The delicate eye area requires a gentle retinol that won’t leave the skin feeling dry and irritated — keep reading for our top picks.
As time passes, fine lines, loss of elasticity, crow’s feet, and other signs of aging are simply inevitable (thanks, collagen production decline), but there are ways in which you can slow down the process — only should you want to, of course. Adding retinoids (a.k.a. the umbrella term used to describe any vitamin A derivative including retinol) to your skin-care routine is one measure that almost every dermatologist highly recommends.
“Retinoids work by increasing collagen production as well as speeding up the rate of skin cell turnover, which makes them very effective at minimizing fine lines and wrinkles,” New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Shari Marchbein, MD, tells Allure. She adds that using an eye cream spiked with the powerhouse ingredient is an excellent idea for anyone hoping to reduce the appearance of fine lines, as well as to help prevent them from forming in the future.
Why not just regular retinol under your eyes? Because typically, they tend to be more intense in terms of strength, which could lead to irritation and dryness around the delicate skin that surrounds your eyes. What’s more, retinol can also induce symptoms of dry eye when placed too close to the eye itself, which optometrist Tanya Gill, OD, previously noted. Another important tip: always wear sunscreen (with at least SPF 30) the morning after.
You don’t have to drop a ton of money on eye creams with retinol, either. Sure, there are a few prestige options that dermatologists swear by, but there are also several affordable options that you can easily access at your local drugstore. Ahead, find the 12 best retinol eye creams at every price point, straight from the pros.
Best Overall Retinol Eye Cream: RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream
Why It’s Worth It: The RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream is a three-time Allure Best of Beauty Award winner and is backed by Dr. Marchbein and Canton, Michigan-based board-certified dermatologist Fatima Fahs, MD, for treating fine lines. The fact that it’s one of the most affordably-priced options on this list also doesn’t hurt its case. Outside of professional extractions, Mona Gohara, MD, Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist and associate clinical professor at Yale School of Medicine, says that retinol is your best bet at treating milia, which are those tiny white bumps (a.k.a. cysts made up of keratin).
TSA-Approved: Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules Line Erasing Night Serum
Why It’s Worth It: Another pick from Dr. Marchbein, this serum is encased in individual, single-use capsules for optimal potency by preventing exposure to light and air. “Sensitive or unstable ingredients, like vitamin C and retinol, work well in this type of delivery system,” Ron Robinson, a cosmetic chemist based in New York City and founder of BeautyStat, previously explained.
Best Retinol Eye Cream for Sensitive Skin: Eau Thermale Avène RetrinAL Eyes
Why It’s Worth It: New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Melissa Levin, MD, backs RetrinAL Eyes and says that it’s a great option for smoothing the undereye area. “It combines retinaldehyde, a stabilized version of retinol, for collagen production with hyaluronic acid for moisture and dextran sulfate as a de-puffing agent,” she explains.
Fastest-Absorbing Formula: Dr. Dennis Gross Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Triple Correction Eye Serum
Why It’s Worth It: Not only does this eye serum pump out two types of retinol and bakuchiol (a popular, plant-based alternative to retinol) to firm and smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, its slightly tacky texture works wonderfully as a primer for concealer and other makeup.
Best Brightening Boost: Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinoid + Niacinamide Eye Serum
Why It’s Worth It: This astrology-inspired packaging may be cute, but don’t be fooled. This lightweight formula is filled to the brim with powerhouse ingredients like retinol ester and liposome-encapsulated retinol to boost collagen production, dark-circle-brightening niacinamide, and barrier-strengthening ceramides. In other words, this treatment has a little bit of everything you’re looking for, and the ceramic applicator provides a dose of cooling soothing.
Best Prescription-Level Retinoid: Musely The Eye Serum
Why It’s Worth It: If you weren’t aware, Musely makes it simple to order prescription-level formulas (including those with tretinoin) through a board-certified dermatologist without ever leaving your home. Tretinoin, also known as retinoic acid, doesn’t need to go through any conversions, so it is readily available and faster-acting” than other retinoids, Sheila Farhang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Avant Dermatology & Aesthetics, has previously told Allure. Basically, this stuff is potent.
Best Drugstore Pick: L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Eye Cream
Why It’s Worth It: The price tag, for one, but this under-$20 pick also comes highly recommended by Dr. Marchbein. She likes it because the formula combines pro-retinol with soothing Centella asiatica (a.k.a. tiger grass), which work in tandem to firm and smooth the skin without irritation.
Best Splurge: Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream
Why It’s Worth It: Despite its creamy texture, this luxurious formula sinks into your skin swiftly and gives your undereye area an immediate plumping effect, thanks to hydrating squalane and wrinkle-softening aqua peptides.
Best Retinol Eye Cream for Dry Skin: Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum
Why It’s Worth It: If you want your skin care to work harder, try out this eye serum, which combines two forms of retinol: retinol and the vitamin-A derivative retinyl propionate. The latter is less efficacious than retinol, but by pairing the two, you get the almost-instant hit of the retinol along with the longer-term action of the retinyl propionate,” cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson previously explained, adding that this particular combo should reduce irritation and dryness.
Best Applicator: StriVectin Advanced Retinol Multi-Correct Eye Cream
Why It’s Worth It: You’ll find surface-release retinol to minimize irritation, as well as ingredients like rambutan, hibiscus, and rice bran extract to further reduce signs of sensitivity. StriVectin also adds its proprietary form of niacin to improve the efficacy of its retinol and boost its tone-evening abilities.
Best for Sallow Undereyes: Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream
Why It’s Worth It: Sallow undereyes don’t stand a chance against this eye cream’s trifecta of hydration-restoring ingredients — horse chestnut extract, arjun tree (an ayurvedic ingredient), and encapsulated hyaluronic acid — that will visibly plump. While pink algae, a natural source of vitamin A or retinol, is the star ingredient, caffeine and coffee seed extract also help firm the appearance of eye bags and crepiness.
Best No-Fuss Retinol: Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream
Why It’s Worth It: It’s all about balance. Part of its well-known Rapid Wrinkle collection, this dependable eye cream fuses retinol and hyaluronic acid together to target fine lines and crepiness, while also hydrating the undereye area.
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Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best retinol eye creams, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and board-certified dermatologists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
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