Of all the eye-minded formulas on the shelf, the best caffeine eye creams have begun taking up more and more real estate. These eye creams use the active ingredient—which you might know best from your morning cup of coffee—since it also works to tighten and brighten the eye area in one fell swoop. “If your issue is dark circles due to blood vessels or mild puffiness in the undereye area, then topical caffeine may be helpful to temporarily constrict the blood vessels and decrease any excess fluid,” says Gloria Lin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in New York, NY, who notes that that makes it a good option for those looking for quick (albeit temporary) reduction in under-eye puffiness.
Vogue’s Favorite Caffeine Eye Creams
La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Anti-Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream
Think of it this way: “Caffeine is like slipping on chic, oversized sunglasses first thing in the morning—instantly disguising fatigue and giving your undereyes a more polished, pulled-together look,” says Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New Haven, CT. With that in mind, scroll ahead for the caffeine eye creams worth adding to your skin-care routine; plus, everything you need to know about choosing the one for you.
In This Story
Best Overall: Skinceuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye
- Why We Love It: This eye cream is a perennial favorite, and for good reason: It’s versatile and effective, and uses unique technology to brighten, smooth, and firm the eye area. “It supports elasticity, softens the look of lines, and brightens—the caffeine here gives an instant refresh while the rest of the formula works on deeper texture,” says Dr. Gohara, who notes that it’s especially helpful if you’re seeing early creasing or the effects of fatigue around the eyes. The secret to its success is its mechanism. “It is designed to combat advanced glycation end products—AGE—that are responsible for signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles with ingredients like peptides and blueberry extract,” says Dr. Lin. Together, the actives make for a potent (and multitasking) formula.
- Editor’s Experience: “This is one of the first eye creams I fell in love with because it toys the line of efficacy and sensoriality well. The texture is plush without weighing the under-eyes down while depuffing and brightening over time.” —Kiana Murden, beauty editor, shopping
- Key Ingredients: Glycyrrhetinic acid, Matrixyl, caffeine, optical brighteners
- Best For: Fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness, skin laxity
- Size: 0.5 oz.
Best for Dark Circles: La Roche-Posay Pigmentclar Anti-Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream
- Why We Love It: Dr. Lin likes La Roche-Posay’s drugstore option, as it “contains niacinamide, caffeine, and thermal spring water to help with dark circles, puffiness, and promote moisturization,” she says. The brand’s signature spring water is rich in antioxidants that help nourish and soothe skin, keeping it gentle enough for even sensitive skin types. It also contains reflective (but not shimmery) pigments that offset the effect of brown and blue tones beneath the eyes therefore giving dark circles the boot.
- Key Ingredients: Caffeine, glycerin, niacinamide, silica, iron oxides, titanium dioxide, La Roche-Posay thermal spring water
- Best For: Dark circles, puffiness, dryness
- Size: 15 ml