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Those lovely crinkles at the corners of your eyes that appear when you’re smiling, aka “crow’s feet”, are a sign of a life well-lived. That said, if you’re hoping to make those lines a bit less noticeable, you may be able to do so with the help of the right eye cream. According to Dr. Susan Van Dyke, who spoke to The Zoe Report for this article, the best eye creams for crow’s feet contain ingredients that support the natural generation of collagen and elastin, as well as hydrating ingredients to replenish and maintain your skin’s moisture levels. If you’re experiencing dehydration or “crepiness,” the expert says it’s important to pick a moisturizing eye cream to adequately treat that skin concern. She adds that there are a variety of eye creams on the market that provide multiple benefits in one, so you can treat your crow’s feet and address other common concerns, like puffiness and dehydration, at the same time.
Certain active ingredients, like retinol, can help address uneven skin and fine lines, including crow’s feet. Be careful to choose a gentle formula that won’t dry out your skin, however, because the eye area is less oily and the skin there is a lot thinner. You may wish to alternate eye creams by picking a soothing, moisturizing option to use in the morning and then swapping it out for one that contains chemical exfoliants at night. You’ll find a mix of both on the list ahead — so keep scrolling to find your perfect eye cream match.
Dr. Van Dyke says that Flaw Fix Eye Cream by Crépe Erase is an “excellent all-around eye cream,” with plenty of moisturizers and ingredients to support collagen production, including the brand’s own proprietary Trufirm Complex, which comprises extracts of sage, apple, and dill, along with multiple hydrators. The cream, Dr. Van Dyke says, effectively “reduces the appearance of puffiness and fine lines, has a lovely light texture, and can be used daily, morning and night.” If you want, the dermatologist suggests using this soothing, fast-absorbing cream as a hydrating eye mask to further pamper your delicate skin — just use more product than you normally would, and pat off any excess with a tissue (or let it absorb overnight).
Like many people, I find that the area around my eyes gets almost immediately irritated and red if I put anything but the most comforting lotions on it, and I’ve been really delighted with MDSolarSciences MD Restore Eye Gel, both for the way it instantly provides moisture to this dry, delicate area, and also because of the long-lasting effects of the lightweight gel. Made with peptides to help plump, firm, and reduce crow’s feet, and all sorts of other good-for-skin ingredients (like glycerin, caffeine, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, green tea, and vitamins C, E, and B5), this is another wonderful multitasker that’s amazing for the delicate skin around the eyes.
Garnier’s wallet-friendly eye cream uses rice peptides to boost the efficacy of retinol. Peptides help increase collagen production, thereby making your skin look plump and bouncy, which can help lessen the appearance of crow’s feet and other fine lines. This also contains the antioxidant caffeine (topical, that is) to tighten up skin and decrease unwanted puffiness, while moisturizing shea butter keeps everything soft and soothed. All that for under $15 a pop, making this an absolute winner of a drugstore buy.
RoC's best-selling retinol eye cream is another affordable, multi-tasking marvel, so it’s no wonder it’s been a fan favorite for decades. It aims to reduce crow’s feet, an uneven skin tone, and unwanted puffiness. To help prevent the retinol from being too drying or irritating, it contains soothing glycerin, zinc, and panthenol. That said — particularly if you're new to using retinol around your eyes or have reactive skin — the brand suggests starting off using this oil-free cream every other night and seeing how that works for you before working your way up to nightly use.
Even with all sorts of nourishing ingredients added in, retinol eye creams can still be drying, so if you have particularly sensitive skin but still want to take advantage of retinol’s myriad benefits, try First Aid Beauty’s FAB Skin Lab Retinol Eye Cream, which is designed to deliver retinol over time. With soothing colloidal oatmeal, allantoin, and aloe, as well as ceramides and hyaluronic acid to moisturize, strengthen, and plump up your skin, this is a creamy, dreamy delight. FAB’s cream doesn’t contain any fragrance or other common irritants, and lastly, features micro-pearls to provide an instantaneous hint of glowiness.
Vitamin C, the key ingredient in La Roche-Posay Redermic C Pure Vitamin C Eye Cream, is famous for its ability to brighten dull skin and reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, but here’s a lesser-known fact: it can also help stimulate collagen production. Together, with skin-firming peptides, this cream offers an effective way to tackle a variety of skin concerns related to the eye contour area, including crow’s feet and unwanted under-eye circles.
This cream is fragrance-free, has a lightweight texture, and is gentle enough for people with sensitive skin to use. Thanks to the soothing thermal spring water that’s a hallmark of this French pharmacy brand, madecassoside (from the centella asiatica plant), shea butter, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, thirsty skin gets all the moisture it needs from this eye cream.
Dr. Van Dyke says that the most essential function of any eye cream is that it offers moisture to address dehydration and dryness, which can be helpful when it comes to lessening the appearance of unwanted crow’s feet. If you’re looking for a super-gentle, super-creamy, and super-calming formula, you can’t beat Avène’s Soothing Eye Contour Cream, which is made with the antioxidant vitamin E, thermal spring water, hyaluronic acid, and chamomile. It has such a simple formula that even highly reactive skin types can use it, including people with eczema, which is why it was given the seal of acceptance by the National Eczema Association.
This dermatologist-favorite eye cream is full of peptides to stimulate collagen production, caffeine to reduce puffiness, and antioxidants to protect and repair damaged skin. A bonus is the airtight bottle with a pump dispenser to keep the product from being exposed to the air and therefore degrading. This is one of those all-around amazing eye creams that does some serious heavy lifting, while offering an immediate illuminating effect, so it’s a great pick for just about anyone if your budget allows.
Susan Van Dyke, M.D., Board-certified dermatologist and founder, Van Dyke Aesthetics