Do You Really Need an Eye Cream?
Wondering if eye cream is worth the hype or just overpriced moisturizer? Learn when they’re helpful, what ingredients to look for, and whether you actually need one in your routine.
The eyes are where all our choices–good and bad–show up. Partied too hard last night? It shows in your eyes. Haven’t slept for a week? Your eyes give you away. Laughed waaay too hard in your 20s. Your smile lines remember the punchlines.
It’s easy to see why eye creams are so popular, and why some people absolutely swear by them as an irreplaceable part of their daily routines. But there are also those who write them off as nothing but marketing gimmicks and overpriced moisturizers. So who’s on the right side of this debate?
Well when a teeny tiny jar of product comes with a not so teeny tiny price tag, the answer isn’t quite as simple. Like with any other skincare product, the question to ask yourself is this—what does your skin need, and are you already getting it from something else in your routine? There are some cases when it might be worth the investment, and others when your regular moisturizer might just do the job. So, let’s talk about it.
Why It's Even a Debate
The controversy comes down to this: most eye creams are basically moisturizers with a different label. If you peek at the ingredient list on a basic eye cream and compare it to your face moisturizer, chances are you’ll find a lot of overlap—humectants, emollients, and maybe, if you’re lucky, a peptide or two for good measure.
But on the other side, brands and some skincare professionals argue: the skin around the eyes is thinner, more delicate, and more prone to showing signs of aging. Which means it deserves a little extra TLC.
And they’re… not wrong.
The Case for Eye Creams
Because the skin around the eye area is thinner and more sensitive than other parts of the face, it’s often the first place where signs of aging, like fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, first show up. The idea is that an eye cream offers concentrated care, designed to address specific concerns, without being too harsh on this delicate skin. This is why some eye cream enthusiasts will argue that your regular moisturizer just isn’t enough.
So, is there any situation in which an eye cream is necessary? Well, yes, but it really depends on what your skin needs—and what the rest of your routine lacks. Let me break it down for you.
How To Tell If You Need An Eye Cream
Personally, I’ve gone back and forth on the whole eye cream debate. I’ve had periods where I was loyal to one, convinced it was giving me something that the rest of my routine wasn’t, and others where I skipped it entirely. What I’ve learned is that whether or not you need an eye cream really depends on your skin’s needs.
Because the skin around your eye area differs from the rest of your skin, it *could* have specific needs that the rest of your face doesn’t. In such cases, it’s important to identify what exactly your eye area needs, and what kind of eye cream can tackle those needs.
Here are a few situations in which you may need a separate eye cream, along with my favorite product recs for each (full disclosure: I do make a teensy little commission from the links below, so considering supporting this blog if you found this article helpful):
1. You’re Dealing With Puffiness or Dark Circles
If you’re trying to tackle a problem that’s restricted to the eye area, like puffiness, some eye creams are formulated with ingredients specifically designed to tackle these. For instance, caffeine, a popular ingredient in eye creams, works to reduce puffiness by temporarily tightening blood vessels and restricting blood flow to the area. These targeted ingredients are rarely found in high concentrations in regular moisturizers, so an eye cream can help if you’re looking for specific results.
My Top Recs:
2. You Use Strong Actives on the Rest of Your Face
Then there are times when your eye area needs the same thing as the rest of your face, but at a lower concentration. Retinol, AHAs, vitamin C—they’re great for your face but often too intense for the under-eye area. That’s where a gentler formula, specifically made for this sensitive zone, can be helpful. I myself use a prescription retinoid at night which is FAR too strong for my eye area. Instead, I choose eye creams formulated with a lower retinol concentration, or gentler retinal or bakuchiol to give my eyes the same benefits without causing any irritation. Eye creams in general tend to be formulated with lower concentrations of active ingredients, which can provide similar benefits without the irritation that stronger products might cause.
My Top Recs:
3. Your Eye Area Needs Something a Little Richer
A while back I noticed that the skin around my eyes tends to get a lot drier than the rest of my face, sometimes I’d even wake up with dry patches just around my eyes. This was a problem, because, the rest of my face is oily, acne prone and tends to breakout if I use anything heavier than watery, lightweight serums and gel moisturizers. I definitely didn’t want to put anything heavier on the rest of my face and risk a breakout, so a richer, creamier eye cream was the perfect solution.
My Top Recs:
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, when it comes to eye creams, I fall somewhere in the middle of essential and useless. I’m not going to dismiss them altogether as overpriced moisturizers, but I don’t see a need to add them to your routine just for vanity’s sake. I think of eye creams like the cherry on top of a sundae—nice to have, but not always essential. If it works for you and your skin concerns, great! But if it feels like just another step in an already packed routine, don’t sweat it. Your skin knows what it needs, and sometimes, less is more.
So, what do you think? Are you team eye cream, or are you keeping it simple? Share your thoughts—I’d love to know!
About The Skinimalist
Hi, I’m Mal, a 30-something recovering skincare addict, and this is my blog. A space where I attempt to de-influence you from chasing trends and buying more skincare products you may not need.
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