While you may be militant about getting enough sleep, your dark circles may say otherwise. Not to fear, however: the best undereye patches are here to save the day (and your skin). The beauty world offers an array of brightening, smoothing, and hydrating masks soaked with serums that promise to perk up your peepers by smoothing fine lines and depuffing the eye area. Don’t believe us? You don’t have to: We asked skin care experts all about undereye patches and how they work.
“Undereye patches contain a combination of potent active ingredients including hyaluronic acid, retinol, peptides and others,” board-certified dermatologist Divya Shokeen, MD, FAAD, tells Glamour. “Depending on the ingredient deck, they can be very effective in providing hydration to the delicate area of the skin and cooling to minimize puffiness in the a.m., and can even provide a brightening effect for the undereyes with the use of retinols or other active agents.” Most importantly, adds Dr. Shokeen, is that under-eye patches make for a very convenient way of getting your serums to work in the areas that you need them.
Best for Dark Circles: Patchology FlashPatch Illuminating Eye Gels, $15
“Undereye patches are great for depuffing, hydrating, and brightening the undereyes—they’re great to fake a full night’s rest and help the undereyes look healthier and more awake,” celebrity esthetician Candace Marino says. “Their benefits will depend on the ingredients; we commonly see hyaluronic acid for hydration, ceramides for moisture and niacinamide and caffeine to brighten.”
As for how to use undereye patches? “The goal is to apply them directly to the undereyes and leave them on for at least 10 to 20 minutes, or as directed,” Dr. Shokeen explains. “In the morning they can be effective for the extra hydration and cooling, and in the evening the retinol eye patches can help brighten and tighten.” Translation? It’s super easy to fit them into your skin care routine as is.
From collagen-rich gels to night masks and reusable options for sustainable beauty enthusiasts, these are the best undereye patches that act like a tall glass of water (or a double espresso) for dry skin and dark circles. Some are so pretty you could probably get away with wearing them on your Zoom call. Scroll on and get ready to add to cart.
Marino always opts for Patchology’s eye masks for an instant pick-me-up for tired eyes. “I love the brightening ingredients,” she says, so much so that she counts the FlashPatch Illuminating Eye Gels as the best undereye masks for brightening. “These have green tea to lighten dark circles and energize the undereyes, mulberry extract for antioxidant protection, and vitamin C to soften and brighten skin tone.”
Shop The Best Dark Circle Removing Under Eye Gels Illuminating
