9 Best Retinol Eye Creams That *Actually* Work

Think of retinol eye cream as the energy drink of your skincare routine. Your eyes are energized and plumped with the help of time-released retinol, which adds a surge of radiance, smooths fine lines, and depuffs any swelling .

Adding 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 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 and help prevent them from forming in the future. We have researched and tested many retinol-based eye creams for their ability to diminish fine lines and wrinkles, moisturize, tighten, and lighten dark circles—and more! 

Top Favourites Retinol eye creams

StriVectin Advanced Retinol Eye Treatment ($79)

StriVectin Retinol Eye Cream comes from Plant-based ingredients help moisturise and visibly firm skin while a metal applicator cools & massages skin for visibly rejuvenated, less puffy eyes. Made to improve the look of your eyes, reduces wrinkles, Fine Lines , texture , uneven skin tone, luminosity, firmness, skin elasticity.

Ophthalmologist tested & fragrance free formula,Improves elasticity & firmness. Clinically proven to visibly improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and puffiness. Wrinkle complexity around the eye is reduced by improving the appearance of volume, texture, and depth of wrinkles.

Olay Eyes Retinol24 Night Eye Cream ($29.99)

Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Eye Cream penetrates deep into the delicate skin surface around your eyes. Apply nightly to the dry skin around your eyes for 24-hour hydration. Retinol 24 Eye cream visibly firms, brightens, evens skin tone, and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles. It has a light, silky feel and absorbs quickly.

Charlotte Tilbury Refillable Magic Eye Rescue Cream with Retinol ($65)

The award-winning formula helps to smooth and brighten the appearance of the undereye area, with a cream-rich texture that GLIDES OVER FINE LINES AND WRINKLES, BRIGHTENING the APPEARANCE of dark circles, while providing a cooling, soothing effect to reduce the look of puffiness for an INSTANT EYE REFRESH! The supercharged formula smooths, plumps and locks in moisture to restore your skin’s softness! Winter Daphne Stem Cell Extract helps strengthen the skin’s barrier function to keep skin moisturised, so it feels smooth and revitalised!

Versed Smooth Landing Advanced Retinoid Eye Balm ($17.99)

The key player in this dermatologist-tested formula is 1% granactive retinoid, an over-the-counter vitamin A derivative that’s less irritating than retinol. “Retinols are highly effective at treating aging skin, but they can be irritating for some,” says Tamerri. “Because the under eye area is more sensitive than the rest of the face, we chose to use a granactive retinoid that is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but without the irritation that can come along with using a traditional retinol.” 

This proven-safe, active ingredient works overnight to reform texture and soften signs of aging. You’ll also find 0.2% shiitake mushroom extract, a plant-based ingredient known for healing and restoring skin’s bounce.

For moisturization and barrier repair, we add in 1% of vitamin E and 1% black currant seed oil—two antioxidant-rich ingredients that help the skin retain moisture while defending against UV ray damage (including blue light) and pollution. Versed eye balms have a thicker consistency than creams and, because they contain little to no water, 100% of the ingredient is held within the formula for maximum absorption.

RoC Retinol Correxion Under Eye Cream ($29.99)

Address 3 major eye concerns: puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles, with one hard-working cream. This eye treatment is clinically proven to visibly rejuvenate the delicate skin around the eyes and reduce eye wrinkles by 50%.

• Powered by pure RoC® Retinol and our exclusive mineral complex.
• Designed for dramatic results but gentle enough for daily use around the delicate eye area.
• Proven to make eyes look refreshed and revitalized.
• Visibly brighten and depuff eyes in 4 weeks and reduce the appearance of fine lines by 50% in 12 weeks.
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Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinol + Niacinamide Eye Serum ($65)

A targeted and gentle anti-aging treatment for the delicate eye area, 5 Stars is a wrinkle-fighting serum powered by a 6% retinoid complex and bioactive centella asiatica to support natural collagen production. 5 Stars is also balanced with poppy seed extract and ceramides to soothe, smooth, and nurture the eye area while olive oil and shea butter rehydrate for overnight restoration. With the help of Anti-Aging Retinol Eye Cream, this eye cream can hide the signs of aging like crow’s feet wrinkles and dark bags under your eyes.

THE REVIEW: “After about a month of using this eye cream I noticed a difference in my under eye area,” says a reviewer, adding that their skin was “brighter and fine lines were less visible.” “It doesn’t irritate but is strong enough to make a difference,” says another reviewer. 2 Best Lightweight Retinol Eye Cream Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinol + Niacinamide Eye Serum 2 Best Lightweight Retinol Eye cream.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream ($21.99)

Improve the signs of skin aging around the eyes with this targeted retinol eye cream. Made with Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid, this eye cream helps fade the look of crow’s feet, smooths fine lines, brightens and evens skin tone, and targets the look of dark circles. Plus, Hyaluronic Acid adds plumping moisture to help hydrate and rejuvenate the look of skin around the eyes.

• #1 retinol brand used most by dermatologists.*
• Targets fine lines, crow’s feet and dark circles.
• Clinically proven results you can see over time.
• Formulated without parabens, mineral oil and dyes.
• Neutrogena® is a retinol leader, with more than 20 retinol patents and 100 clinical retinol studies
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Josie Maran Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream ($42)

100% non-irritating nourishment for eyes of all shapes & sizes.Say hello to firmer, smoother, more hydrated eyes with zero irritation. Our Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream is whipped goodness infused with sustainably sourced pink algae, a natural source of vitamin A that juices up skin by helping to plump fine lines and smooth wrinkles back to their supple bounce.

100% Pure Argan Oil provides nourishing hydration to the deepest layers of skin, while green coffee extract helps firm and wake up dull, tired eyes. Argan Pro-Retinol Eye Cream delivers real results with a velvety, smoother-than-smooth finish. Sensitive skin types won’t have to worry about this fragrance-free eye treatment causing any peeling or irritation.

Eau Thermale Avène Retrinal EYES ($52)

Avène ‘s RetrinAL Eyes is a great option for smoothing the under eye 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. And, in typical Eau Thermale Avène form, sensitive skin types won’t have to worry about this fragrance-free eye treatment causing any peeling or irritation.

La Roche-Posay Redermic R Anti-Aging Retinol Eye Cream

La Roche-Posay is one of the most popular brand in terms of skin care. This anti-aging pure retinol eye cream helps visibly reduce the look of crow’s feet wrinkles and dark circles. This unique formula provides an instant visible lifting effect and is gentle enough for the very sensitive skin and eye area. It is recommended for all skin types.

• Retinol eye cream visibly reduces the look of crow’s feet wrinkles
• Refreshing gel texture provides instant visible lifting effect
• Helps visibly reduce the appearance of dark circles
• Suitable for the sensitive eye area

When and how should you start using retinol eye cream?

Experts recommend starting retinol creams at 25 to prevent and delay [the] development of fine lines and crepy skin. If you’re worried about side effects, start slow. I would recommend start by only applying the product every other day, or every third day, and if there are no issues, one can work towards applying it nightly. To apply retinol cream, use 1/2 a pea-sized amount to both eyelids and follow this with a great moisturizer to reduce the risk of irritation.

Is Retinol Good For Eye Cream?

The vitamin A derivative has been shown to increase collagen production, eradicating fine lines and wrinkles. The notoriously tricky vitamin A derivative can be strong and cause irritation, so not all retinol creams are safe around the eyes. But thanks to recent advancements in skincare technology, there are now retinol eye creams made specifically for those delicate areas.

Conclusion

It’s no secret that most dermatologists love harnessing the power of retinol. The vitamin A derivative has been shown to stimulate collagen production, making fine lines and wrinkles a distant memory . And when it comes to treating your under-eyes specifically, formulations for the best retinol eye creams are a little less intense than your standard face products to keep delicate skin protected. Because your eyes has the thinnest skin on the body, the under-eye region is extremely sensitive.

I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but my most irrational fear is aging skin—particularly around my eyes. No matter where you are on your anti-aging journey. There you have it, the best retinol eye creams. I really hope that this list helped you in locating the perfect item to satisfy your needs. When there are so many products on the market, it can be tough to decide which one to buy.