Derms Say Eye Creams Are a Non-Negotiable for Sensitive Skin—Here Are 13 They Always Recommend
Eye creams give the skin around your eyes an added boost of nutrients to help manage dryness, fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, and more. But because this delicate area is susceptible to irritation on any complexion, finding a product that works on sensitive skin can be especially challenging. However, according to dermatologists, it's worth hunting down the right formula, because using an eye cream for sensitive skin can offer some pretty serious benefits.
- Elyse Love, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, Miami-based board-certified dermatologist
- Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist at Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in New York
- Rachel Nazarian, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York
- Sharleen St. Surin-Lord, MD, board-certified dermatologist and hair specialist at Visage Dermatology
Best eye creams for sensitive skin, at a glance
- Best overall: Avène, Soothing Eye Contour Cream, $29
- Best drugstore: CeraVe, Eye Repair Cream, $20
- Best rich cream: Kiehl's, Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, $60
- Best lightweight gel: Neutrogena, Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream, $27
- Best for brightening: First Aid Beauty, Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Eye Cream, $36
- Best for soothing: La Roche-Posay, Toleriane Ultra Eye Cream Soothing Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin, $30
- Best for under makeup: Bobbi Brown, Extra Repair Eye Cream Intense, $90
- Best for dry skin: Cetaphil, Hydrating Eye Gel Serum, $14
- Best for under-eye bags: Colorescience, Total Eye Firm & Repair Cream, $94
- Best for strengthening skin: belif, Moisturizing Eye Bomb with Peptide and Ceramide, $48
- Best for tired eyes: Buttah, Sterling Silver Awake Eye Cream, $59
- Best for visible signs of aging: SkinCeuticals, Eye Balm Hydrating Cream, $90
- Best for de-puffing: TruSkin, Depuffing Longevity Eye Cream, $17
The benefits of eye cream for sensitive skin
There's a reason why the skin around your eyes tends to be the first place to show visible signs of skin aging: It's a whole lot more delicate than the skin anywhere around your face. "The skin around the eye is just so thin. It's a mucus membrane, and mucus membranes are extremely sensitive and absorb things much more quickly," says Sharleen St. Surin-Lord, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Washington DC.
"People with sensitive skin are actually probably the people who would benefit the most from an eye cream," says Elyse Love, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, That's because people with sensitive skin typically skew drier, so a super hydrating eye cream can be great "from a smoothing hydration perspective," she says.
Shop the best eye creams for sensitive skin
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, chamomile, Avène thermal spring water
This soothing eye cream works to rehydrate your eye skin while reducing the appearance of puffiness, dark circles, and dehydration lines. Plus, it provides antioxidant protection (to fend off environmental damage and future signs of visible skin aging) and the calming benefits of chamomile and thermal spring water. If you’re looking for a single product that will address all of your under-eye concerns, can be worn day and night, and won’t cause irritation, this is the one.
Size: 0.33 oz.
Pros:
- Hydrates, depuffs, brightens, and soothes skin
- Fragrance-free, paraben-free, alcohol-free
- Built-in applicator for sanitary application
- Approved by the National Eczema Association
- Ophthalmologist-tested
Cons:
- None! As far as we’re concerned, this product is pretty much perfect
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide, Marine and Botanical Complex
“This drugstore favorite uses hyaluronic acid and ceramides to help hydrate the undereye skin while strengthening the skin barrier, helping to improve the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, while also being good for sensitive skin,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. “It also contains niacinamide which is soothing on the skin and a Marine and Botanical Complex which helps to brighten the area. It uses a patented delivery system, known as MVE technology to provide long-lasting hydration.”
Size: 0.5 oz
Pros:
- Hydrates, strengthens, and brightens skin
- Approved by the National Eczema Association
- Dermatologist-developed, ophthalmologist-tested
Cons:
- Reviewers say it may take time to see results
Key ingredients: Avocado oil, beta carotene, shea butter
“One of the products that I recommend a lot for sensitive skin is Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment,” says Dr. Love. “I find that it is really soothing cream and doesn’t irritate the skin.” This eye cream is made with avocado oil to hydrate, smooth, visibly de-puff, and brighten the look of the under-eye area.
Size: 0.95 oz.
Pros:
- Hydrates, smooths, de-puffs, and brightens skin
- Fragrance-free
- Doubles as a primer under makeup
Cons:
- Formula may be too thick for some
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
Dr. St. Lurin loves this lightweight gel from Neutrogena, which is full of hyaluronic acid to smooth and hydrate the eye area. “Hyaluronic acid is actually a humectant, and it draws about a thousand times its body weight in water,” she says. “So if you want moisture, that’s the best way to go, especially for sensitive skin.”
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Hydrates skin
- Lightweight gel texture
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer additional benefits beyond hydration
Key ingredients: Niacinamide, pumpkin seed extract, sodium hyaluronate, caffeine
This gentle formula delivers the double-whammy of brightening skin both immediately upon application and over time. Caffeine stimulates circulation to the under-eye area, diminishing the appearance of puffiness and discoloration, while peach micro-pigments balance out the purple tones in dark circles. Behind the scenes, niacinamide and pumpkin seed extract work their magic to treat these concerns from the inside out and deliver results after a few weeks of use.
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Fades dark circles and puffiness both immediately and over time
- Uses niacinamide, a gentle antioxidant-rich brightening alternative to vitamin C
- Dermatologist tested
Cons:
- Tint only comes in one shade, which *should* work for all skin tones, but may be more difficult to blend on deeper complexions
Key ingredients: Glycerin, shea butter, niacinamide
Designed specifically with sensitive skin in mind, this eye cream from La Roche-Posay contains hydrating glycerin, moisturizing shea butter, and soothing niacinamide to keep your eye skin moisturized and calm.
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Calms and hydrates skin
- Allergy and dermatologist-tested
- Lightweight gel-cream texture
- Paraben-free, fragrance-free, preservative-free
Cons:
- Prices may vary depending on retailer
Key ingredients: Shea butter, glycerin, hyaluronic acid
“I love this product because it contains several different ingredients that are fantastic for hydration and strengthening the skin,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. “The combo of shea butter and glycerin, with much-loved hyaluronic acid, improves natural moisturizing factors, and also prevents loss of moisture to the outside environment.”
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Offers instant de-puffing and dark-circle masking benefits
- Wears well under makeup
Cons:
- Expensive
Key ingredients: Peptides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin E
“This new product was designed for sensitive skin,” says Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami, FL. “It was created to be a retinol alternative for people with sensitive skin and contains peptides instead of retinol, which can be irritating for some people around the sensitive eye area. It is also a lightweight gel serum which is great for people who do not want a heavier eye cream.”
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Deeply hydrates and softens skin around the eyes
- Lightweight gel texture never feels goopy or greasy
- Gentle actives diminish the appearance of wrinkles without irritation
- Drugstore price-point
- Fragrance-free
Cons:
- Some may prefer a creamier texture
Key ingredients: Glycerin, squalane, sea buckthorn fruit oil, meadowfoam seed oil
“This hydrating cream uses humectants such as glycerin and sea buckthorn fruit oil, emollients such as meadowfoam seed oil and squalane to support the skin barrier and improve the overall texture of the undereye skin,” says Dr. Garshick. “It also incorporates the brand’s Total Eye Complex, which works to firm the undereye skin and improve discoloration, as well as caffeine which helps to reduce overall puffiness.”
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Firms, depuffs, and fades dark circles
- Free of parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrance
- Pump dispenser more sanitary than pot
Cons:
- Expensive
Key ingredients: Ceramides, squalane, peptides
“This is a great option for people with sensitive skin because it includes two natural skin strengtheners—ceramides and squalane—which improve the skin barrier and make skin less sensitive and reactive,” says Dr. Nazarian. “It’s also incredibly lightweight and absorbs quickly.”
Pros:
- Strengthens, firms, and hydrates skin
- More product per purchase than most other eye creams (0.84 oz. versus 0.5 oz.)
Cons:
- Can bleed into the eyes if too much product is used
Key ingredients: Niacinamide, squalane, bakuchiol, vitamin C
Pop this puppy in your bag to give tired eyes of any kind a boost on the go. The combination of squalane, niacinamide, bakuchiol, and just a touch of vitamin C will instantly help fade the appearance of dark circle, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles, and the easy-application metal tip offers aah-inducing cooling benefits.
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Hydrates skin, fades fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles
- Cooling metal tip for easy application
Cons:
- Vitamin C may cause irritation in some complexions, even in this gentle concentration
Key ingredients: Soy isoflavones, vitamin E, silymarin
“This product is a great hydrating balm for sensitive skin,” says Dr. Woolery-Lloyd. “It provides rich hydration and is paraben-free, alcohol-free, and fragrance-free.” It’s got a triple threat of hydrators (vitamin E), antioxidants (silymarin), and skin-firming ingredients (soy isoflavones) to diminish the appearance of current signs of aging around the eyes while also preventing future ones from showing up.
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Address multiple signs of aging including fine lines/wrinkles, discoloration, and sagging
- Paraben-free, alcohol-free, and fragrance-free
- Balmy texture melts into skin
Cons:
- Expensive
Key ingredients: Bakuchiol, coffeeberry extract, lingonberry stem cells
“This eye cream incorporates bakuchiol, a plant-based retinol alternative, as well as coffeeberry extract, rich in caffeine, and lingonberry stem cells to help reduce puffiness and brighten the skin,” says Dr. Garshick. “By stimulating collagen production using Bakuchiol, this eye cream can help to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and skin laxity without causing irritation, making it a good option for those with sensitive skin.”
Size: 0.5 oz.
Pros:
- Addresses puffiness, fine lines, and dark circles
- Protects against blue light damage
- Creamy, lightweight texture
- Fragrance-free
Cons:
- Results will take more time to appear due to the gentleness of the active ingredients
What to look for in an eye cream for sensitive skin
When it comes to ingredients, those that calm and hydrate should be table stakes. Well-known hydrators, like hyaluronic acid and squalane, and skin-strengtheners, like ceramides, are great for ensuring proper moisturization. Skin-soothers like—colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, vitamin E, Centella Asiatica (cica), arnica, allantoin, and marshmallow root—are worthy additions for keeping the area free from irritation.
If you're in the market for a product that does more than just soothe and hydrate, look for gentle alternatives to your standard heavy-hitting actives. For smoothing fine lines, opt for peptides or bakuchiol (which offer similar results to retinol, but without the drying side effects), and for brightening, try something with niacinamide (instead of vitamin C, which may be irritating to sensitive complexions).
As far as texture is concerned, Dr. Love suggests looking for a formula that's hydrating but not too thick. "It is a good idea to stick with more lightweight eye cream so that you don't get those milia," which are tiny white bumps that appear when the pores around your eyes get clogged, she says. "People with sensitive skin are going to want to stick with more cream-based products, versus those with oilier skin who may like more gel products."
Get more tips for caring for the skin around your eyes:
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