It’s like having an instant facelift specifically tailored for the eyes.”

Key ingredient: Retinol

Size: 0.5 fl oz

A favorite amongst dermatologists, the RoC Retinol Eye Cream is packed with age-defying ingredients. “This has retinol, which helps fight wrinkling over time,” says Dr. Karan Lal. Not only does retinol help combat signs of aging, but it also improves discoloration and dark circles when used consistently.

Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “This has changed my baggy, puffy, dark eyes for the better. I apply every night and instead of waking up to ugly eye bags I wake up to soft smooth undereyes. I saw a difference in 4 days using this eye cream and even went to every other night after 3 weeks and still it keeps my undereyes in shape. An essential!”

Key ingredients: Retinol, hyaluronic acid

Size: 0.5 fl oz

Retinol is an incredibly effective anti-aging ingredient, but its potency can also cause dryness in some forms. This eye cream makes that a thing of the past, by combining retinol with hydrating hyaluronic acid.

Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “I’ve been using this daily for years now. It works great on wrinkles!”

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C

Size: 0.5 fl oz

Oftentimes, using multiple active ingredients helps combat fine lines and wrinkles that are caused by various factors. This eye cream covers the bases by utilizing the powers of hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to plump, brighten, and reduce fine lines.

Dermstore rating: 4.7/5 stars

A Dermstore reviewer says: “I’ve been using it for years and haven’t found anything that works better to keep the lines and crow’s feet at bay around my eyes.”

Key ingredients: Retinol, niacinamide, vitamin C, peptides

Size: 0.5 fl oz

If you want to use an eye cream that’s universally adored, this one from Dermalogica is it. It is packed with active ingredients like retinol and niacinamide to help fade fine lines and wrinkles while also evening out your skin tone.

Ulta rating: 4.3/5 stars

An Ulta reviewer says: “I have used this product for years now as part of my nightly routine. Before going to bed, I use this under my eyes after cleansing and tap gently around the orbital bone. Creamy serum that goes on so smoothly, softens fine lines and helps decrease those under-eye bags while you’re getting your beauty sleep!”

Key ingredients: Peptides, niacinamide

Size: 0.5 fl oz

“The AluminEye Brightening Eye Cream reduces all signs of aging and dark under eyes. It is fortified with potent peptides and vitamins that work synergistically to combat the signs of aging and to revitalize the skin, as well as tremella mushroom extract, niacinamide, and murumuru butter,” says Dr. Chilukuri.

Alumier MD rating: N/A

An Alumier reviewer says: “After about a month of using this eye cream, I have definitely noticed a reduction in puffiness. My undereye area also looks a little lighter. As I mentioned, ensure that you are applying this cream an inch away from your eyes as it can sting!” — Dominique Baker, Blogger, Style Domination

Key ingredient: Peptides

Size: 0.5 fl oz

Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair system is a staple in skincare, and this eye cream should be just as revered. It’s incredibly hydrating and plumping.

Ulta rating: 4.5/5 stars

An Ulta reviewer says: “I absolutely love this eye cream. I really see a difference in puffiness and fine lines around the eyes.”

Key ingredient: Marine algae

Size: 0.67 fl oz

This eye cream is lightweight yet packed with effective, botanical ingredients. It helps contour around the eyes, tightening loose areas so the skin is plumped and fine lines are reduced.

Dermstore rating: 4/5 stars

A Dermstore reviewer says: “As soon as I apply it any puffiness disappears, overtime my under eyes don’t look as dark. It has some amazing ingredients to not only help with puffiness but dark circles and fine lines as well. Lots of antioxidants to protect skin from free radical damage as well. Great product and worth the price.”

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter

Size: 0.5 fl oz

When your late nights turn into swollen, dull, tired eyes, reach for the Repair Eye Cream Intense by Bobbi Brown. The creamy mixture takes hydration seriously, thanks to hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and glycerin, which create a nourishing shield to reduce any evidence of fatigue.

Nordstrom rating: 3.8/5 stars

An ELLE Editor says: “This was the first eye cream I ever used and I still keep it stocked in my skin care collection to this day. Anytime I feel like my eye area could use a instant burst of hydration or I want to wake up looking extra refreshed, the Repair Eye Cream does the job.”—Nerisha Penrose

Key ingredients: Retinol, shea butter

Size: 0.5 fl oz

Charlotte Tilbury’s Rescue Cream line is beloved by celebrities and makeup artists alike for its ability to prime the skin before makeup. The eye cream is ultra-hydrating and refillable, so you can replace the product without needing to re-buy the container.

Nordstrom rating: 4.1/5 stars

A Nordstrom reviewer says: “Amazing! Very moisturizing! Hides all lines and wrinkles. I use it twice a day and have great results. I have used all high end eye creams, none have worked so well!”

Key ingredients: Olive seed oil, vitamin b5, hyaluronic acid, aloe leaf juice, niacinamide

Size: 1.01 fl oz

This antioxidant-rich eye cream deeply hydrates the skin without irritating it—as proven by clinical trials involving a 96-hour patch test. While anyone can use the product, its moisturizing, brightening, and smoothing abilities make it especially well-qualified to take care of mature skin.

Irene Forte rating: 5/5 stars

An Irene Forte reviewer says: “This is the first eye cream that resolved dry skin areas around my eyes and on my eyelids. I was even using a prescription cream from my dermatologist that was not resolving the dry skin. I use it every morning and night, and my eyes are back to smooth skin. I have sensitive skin, and this product is great.”

Key ingredients: Peptides, niacinamide

Size: 0.5 fl oz

Unlike eye creams, eye serums are more lightweight and can feel nearly invisible once they’ve sunk into the skin. But that doesn’t mean they’re not working hard for you. Packed with peptides, this eye serum plumps and hydrates the under eyes at a very reasonable price.

Sephora rating: 4/5 stars

A Sephora reviewer says: “I was a bit skeptical to try this but I’ve been using this serum day and night for almost two weeks now and I genuinely love it. It helps to smooth out my under-eyes where I’m starting to develop crows feet and it pairs well with my eye cream before I apply makeup.”

Key ingredient: Peptides

Size: 0.58 fl oz

Move along, Botox. “This is the OG. This product has peptides, which help improve wrinkles around the eyes,” says Dr. Lal. While this is certainly an investment product, the results speak for themselves.

Dermstore rating: 4/5 stars

A Dermstore reviewer says: “I’m still on the fence about the revox line relaxer. I have been using it twice a day on my under eyes for the past year and have no noticed a significant change but they haven’t gotten worse. It is an expensive product and I will probably continue to use but I won’t be using all over my face due to the price.”

Dr. Karan Lal is a board-certified dermatologist based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Dr. Suneel Chilukuri is a board-certified dermatologist based in Houston, Texas.