The 12 Best Under-Eye Patches Of 2023 For Dark Circles, Fine Lines & More

This formula is a secret weapon for brighter under-eyes. The serum contains glycerin and red algae extract, both of which are beloved humectants that draw water into the surface of the skin and plump it up with hydration; allantoin, which is a super skin-soother great for reducing inflammation; and upcycled avocado extract, which delivers conditioning fatty acids that further soften and soothe the area. A bonus? The swishes are 100% biodegradable: Simply pop them in warm-hot water for 10 minutes so they can dissolve, then you can pour the remaining liquid down the drain. (I can attest, it really works!)

What our tester says:

These are the eye patches I personally swear by. I deal with some pretty stubborn dark circles (thank you, genetics!), but after my very first use, I was floored by how bright my under-eyes looked—no concealer necessary.

Caffeine is a known vasoconstrictor, meaning it compresses blood vessels in the skin, which can help decrease swelling and inflammation. It’s also a hero ingredient in these bio-cellulose swishes, along with niacinamide to minimize the look of dark circles and hyaluronic acid to make the under-eyes appear oh-so supple. Plenty of reviewers note they immediately look more awake after slapping these on for 15 minutes; and with six pairs for $25, it’s a pretty good deal. 

It comes with a bit of a learning curve, but the results are well worth it: First, pour the vial of Activator Fluid (brimming with fruit stem cells known for enhancing smooth, youthful skin) onto the freeze-dried algae-derived eye masks, and allow them to soak. Once they’re fully saturated, then apply them to your under-eye area for 10 minutes. It’s like a tall glass of ice water for puffy eyes; not to mention, 70% of participants reported a reduction in fine lines, according to a third party lab consumer panel test. 

The eye area is one of the most thin and sensitive regions of your face, so you have to be very careful what you put up close to those irises. That said, if your skin runs especially sensitive, you’ll want to be extra vigilant of potent actives (like retinol) and fragrance. These fragrance-free patches are purely calming and hydrating, with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and soothing cornflower water. 

With caffeine, centella asiatica, and hyaluronic acid, these hydrogel patches will reduce puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines in a snap. Seriously: In the brand’s 5-minute use study with 100 participants, 94% of folks said just one treatment provided more immediate results than their current under-eye skin care routine, and 100% said their eyes appeared more awake, revived, and revitalized. Plus, you get five pairs for $12—a little mental math, and that amounts to around $2 per pair.

Like its name suggests, you can use these eye masks, well, forever (or up to one year before the logo may start to fade). The 100% non-porous silicone patches holds gels, serums, and creams close to the skin for maximum absorption—the hardest part is choosing which eye elixir to slather on. 

While these patches are technically disposable, you can easily get two to four uses out of them if you rehydrate them with a few drops of your favorite serum. And you’ll surely want to make them last—just look how cute those lightning bolts are! Aesthetics aside, these masks contain caffeine to brighten dark circles and deflate puffiness, as well as hyaluronic acid, licorice, and indigo leaf extract to hydrate and soothe inflammation. Feel free to stick them in the fridge for a few minutes for some extra de-puffing power.  

What our tester says:

I cannot resist snapping a photo every time I pop these babies on—my camera roll is practically littered with lightning bolts. The aesthetics alone are enough to sell me (I’m a sucker for beautiful packaging), but my bright-eyed results make me a die-hard fan. 

Does 24K gold make the eye mask experience a whole lot fancier? Absolutely. However, the ingredient has some skin care benefits of note: According to Nichols, gold acts as a natural antioxidant, and it has anti-inflammatory properties ideal for reducing irritation and puffiness. 

“The true benefit to gold, however, is that it helps increase the efficacy of other ingredients a product is formulated with,” she adds. “When combined with ingredients such as caffeine, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid, gold under-eye masks help to brighten, de-puff, hydrate, and soothe the eye area.” So along with gold, these masks feature hyaluronic acid, collagen, retinol and bakuchiol for supple, smooth under-eyes.

These patches were co-created by skin care expert Zion Ko Lamm, M.D., so you can bet they pack a punch. Not only are they extra large masks, so they cover a ton of surface area, but they’re also formulated with the brand’s “retinol tri-active technology” that balances fast-acting and delayed-release retinols (think: rapid results without wreaking havoc on the skin). 

And according to holistic plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, M.D., the hype is real: After performing a Visia skin analysis of his skin on TikTok, he found a significant reduction in wrinkles from a 15-minute application.

Microneedling masks tend to provide more direct penetration than a standard eye mask, which generally just sits on the skin. The term "microneedling" might sound scary, but all it entails is a mild prickling sensation when you press on the patches; it goes away as the micro-darts start to dissolve, then it functions just like your regular eye patch. 

This option from Skyn Iceland hyaluronic acid- and peptide-infused tips to smooth crepey skin and fine lines, plus a proprietary Icelandic Complex to brighten up the area.

For pre-makeup patches, who better to trust than a celebrity makeup artist? A $75 price tag sounds like a lot, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck with these patches—they’re $7.50 per pair. And as someone who loves a milky, hydrating serum, these masks immediately caught my eye: They’re infused with a soothing, prebiotic formula, plus hyaluronic acid, camelina oil, almond oil for an ultra-moisturizing experience. Pro tip: Use Dempsey’s vibrating Gold Bar over them for extra de-puffing. 

Chances are you’ve seen these beauties gracing your social media feeds; some even consider them the hero product of Selena Gomez’s cult-favorite beauty brand (although, it’s hard to top the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, IMO). With caffeine, green tea extract, hyaluronic acid, and cacao seed extract, the formula is like an antioxidant-packed green smoothie for your under-eyes. And according to Ms. Gomez herself, they never leave behind a sticky residue.