Best under eye cream for bags and puffiness

Eye puffiness is common, but that doesn’t mean you need to live with it and let it go untreated. The best cream for puffy eyes can help combat the problem as part of your daily skincare routine.

We’ve put a range of different eye creams to the test, the best of which you can find in our roundup below, alongside a buying guide covering the main factors you should consider when making your purchase.

Whether you’re on a strict budget, have sensitive eyes that are easily irritated or are looking to treat other issues aside from puffiness, there’s a cream for you. So which creams for puffy eyes are the best? Read on for our buying guide and roundup.

Best cream for puffy eyes: At a glance

• Best all-round cream for puffy eyes | Sunday Riley Eye Contour Cream
• Best-value cream for puffy eyes | The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream
• Best cream for puffy eyes for sensitive skin and eyes | Avène Soothing Eye Contour Cream

How to choose the best cream for puffy eyes for you

Generally, eye puffiness is the result of fluid buildup underneath the eye, and there are a number of factors that can contribute to this, from lack of sleep and diet to genetics and ageing.

Which ingredients should I look out for?

When it comes to dealing with puffy eyes, one of the most important ingredients to look out for is caffeine. With anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties, caffeine can help to relieve water retention and reduce the appearance of puffiness under the eyes. So looking for an eye cream with caffeine in it is a great starting point.

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Other ingredients such as vitamins C and E can help the eye area to look brighter, which will also minimise the look of puffiness under the eyes. A lot of eye creams will also have a hydrating effect: for instance, hyaluronic acid helps the skin to retain moisture, which in turn will help firm and tighten the eye area.

For those also looking to keep wrinkles at bay, certain eye creams now include retinol, which can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines around the eye area when used consistently.

How much should I spend?

As you’ll see from our roundup below, the best creams for puffy eyes can cost anywhere between £10 and £200, although the majority cost around the £30 mark. When you consider the fact that you need only a tiny pea-sized amount of cream each time you apply it, making the cost per use just a fraction of this amount, it’s great value.

If you’re looking for a product that also deals with multiple eye issues in addition to puffiness, our favourite all-round cream – Sunday Riley’s Auto Correct cream – is priced at £60. So, if you’re also looking to counteract dark circles and fine lines, it may be worth splashing out a bit.

When in my skincare routine should I apply an eye cream?

Your eye cream of choice should be applied as one of the final steps of your skincare routine: after you cleanse, tone and add any serums to your skin, but before you apply your moisturiser.

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How do I apply an eye cream for puffy eyes?

As with any eye cream, less is more. You need to use only a small, pea-sized amount of eye cream for both eyes. We recommend gently dabbing the cream on with your finger, starting at the inner corner of your eye and working your way along to the outer corner. Then tap the product into the skin lightly.

Because the skin around the eyes is fragile, be careful not to rub or pull at the skin as you apply your eye cream. And take care not to get any of the cream in your eye itself. Some creams come with a metal applicator tip for ease of application.

How soon will I see results?

Like most skincare products, persistence is key and you won’t necessarily see results immediately. That said, some of the eye creams included below, such as Peter Thomas Roth’s, do make a noticeable difference to under-eye puffiness when first applied, particularly if you have stored them somewhere cool beforehand.

Anything else I should consider?

As we’ve just touched on, some depuffing eye creams benefit from cool storage, which may increase their effectiveness. Dedicated skincare mini fridges exist for this purpose, but that doesn’t mean you can’t just store your eye cream and any other skincare products in a traditional fridge.

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The best cream for puffy eyes to buy

1. Sunday Riley Autocorrect Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream: The best all-round cream for puffy eyes

Price: £60 | Buy now from Space NK

For those with particularly pronounced puffy eyes, this great all-rounder is our top pick. With ingredients including caffeine, horse chestnut and ginseng root extract, it does a good job of depuffing. Not only that, but it also brightens dark circles, hydrates and protects against pollution and factors such as sunlight, indoor heating and air conditioning. It’s also cruelty-free and fragrance-free.

Even though the packaging recommends 2-3 pumps per application, you don’t need any more than a pea-sized amount when applying, as we mentioned in our buying guide above. It does have a slight sheen to it, but this blends seamlessly into the skin as it begins to dry. It also absorbs quickly, allowing you to apply makeup on top of it a few minutes later.

Key features – Size: 15ml; Vegan: No; Ophthalmologist-tested: No

Buy now from Space NK

2. The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream: The best budget cream for puffy eyes

Price: £10 | Buy now from Cult Beauty

As we mentioned above, caffeine is one of the most important ingredients when it comes to dealing with puffy eyes. This lightweight eye cream can be used in the morning or evening, and can be applied directly onto the skin thanks to its precise applicator. The cream itself absorbs into the skin nicely and leaves the area feeling soft and hydrated, while giving a plumping effect to the applied area.

While this might not be the best product for those with particularly pronounced puffy eyes as a result of ageing or genetics, it’s a great starter eye cream for those who are starting to experience the first signs of ageing. At just £10, it’s affordable, too.

Key features – Size: 15ml; Vegan: No; Ophthalmologist-tested: No

Buy now from Cult Beauty

3. Avène Soothing Eye Contour Cream: The best cream for puffy eyes for sensitive eyes and skin

Price: £11 | Buy now from Boots

Ideal for those with sensitive eyes and skin, this eye cream is fragrance-free and doesn’t irritate your eyes at all, even when applied close to the waterline. This moisturising eye cream smoothes out puffiness while adding much needed hydration to dry or irritable eyes, and it can be used on your eyelids as well as under and above the eyes. It’s also suitable for those who may be prone to eczema or other skin conditions.

This cream has a particularly soothing and cooling effect on the eye area, especially if you store it in the fridge beforehand. It also contains Avène’s famous thermal spring water, known for its anti-irritation and therapeutic properties.

Key features – Size: 10ml; Vegan: No; Ophthalmologist-tested: No

Buy now from Boots

4. Peter Thomas Roth Instant FIRMx Temporary Eye Tightener: The best quick fix cream for puffy eyes

Price: £32 | Buy now from Beauty Bay

The social media-savvy may already be familiar with this TikTok-famous product, and it truly does need to be seen to be believed. If you have pronounced puffy eyes, this cream temporarily tightens the area to create a smooth and puff-free appearance. You need only a tiny amount for this cream to work wonders: apply a thin layer and let it dry for around five minutes. During this time, try to keep your face as still as possible to ensure that it sets correctly. Once it’s dry and any excess has been removed, you can then apply any makeup, including concealer and powder.

If you’re after immediate results, this is definitely the cream for you. Admittedly, results are only temporary, lasting several hours on average. But of all the skincare products we’ve put to the test, this is a significantly transformative product.

Key features – Size: 30ml; Vegan: No; Ophthalmologist-tested: Yes

Buy now from Beauty Bay

5. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye: The best overnight cream for puffy eyes

Price: £28 | Buy now from Kiehl’s

While this product can be used both in the morning and in the evening, we suggest using it as part of your nighttime skincare routine. Scented with lavender essential oil, it helps you relax and get ready to doze off. And while you sleep, the cream works to give you hydrated and soothed eyes by the morning.

With ingredients such as butcher’s broom extract, known to improve microcirculation to help reduce puffiness, and evening primrose oil, which is said to aid elasticity in the skin, this eye cream continues to impress us when we wake up each morning to see the difference it has made.

Key features – Size: 15ml; Vegan: No; Ophthalmologist-tested: No

Buy now from Kiehl’s

6. Origins Ginzing Eye Cream: The best brightening cream for puffy eyes

Price: £28 | Buy now from Feelunique

If you’re looking to achieve a more radiant and refreshed look, this eye cream from Origins is our favourite for achieving that brightening effect. Because of its slight tint, this lightweight and hydrating cream gives a revived look to even the puffiest of eyes and because of this, it’s a great option for those who struggle with dark circles too.

It’s available in two distinct shades: Original and Warm. Original is ideal for those with fair to medium complexions and cooler undertones, while Warm works best for medium to deep skin tones and warm undertones. Both variants include ingredients such as vitamin C and niacinamide to brighten the skin, as well as caffeine, ginseng and chicory root.

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