“Mask” is a general term these days. There are PPE masks, cloth masks, and skincare masks, such as sheet masks and leave-ons.
Then, there are eye masks. According to Dr. Dennis Gross, eye masks offer a treatment boost for your skin, similar to face masks.
Dr. Gross also notes that eye masks are used less frequently than a cream. Think of it as a spa trip for your soul’s windows, not something you do daily but a nice refresher when needed.
Most masks come as patches you put over your under-eyes to address dark circles and puffiness. Claire Wolinsky, a New York dermatologist specializing in facial rejuvenation, suggests keeping them in the refrigerator and applying them in the morning after a night of salty snacks or alcohol to reduce puffiness.
There are also gels, creams, and balms in small pots and tubes that you can apply around the delicate eye area in the morning, evening, or whenever you feel like it. These tinctures tackle other eye area problems, such as dryness, fine lines, wrinkles, crepiness, and hyperpigmentation.
We spent hours researching the best eye masks for dark circles, assessing products on ingredients, results, and overall value. We narrowed the list after consulting with board-certified dermatologists for their expert recommendations to give you the following best in show.
Best Overall: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Mask
Our top pick comes from Estée Lauder. These eye patches from the Advanced Night Repair line work while you get your beauty sleep.
They hydrate with squalane and hyaluronic acid, soothe with chamomile, and fight puffiness with caffeine and coffee extract. Hadley King, a New York dermatologist, explains that caffeine constricts blood vessels and can reduce fluid accumulation.
The high concentration of ingredients makes for an effective product, delivering plumper, calmer, and more radiant skin with each use. You only need to use this eye mask once a week to get the benefits.
We didn’t experience any irritation after using it.
Who It’s For
These eye patches are suitable for all skin types and anyone wanting to address fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness.
Active Ingredients: Caffeine, coffee extract, squalane, chamomile, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Hydrating, depuffing, smoothing, soothing | Size: 8 patches (4 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Drugstore: Yes To Cucumbers Depuffing Undereye Masks
Yes To Cucumbers makes the best eye masks from the drugstore aisle. These green patches have 95% natural ingredients, including aloe, green tea, and cucumber, all with soothing and depuffing benefits.
You’ll feel a slight tingling sensation as they cool and plump the skin; place them in the fridge for an extra refreshing effect when very tired. These masks are vegan and Leaping Bunny certified.
Who It’s For
These eye masks are suitable for all skin types, including sensitive ones.
Active Ingredients: Aloe, green tea, cucumber | Benefits: Soothing, depuffing, smoothing, plumping | Size: 16 patches (8 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Splurge: 111Skin Sub-Zero De-Puffing Eye Mask
Want the best treatment for your eyes? The Cryo Depuffing Eye Mask cools and calms stressed under-eyes.
It reduces blood flow to the under eyes, decreasing puffiness and inflammation due to Cryo technology. These masks contain vitamin E to improve cell function and a Peptide Complex to strengthen delicate skin.
Who It’s For
These eye masks are best for dullness, puffing, or swelling around the eye area.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin E, Peptide complex, Seaweed | Benefits: Cooling, smoothing, depuffing, firming, softening | Size: 8 patches (4 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Brightening: Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Brightening Hydra-Gel Eye Patches
Marie V. Hayag, a board-certified dermatologist from Fifth Avenue Aesthetics, supports Peter Thomas Roth’s Potent-C Eye Patches. They contain THD Ascorbate Vitamin C, an antioxidant that is 50 times more potent than traditional Vitamin C.
Dr. Hayag tells Byrdie that caffeine helps constrict blood vessels to reduce the appearance of circles and puffiness. She adds that Vitamin C reduces darkness and increases collagen production.
Ferulic acid and vitamin E stabilize vitamin C (which is unstable and oxidizes easily on its own) so that it can provide its benefits.
Who It’s For
These patches can be used on dry, combination, and oily skin to improve fine lines, wrinkles, and dark circles.
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, caffeine, ferulic acid | Benefits: Boosting radiance, smoothing, depuffing | Size: 60 patches (30 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Hydrating: Tarte SEA Pack Your Bags Undereye Patches
Tarte’s fragrance-free patches replenish parched skin with glycerin, peptides, marine plants, and coconut oil. Expect a hydrated, plumper under-eye area with improved fine lines and puffiness after one use.
Use them once a week as part of your Sunday facial ritual for a refreshed, hydrated look.
Who It’s For
These eye patches are suitable for all skin types, but the coconut oil is very soothing for sensitive skin.
Active Ingredients: Glycerin, peptides, coconut oil, algae | Benefits: Hydrating, plumping, soothing, smoothing | Size: 4 patches (2 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Firming: Dermalogica Stress Positive Eye Lift Mask
If you’re dealing with crepey eyelids or loss of elasticity, use Dermalogica Stress Positive. This powerful potion contains fermented yeast, hyaluronic acid, and gallic acid.
It delivers noticeably firmer skin while lifting and boosting radiance around the eye area. The formula also includes wild indigo seed, an ingredient known for its anti-inflammatory and brightening properties and ability to reduce dark circles.
Who It’s For
This eye cream is designed to be used daily, on all skin types.
Active Ingredients: Fermented yeast, gallic acid, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Firming, lifting, smoothing, depuffing, boosting radiance | Size: 0.85 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best K-Beauty: Benton Snail Bee Ultimate Hydrogel Eye Patch
There’s no shortage of amazing Korean eye masks out there, but Benton’s Snail Bee Eye Patches stand out. This treatment contains snail mucin (a natural source of hyaluronic acid) and healing bee venom to plump, soothe, and repair the skin while softening fine lines.
Seaweed extracts help the skin absorb moisture and reinforce the skin’s protection. They’re also cruelty-free and suitable for all skin types.
However, we suggest doing a patch test first to ensure your skin isn’t allergic to the snail mucin.
Who It’s For
These eye patches can be used on all skin types and areas of skin you want to smooth – from the cheeks and forehead to nasolabial folds and neck.
Active Ingredients: Snail secretion filtrate, bee venom, hyaluronic acid, seaweed extract | Benefits: Hydrating, soothing | Size: 60 patches (30 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Tired Eyes: Skin Camp Magic Eyes Collagen Hydra-Gel Eye Mask
We’re also big fans of Skin Camp Magic Eyes. The key is caffeine, which gives a temporary pick-me-up by minimizing under-eye bags, making the skin firmer and hydrated.
They also have hyaluronic acid, collagen, rose flower oil, gold, and amino acids to brighten the under eyes and leave a subtle glow. We love their rose fragrance.
Who It’s For
These eye masks can be used by everyone, including very sensitive and oily skin types.
Active Ingredients: Collagen, caffeine, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Depuffing, hydrating, plumping | Size: 2 patches (1 pair) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best With Vitamin C: Elina Organics Leave On Under Eye Recovery Mask
With 30% vitamin C and kojic acid from white truffle extract, this leave-on mask boosts radiance and reduces hyperpigmentation. It also contains organic mango butter for natural emollient properties that smooth and soothe dry skin and vitamin E to protect skin from free radicals and stimulate collagen production.
Who It’s For
This mask can be used by all skin types who want to restore, brighten, and reduce under-eye circles.
Active Ingredients: Vitamins C and E, white truffle extract, mango butter, ceramides | Benefits: Boosting radiance, hydrating | Size: 0.2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Wrinkles: Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Fine Line Eye Cream with Retinol
Kristina Kitsos, a skincare authority and cosmetic injector, loves this product because the retinol is encapsulated, making it non-irritating. The avocado oil, avocado extract, and coffeeberry are packed with antioxidants that help fight wrinkles and protect the skin from environmental pollutants.
Apply it each morning to improve the look of dark circles and loss of firmness.
Who It’s For
This eye cream can be used on dry, combination, and oily skin and anyone who wants to improve dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines.
Active Ingredients: Retinol, avocado oil, coffeeberry | Benefits: Smoothing, retexturizing, hydrating, depuffing | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best for Sensitive Skin: Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks
Dr. Wolinsky offers that Wander Beauty Baggage Claim eye masks contain hyaluronic acid and glycerin to smooth sensitive under-eye skin. They also reduce under-eye bags and circles with aloe leaf, calendula, amino acids, and peptides.
This gives the eye area a more refreshed appearance. They come in a pack of six, one of the most generous in our roundup.
Who It’s For
These eye masks are suitable for all skin types, including sensitive ones.
Active Ingredients: Panthenol, aloe, copper peptides, jojoba, glycerin, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Soothing, smoothing, hydrating | Size: 12 patches (6 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best With Retinol: KNC Beauty Eye Masks
Looking for a product that makes you look rested even when you’re not? KNC Beauty’s Star Eye Mask is your new best friend.
These patches combine retinol, collagen, licorice root, and hyaluronic acid to plump, boost radiance, and hydrate the skin before makeup. We think they make cute gifts.
Who It’s For
While suitable for all, these masks contain retinol, so be cautious if you have very sensitive skin.
Active Ingredients: Retinol, collagen, aloe, licorice root, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Smoothing, plumping, hydrating, boosting radiance, soothing | Size: 10 patches (5 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Lifting: Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Eye Patches
These eye patches treat everything: dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, puffiness, and more. This mask lifts tough areas.
The combination of 24K gold, colloidal gold, and hydrolyzed collagen improves fine lines and gives the skin a more youthful appearance.
Who It’s For
These eye patches can be enjoyed by everyone who wants to target multiple concerns at once.
Active Ingredients: 24K gold, colloidal gold, hydrolyzed collagen, caffeine, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Lifting, firming, hydrating, de-puffing | Size: 60 patches (30 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Reusable: Dieux Skin Forever Eye Mask
If you want a sustainable option, Dieux Skin’s reusable eye patches are made from 100% non-porous silicone, allowing for multiple uses (lasts up to one year with daily use). They help products like eye creams, serums, and moisturizers saturate deeply into the skin, boost hydration, and plump.
They’re a clever way to get the most out of your favorite products.
Who It’s For
As these masks help maximize the absorption of your existing products, they really can be used by everyone.
Active Ingredients: None | Benefits: Plumping, hydrating, maximizes product absorption | Size: 2 patches (1 pair) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Clean Beauty: Mei Apothecary Cloudberry Dew Eye Gel Mask
The Mei Apothecary Cloudberry Dew Eye Masks’ adorable cloud shape correlates to cloudberry, the product’s star ingredient. The vitamin C and antioxidant-rich ingredient, along with hydrating peptides and hyaluronic acid, plump and awaken the eye area after one use.
These eye patches are affordable, clean, vegan, and cruelty-free.
Who It’s For
These eye masks are vegan and formulated for all skin types.
Active Ingredients: Cloudberry, hyaluronic acid, peptides | Benefits: Plumping, hydrating, and brightening | Size: 6 patches (3 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Firming: Joanna Vargas Bright Eye Firming Mask
If your under-eye skin isn’t as firm, use Joanna Vargas’s Bright Eye Firming Mask. These patches deliver moisture with hydrolyzed silk proteins (that hold 10,000 times their weight in water) and hyaluronic acid (that holds 1,000 times its weight in water).
There’s also soothing allantoin, which plumps the skin while addressing sagginess and keeping puffiness away.
Who It’s For
Use these eye masks if your under-eye area is very dry with lost elasticity. They’re suitable for all skin types.
Active Ingredients: Hydrolyzed silk, hyaluronic acid, allantoin | Benefits: Firming, depuffing, hydrating | Size: 10 patches (5 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Cooling: Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels
Tired, puffy eyes? These gel pads might be your best bet.
The cooling formula depuffs swollen skin while offering a firming, smoothing effect. They do this with potent active ingredients and Icelandic glacial water known for toning and brightening properties.
Who It’s For
These eye masks can be used by all but are best suited to stressed, tired skin.
Active Ingredients: Coenzyme Q10, ginkgo biloba leaf extract, peptides | Benefits: Cooling, depuffing, firming, smoothing | Size: 24 patches (12 pairs) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Biodegradable: Live Tinted Rays Copper Eye Masks
If you’re concerned about single-use eye mask waste, use Live Tinted. These biodegradable patches are guilt-free, but that’s not the only thing we love.
They cool the skin under your eyes to depuff while brightening dark circles and nourishing tired skin with bakuchiol (a gentle retinol alternative), a triple complex of copper peptides, and banana extract.
Who It’s For
This is a great alternative if you have sensitive skin and found retinol too irritating around your eyes. It’s also suitable for all skin types.
Active Ingredients: Copper peptides, bakuchiol | Benefits: Depuffing, cooling, brightening, nourishing | Size: 2 patches (1 pair) | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Where We Stand
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Eye Treatment is the reigning champion. Expect reduced puffiness, smoother skin, and a radiant eye area with weekly use.
If you’re on a budget, we recommend Versed The Fix Emergency Eye Mask. This pick tackles a number of concerns at once with good-quality organic ingredients.
How We Researched
We chose each eye mask after hours of online research, considering brands, reviews, and insights from skincare experts and dermatologists. We assessed and marked each mask on formulas, active ingredients, benefits, and ease of use.
Formula and active ingredients
Benefits and results
Ease of use
Cruelty-free
Packaging and design
What to Look For in Eye Masks for Dark Circles
According to board-certified dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, MD, some of the best antioxidants to look for if you want brightening benefits include vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, and coffeeberry. Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Cream is full of antioxidants, but use Mei Apothecary Cloudberry Dew Eye Masks if you prefer single-use patches.
Caffeine is another of Dr. Hartman’s suggested ingredients. This is common in all kinds of eye products.
It constricts blood vessels, reducing puffiness and dark circles. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Eye Treatment is an excellent choice if you’re looking for something with caffeine.
Any product going around the eye should contain moisturizing ingredients because the skin in this area is innately drier, Dr. Hartman explains. Look for ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, aloe, and other humectants, like Snail Bee Ultimate Hydrogel Eye Patches.
FAQ
What are the benefits of eye masks?
Eye masks are hydrating and nourishing with beneficial ingredients, explains Ross. Containing soothing, tightening, and exfoliating actives, most address under-eye concerns, like dark circles, puffiness, and hyperpigmentation.
“Like face masks, eye masks are a great treatment boost,” says Dr. Gross. Since they aren’t for daily use, eye masks “should never take the place of your daily topical.”
How do you apply eye masks?
Place the tapered end of eye patches underneath the inner corner of your under-eye area, smoothing the wider end toward your temples. Apply a balm or gel like regular eye cream, tapping it over the entire eye area, including the eyelid, and up to the brow bone.
Leave most eye masks on for about 15 minutes, then rinse. Some gentler formulas can be left on overnight.
How often should you use eye masks?
Dr. Gross tells Byrdie that eye masks are used infrequently compared to a cream. That said, the frequency depends on the formula, your skin type, and your specific concern.
Some yield results with weekly use, while others are more effective two or three times a week. Dr. Wolinsky advises trying only one new mask or product at a time in case of irritation or allergy.
