Lack of rest, eating salty foods and other lifestyle factors may be causing dark circles and puffiness under your eyes. Fortunately, under-eye masks and patches can help. Like eye creams, they can tackle common concerns, including fine lines, inflammation and puffiness, with ingredients like vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.
To help you find the right under-eye masks for you, I spoke to dermatologists and gathered their recommendations for the best ones to shop across every under-eye concern. Our NBC Select shopping experts also tested more than 50 patches to recommend the best of the best.
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The best under-eye patches and masks
Below are a handful of expert-recommended and editor-tested under-eye patches for all kinds of under-eye concerns.
Best overall
These Grace & Stella cooling hydrogel masks are packed with powerful ingredients, including amino acids and hyaluronic acid, to brighten and moisturize your skin, while sea moss helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, according to the brand. They’re a favorite of NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio, who swears by them. “I use them multiple times a week, and they’re extremely hydrating, which is great for my super dry under eyes,” she says. NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin is also a fan: “I never feel bad about using them daily because they’re frequently on sale,” she says. “I believe everyone should keep a box (or two) of [these under-eye masks] in their bathroom; I even have a drawer dedicated to them to make sure I know when I’m running out.”
Best non-slip
Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag line, including these under-eye patches, is a longtime favorite of NBC Select staff. They have a humectant blend of glycerin and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate your under eyes. “I love how well they stay on my under eyes,” says NBC Select associate SEO reporter Ashley Morris. “Even when I’m walking around my room or doing the rest of my body care routine, they don’t slip at all like the other patches I’ve tested.” She also likes their soft texture, and says they help soothe her under eyes when they’re dried out after removing makeup, or when she forgets to turn on her humidifier.
Most user-friendly
If slippery, slimy eye masks aren’t for you, these Topicals masks are right up your alley. “These are some of my favorite under eye masks because they fit comfortably under my eyes and don’t move around at all, which is a complaint I’ve had with other eye masks I’ve tried,” says NBC Select associate social media editor Caitlin Cusack. “They instantly brighten my skin and I can tell they’ve reduced puffiness and my dark circles after just one wear.” The sticky, slightly cooling gel has niacinamide for brightening and caffeine for temporary depuffing, according to the brand.
Best for dark circles
“These are the most recent under-eye patches I’ve tried, and I know I’m instantly going to repurchase them once I run out,” says Godio. “They don’t slip, they feel cooling on my skin and I can almost immediately see the brightening results after I wear them, which is a huge plus since I have intense dark circles.” They have vitamin C, peptides and allantoin, which work together to depuff, brighten and smooth fine lines. You get six in a pack, too.
Best patches with caffeine
Brighten, hydrate and depuff your under eyes with these fragrance-free patches from editor-favorite brand Good Molecules. Suitable for all skin types and safe for morning and nighttime use, the patches have caffeine to reduce puffiness, niacinamide to address fine lines and uneven skin tone, and hyaluronic acid to moisturize the skin.
Best for puffiness
These Peace Out patches combine caffeine, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to reduce puffiness and brighten up the under-eye area. “I love using these patches in the morning, especially when I’ve had a long night or need a pick-me-up,” says Godio. “My under eyes feel instantly hydrated and smooth. Plus, the thin, gel-like patches feel cooling on my skin, which definitely helps with any puffiness.” They come in a pack of six, and the brand recommends leaving them on for 15 minutes.
Best for brightening
These patches have a blend of ingredients, including caffeine, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, to refresh and revitalize the under-eye area, says Dr. Marisa Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist. These masks also provide a cooling effect that helps reduce puffiness, especially if you store them in the refrigerator, according to the brand.
Best travel-friendly
Celebrity makeup artist Tobi Henney recommends these eye patches because they are great to use at home and while traveling. “They come in a great little container and you can apply them super easily in the morning or at night,” says Henney. The patches have hyaluronic acid to hydrate, caffeine to depuff and marshmallow extract to soften your skin, according to the brand. They’re also a favorite of Godio, who says she loves the included spatula to lift and separate the patches.
Best to use before makeup
“I always put these on before I do my makeup, especially on a night out when I want to look extra good,” says Godio. “They leave my dry under eyes so much smoother, plumper and more hydrated, plus they stay perfectly in place while I get ready.” These under-eye patches have a noticeable cooling effect and help reduce puffiness, fine lines and dark circles, according to the brand.
Most cooling
The Skyn Iceland eye gel pads are great for dark circles thanks to topical ingredients like green tea polyphenols and caffeine, which can help reduce puffiness and brighten the under-eye area, according to experts. Malin loves these patches and pops them into the fridge to get a cooling effect that helps with swelling and de-puffing. They also help seal moisture and plump the skin in just a few minutes, she says.
Best budget friendly
These multi-vitamin masks have niacinamide to brighten and retinol to reduce the appearance of fine lines, experts say. Godio loves that these under-eye masks are free from common irritants like fragrances, dyes and drying alcohol, so they don’t make her sensitive skin red or itchy.
Best hydrating
If you want hydrating patches that also offer a cooling sensation, consider these, which come recommended by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. To add to the cool feeling and maximize its depuffing effects, place your 12-patch pack in the fridge and take it out whenever you’re getting ready, according to the brand. Wear the patches for at least 10 minutes, and don’t worry about needing to lie down or stay still as you wear them since the hydrogels are non-slippery, according to Colorescience.
Best splurge
If you’re looking to invest in your eye patches, consider these from Chanel, which come recommended by Dr. Rachel Westbay, a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City. You apply the roll-on serum to your under-eye area and then place the hydrogel patches on top (the brand recommends leaving them on for 10 minutes).
Best reusable
Unlike most under-eye patches on this list, this reusable set doesn’t actually have any skin care ingredients. Instead, they’re meant to assist your existing eye creams almost like a shield. They’ll last about a year with daily use and proper care, according to the brand. NBC Select editorial director Lauren Swanson owns them and can attest that they do what they say they’ll do.
Editor’s pick
These patches are a perfect addition to my morning routine because they prep my skin for any makeup and help reduce the occasional puffiness I have to deal with. After 20 minutes or so, my under-eyes feel more refreshed and hydrated, plus I look more awake too. I also put these vegan hydrogel patches in the fridge for a cooling effect.
Best for morning
Hero Cosmetics makes some of our favorite pimple patches, but these under-eye patches are also a hit among our editors. They’re made with a sturdy, silicone-like material, so they won’t slip and lids on your face. “I love how hydrating and depuffing they are. I always put these on in the morning to help me look more awake before work,” says Godio. Like others on the list, these have niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate and energize the skin.
Best retinol patches
Westbay loves these eye masks because of their potent retinol formula to increase cell turnover and fight wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. It also has rosehip, which is rich in vitamin C and helps fight free radical damage and promote skin cell turnover, according to the brand.
Most multi-tasking
Yes, it’s fancy to have gold foil eye masks, but it actually serves a purpose: The top foil layer helps retain heat and prevent moisture from evaporating off the skin, which allows the underlying serum to dive deeper into your skin’s layers, according to the brand. You can leave these masks on for 10 to 15 minutes to help depuff, brighten and prime your under eyes for makeup, according to the brand.
Best for quick results
Patchology has several under-eye patches to choose from, and our editors have tried them all. Our favorites are the Patchology On Ice Gels because they mimic the old-school beauty tip of sticking a cold spoon under your eyes (which, yes, we still do sometimes). You can store these in your fridge to leave the skin under your eyes looking a little tighter and depuffed.
How I picked the best under-eye patches
Here are the factors experts say to keep in mind while testing and compiling this list:
- Under-eye concern: Some common under-eye concerns include dryness, puffiness and fine lines. Knowing what you want to target will help you narrow down the search and find ingredients tailored to that particular treatment. (More about ingredients to look for below.)
- Ingredients: Certain ingredients will help you address and prevent some of these concerns. Ingredients, including retinol and retinol alternatives, will help minimize the appearance of fine lines, while others, including vitamin C, will help brighten your under-eyes and lighten dark circles. If you’re looking to depuff, consider patches with ingredients like caffeine. For those who want to hydrate, consider patches with hyaluronic acid or glycerin, as these will add and draw moisture to the area.
- Price: Under-eye patches vary in price depending on whether they’re sold individually or in packs and sets. This list includes singles, packs and sets with prices as low as $5 and upwards to $135.
What do eye masks do?
Under-eye patches can provide a quick pick-me-up because their active ingredients are highly concentrated and absorb quickly into your skin, experts say. However, for long-lasting results, you may need to incorporate other skin care products and ingredients like vitamin C or retinoids like tretinoin to build up the elastin under the skin, says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Karen Burke. “It takes six to eight months, but you will really see a difference,” she says.
Frequently asked questions
Here are a few key ingredients dermatologists recommend looking for to treat certain under-eye concerns:
- Hyaluronic acid: Helps hydrate, plump and brighten skin, which can help heal dry skin and mask darkness under your eyes, says Garshick.
- Caffeine: Constricts the blood vessels under the eyes, reducing redness and under-eye puffiness, says Garshick.
- Emollients: Including ingredients like dimethicone and cyclomethicone, which lock in moisture and make skin look smoother and softer, experts say.
- Retinol: A vitamin A derivative and the over-the-counter version of prescription retinoids to help prevent fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration. However, start off by using retinol-infused under-eye masks a few times a week since they can be drying and irritating (and the skin under your eyes is very sensitive), says Garshick. If you have sensitive skin, consider an under-eye mask with a retinol alternative like bakuchiol.
- Vitamin C: An antioxidant that helps brighten your under eyes, experts say.
- Peptides: The building blocks of collagen, which help keep your skin firm and smooth. Because the skin around the eye is thin, under-eye patches with peptides help strengthen and thicken the skin around your eyes, says Garshick.
Although you should generally leave eye masks on for around 10 to 20 minutes, it’s important to follow a few general tips to maximize the benefits, says King.
- Apply on clean and dry skin. This will help your skin absorb the ingredients found in the patches’ serum.
- Leave it on. Depending on the specific patch, it will have certain instructions to follow. However, you want to make sure that you are leaving it on long enough so that the skin can absorb the ingredients. However, you don’t want to leave it on too long because your skin might start drying out, experts say.
- Morning vs. nighttime routine. If you’re looking to help depuff the under-eye area, consider applying patches in the morning because puffiness worsens during this time of day. If you are looking for smoothing or plumping effects, you might want to consider applying them as the first step in your routine before applying your makeup for the day or a night out.
- Moisturize afterwards. To hydrate, you should apply a moisturizer after removing your under-eye patches.
Dermatologists generally recommend leaving your eye masks on for around 10 to 20 minutes. However, always follow the instructions on the packaging to see exact recommendations.
Meet our skin care experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Dr. Karen Burke is a board-certified dermatologist, research scientist and a clinical professor in the Department of Dermatology at Mt. Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York.
- Dr. Hadley King is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City who specializes in medical and cosmetic dermatology. She is a clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.
- Dr. Rachel Westbay is a board-certified general and cosmetic dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City.
- Tobi Henney is a celebrity makeup artist and former L’Oréal Paris Makeup Director for Australia.
- Dr. Marisa Garshick is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Cornell.
Why trust NBC Select?
Bianca Alvarez is a former associate reporter at NBC Select who covered skin care and hair care. For this story, she interviewed experts and researched highly rated patches and masks that were in line with expert guidance.
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