11 Best Eye Creams Under $50 That You Can Buy on Amazon, According to Dermatologists
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Most skincare routines are packed with the heavy hitters: Cleansers, serums, moisturizers, and SPF. But do you have an eye cream that treats dark circles, wrinkles, puffiness, and uneven skin tone? If “no” we’re here to help. Now that the seasons are changing, there’s no better time to add the best eye creams to your daily rotation—they brighten your under-eye area, but they also hydrate. Ahead, learn how to look for a new eye cream, according to dermatologists.
Best Eye Creams of 2026, at Glance
Best Overall: LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream (Fragrance-Free), $16
Best with Caffeine: The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream, $12
Best for Dark Circles: Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream, $40
Best Anti-Aging: La Roche-Posay Redermic Retinol Eye Cream, $50
Best for Fine Lines & Wrinkles: L’Oreal Paris Dermo Expertise Eye Defense Eye Cream, $12
Best Brightening: Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Eye Cream, $29
Best for Reducing Puffiness: Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel-Cream, $15
Best Drugstore Pick: e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream, $11
Best with Retinol: RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream, $22
Best Editor-Loved: DIME TBT Eye Cream, $38
What Ingredients Should You Look for In an Eye Cream?
When it comes to finding an eye cream to add to your routine, there are a few things to keep in mind. One: What skin concerns do you want the cream to treat? Two: Ingredients. Derms say that looking at ingredients will help you decide on the best formulas for your skin.
Dr. Lauren Penzi of MDCS Dermatology advises looking for hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides, which will plump and lock moisture into the skin. Hyaluronic acid also helps fill in tiny lines so they don’t appear as prominent. If you need to decrease puffiness under your eyes, seek options that contain caffeine and niacinamide. To boost collagen, best for those with mature skin, make sure your new eye cream includes “collagen formation like peptides and retinol.” Finally, Dr. Penzi says to also look “that protect from UV damage like antioxidants and SPF.”
How Should You Apply Eye Cream in Your Skincare Routine?
Now that you’re ready to shop with a dermatologist-approved cheat sheet, make sure you properly layer the eye cream into your routine. “Apply the eye cream after washing your face and add your serums with actives,” Dr. Penzi shares. “Then apply moisturizer on top.” And if you’re using a formula that contains retinol, only apply it during the evening.
Ahead, see 10 of the best eye creams that de-puff, brighten, and soothe.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST OVERALL
LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream (Fragrance-Free)
If you’ve ever searched for affordable eye creams on Amazon, there’s a good chance you’ve run into this gem from Lilyana Naturals. Their fragrance-free eye cream works as an “anti-aging moisturizer” that helps hydrate and reduce the appearance of puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines. It has over 36,000 reviews on Amazon, with shoppers saying it “works better than even the most expensive eye creams” they’ve ever tried. Best part? It’s less than $20!
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST K-BEAUTY
Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum
In case you weren’t already aware, Amazon has an excellent selection of K-Beauty products to fit your needs. When it comes to eye creams, you can’t go wrong with the Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum. It’s so beloved by beauty fans, it was purchased over 40,000 times over the last month alone! That’s a pretty huge deal. The serum features a blend of ginseng and retinol, which work together to help give you brighter, more youthful-looking eyes. One recent reviewer wrote, “This eye cream is absolutely amazing! I’ve been using it for about a week now and have noticed a huge difference in my under-eyes not being dark or puffy when I wake up. It helps firm the skin, but also looks like i’ve had the best sleep ever.”
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST WITH CAFFEINE
The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream
Inkey List’s eye cream is packed with caffeine, which “helps to instantly reduce fluid retention under the eye, helping to lessen puffiness and dark circles,” Dr. Penzi says.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST FOR DARK CIRCLES
Kiehl's <strong>Avocado Eye Cream</strong>
This luxurious avocado eye cream from Kiehl’s is one of the brand’s bestsellers. It’s packed with beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps protect the skin against damage. There is also sodium PCA, a humectant derived from Amino acids, which help to bind moisture to the skin for all-day hydration. Lastly, there’s the hero ingredient: Avocado oil—it has a balanced blend of lipids and omega fatty acids that nourish the skin.
Aside from its impressive ingredient list, the eye cream’s results are just as good. It diminishes dark circles, depuffs, and brightens the undereye area with just a few daps.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST ANTI-AGING
La Roche-Posay Redermic Retinol Eye Cream
Retinol is a skincare hero because it targets a laundry list of concerns like signs of aging, acne, dark spots, and more. Dr. Penzi likes this pick from the already dermatologist-approved brand, La Roche-Posay, and says that the cream “helps with fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration. It also contains caffeine that reduces puffiness.” The formula is a bit pricy, but the results and longevity of the tube are worth it.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST FOR FINE LINES & WRINKLES
L'Oreal Paris Dermo Expertise Eye Defense Eye Cream
If you’re looking for a tried and true eye cream that’s available at your local drugstore, don’t skip over L’Oreal’s Eye Defense Eye Cream. It contains a blend of caffeine and hyaluronic acid, which brightens and plumps the skin.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST BRIGHTENING
Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Eye Cream
Vitamin C is another effective ingredient when looking to brighten dark circles under your eyes. The Olay eye cream comes packaged in an easy-to-use jar. It has a smooth, creamy, and light texture that instantly melts into your skin. The result? A visibly brighter, radiant, and hydrated complexion.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST FOR REDUCING PUFFINESS
Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel-Cream
Dr. Penzi also recommends the Cetaphil Eye-Gel Cream because it contains “hydrating and soothing ingredients like vitamins B2 and E, hyaluronic acid, and green tea extract; helps to smooth and brighten under eyes.” The texture is also worth noting. It feels like a gel and blends like a cream, and it doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind like some other formulas. Shoppers love the cream because it works for all skin types, even those with sensitive complexions.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST DRUGSTORE PICK
e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream
This affordable eye cream is packed with all the right ingredients. It contains peptides and hyaluronic acid, which smooths the under-eye area and minimizes dark circles. The ingredient blend also leaves the skin hydrated and plump with consistent use. And it’s only $11!
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST WITH RETINOL
RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream
The RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream is another option to consider when shopping for the best eye creams. This formula features an anti-aging formula which helps to plump, hydrate, and correct multiple signs of aging in the under eye area. And reviewers praise its visible results, which are achieved through the effective combination of ingredients — the eye cream is packed with pure RoC retinol, an exclusive mineral complex made to produce results without causing irritation around your eyes.
BEST EYE CREAMS 2026: BEST EDITOR-LOVED
DIME TBT Eye Cream
DIME TBT Eye Cream takes the spot as our best editor-loved eye cream for numerous reasons. It targets the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, boosts hydration, and plumps, smooths, and firms the skin all in one. The eye cream is packed with gentle ingredients like bakuchiol, a retinol alternative that treats fine lines of aging. The formula also contains apple fruit stem cell extract, which helps the skin barrier and locks in moisture. The result? A youthful and refreshed appearance.