The Best Drugstore Eye Creams (2022 Reviews)

Are crows feet cropping up every time you look in the mirror? Are you having trouble finding the perfect eye cream on a budget? Fret, no more!

We have all of the best drugstore eye creams right here for you! What are you waiting for?

The 5 Best Drugstore Eye Cream For 2022

ProductsTime of UseDetails 
Baebody Retinol MoisturizerDay or NightCan be used on both eyes and face, excellent budget product, made with all organic ingredients, reduces appearance of wrinkles/fine lines, cruelty-free
L’Oreal Paris Dermo Expertise Eye DefenseDay or NightOnly a small amount is required, reduces puffiness and fine lines/wrinkles, diminishes appearance of dark circles, non-greasy feel, tested by derm/ophthalmologists
InstaNatural Eye Gel Cream (Editor’s Pick)Day or NightLifts and restores firmness, eliminates and reduces appearance of bags, crow’s feet, fine lines, and puffiness, uses natural/organic ingredients, great budget product
Garnier Ultra Lift Sleeping Anti AgeMorningFights dark circles and puffiness, infused with essential oils and Hyaluronic Acid, deeply hydrates, smooths eye area, helps fight signs of tiredness
Olay Effects Anti Aging DayFights seven signs of aging, packed with vitamins, reduces appearance of dark circles/puffiness, brightens eye area, evens skin tone, household name

Baebody Retinol Moisturizer – Best Budget Product

best drugstore eye cream
You may have seen this one out-and-about on Amazon. The Baebody Retinol Anti-Aging Moisturizer isn’t just trendy without reason. It actually works! On top of it all, it’s super budget-friendly.

Out of the top 10 anti-wrinkle creams out there, this one consistently tops the lists. However, we still wanted to try it out for ourselves, because it just seemed too astounding!

While we’re here to review the best drugstore eye creams, this one is not only used on the eyes but can also be used on the face and even neck area! With that being said, this is a very complete product, and a money-saver, since you can now replace three different products with one!

One of the first things we liked about the product, was the packaging. It has a super-convenient kind of pump top where you push down the white little plastic pad inside the cap, and the product oozes out of the center. This means you, nor anything/anyone else will be touching your precious eye cream! It’s a very sanitary method, but also very convenient. You don’t have to dip your hands in, getting them all creamy, and you won’t be wasting excess product, because each push gives you just enough.

How does it feel on the skin?

drugstore eye cream

It feels luxuriously thick and creamy, with a very soft feeling. When it comes to eye creams, we all know how important texture is. You don’t want something too thick that’s going to pull at the delicate skin, but you want something that’s going to work. You’ll want to be a bit more delicate with this stuff, as it does take a bit of work to get it all into the skin. The good thing is, it doesn’t leave behind any sticky or greasy feeling.

Let’s talk more about what’s in the cream, itself.

The main active ingredient, as you could probably tell by the name, is Retinol. It works to fight outward signs of aging, leaving skin feeling and looking soft, smooth, and glowing. Not only that, but it helps diminish the appearance of fine lines, evens out skin tone, and helps to brighten hyperpigmentation spots.

Aside from that, you’ll find it’s 71% organic.

This consists of natural and organic ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Wildcrafted Green Tea, Organic Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E, Vitamin B5, and Shea Butter.

The cream is also free of parabens, dyes, and potentially harmful artificial fragrances. They’re always cruelty-free, and never tested on animals!

Chances are, if you’re looking at the best drug store eye creams, you’re looking for convenience, you’re looking for something budget-friendly, or all of the above. The Baebody Retinol Moisturizer is our favorite budget product, that not only has a low price tag but has an even lower cost per application! The jar lasts a surprisingly long amount of time, as you just need a little to get going.

The only con?

As it does include aloe vera, it can cause skin irritation with some people, and certain skin types, so make sure to review all ingredients for possible irritations/allergies.

What We Loved

  • Excellent budget product
  • Free of harmful parabens, artificial fragrances, and dyes
  • Helps get rid of fine lines and hyperpigmentation spots while fighting wrinkles
  • Very luxurious, creamy feel

What We Didn’t Like

  • Can cause some irritation with those with sensitive skin

L’Oreal Paris Dermo Expertise Eye Defense – Best Product for Contact Lens Wear

best eye creams for dark circles
Easily one of the best drugstore eye creams for dark circles, is the L’Oreal Paris Dermo-Expertise Eye Defense. This lightweight, non-greasy eye cream is made particularly to defend against the signs of premature aging that our eyes often see, such as crow’s feet, dark circles, and overall unevenness.

This cream has been dermatologically-tested to make sure it’s gentle enough for even those with, particularly sensitive skin. The skin around the eyes is already very delicate, so this is essential. Not only that, but ophthalmologists have also tested it, to make sure those who wear contacts will go without a hitch using this product.

The fragrance-free cream is made as such so that artificial fragrances don’t risk irritating the area surrounding the eyes, and we have to state that it’s one of the more gentle creams that we’ve tried.

So, how does it work?

best drugstore eye cream for dark circles

It works with liposomes, penetrating deep within the skin to deliver the hydrating and nourishment that prematurely-aging skin needs. Also found in the formula, is Jojoba Oil, Glycerin, caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, and Mica, among others. They all work together to hydrate, boost circulation, plum, and diffuse light to give a brighter, younger appearance.

A huge bonus of purchasing a L’Oreal product, is that it’s a global giant in the beauty industry. Why? Because they face extreme scrutiny and higher standards, and are developed in very clean, accurate laboratories where they’re rigorously safety-tested.

What kind of results did we see?

We’ll be honest – it did take about a week to begin to see noticeable results. The first application definitely felt nice and our skin felt a bit smoother, but there was nothing to write about. After a couple of weeks, puffiness and dark circles began to noticeably decrease, which was nice. If you’re just beginning to see signs of premature aging, this would be a good choice.

What We Loved

  • Very easy and great for beginners
  • Smooths skin texture
  • Is rigorously tested for safety
  • Great for contact-wearers

What We Didn’t Like

  • Isn’t ideal for more advanced wrinkles

InstaNatural Eye Gel Cream – Editor’s Pick

best drugstore under eye cream for dark circles
The best natural eye cream wasn’t easy to find, but we think we may have done it! The InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Gel Cream is the one to go to if you want an eye cream that isn’t packed full of a bunch of chemicals!

Haven’t heard of InstaNatural before?

That’s okay. To be honest, it’s still considered an up-and-coming company, but we see a lot of promise.

InstaNatural started out small in Florida, with a mission they’ve stayed true to: to create natural, yet effective skincare products. Since then, they’ve continued to improve, product by product, and we feel that they’re doing an amazing job of formulating products that really work.

Let’s go ahead and talk about the eye gel, itself.

The Youth Express Eye Gel is a very lightweight treatment that lifts and restores the skin around the eyes, which we know is very delicate. Losing firmness in this area seems to be one of the first signs of premature aging, and can also be one of the most difficult to fix, if you don’t tackle it early on.

This special formula features Matrixyl 3000, which is a potent peptide that works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. Not only that, but you’ll also find Hyaluronic Acid, Plant Stem Cells, along with Amino Acids, which work together to nourish, strengthen, and hydrate the skin.

Now, let’s talk about what this eye gel doesn’t have.

Parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, formaldehyde releasers, MCI/MI, and synthetic dyes are all tossed to the side. You don’t have to worry about confronting any potentially-harmful chemicals, and if you have sensitive skin, this one is ultra-gentle.

In addition, their products are always cruelty-free, and who doesn’t love that?

Our results did take a while to show up (around 3 weeks), however, once they started, we were very impressed. Much like the previous product on our list, it took a couple of weeks, but the difference was that we saw much more noticeable results. The skin under and around the eyes was more firm, more “pulled in” if that makes sense. Not only that, but the puffiness was drastically calmed, and fine lines were much less visible.

So, are there any downsides?

Actually, yes. The gel cream does leave a kind of sticky feeling after application. It does absorb quickly, but there is a somewhat-tacky feeling leftover. Other than that, we loved it.

What We Loved

  • Very simple and easy to use
  • All-natural formulation
  • Excellent for sensitive skin
  • No potentially-harmful chemicals included
  • Budget-friendly
  • Reduces appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and puffiness

What We Didn’t Like

  • Leaves a somewhat-sticky residue after application

Garnier Ultra Lift – Best Product for Acne Prone Skin

drugstore eye cream for dark circles
Undoubtedly one of the most popular drugstore eye creams, is the Garnier Ultra Lift Eye Cream. Garnier is a reputable company that creates inexpensive, yet effective products that aren’t anything crazy, but get the job done.

A common factor in premature aging is dehydration. This doesn’t just mean drinking 8 glasses of water a day (although, that typically helps). Many times, we need some outside help, too. This eye cream gives your skin hydration that lasts. It works to fight signs of tiredness, giving you that fresh, well-rested look that so many covet!

What is the ingredient make-up?

It features the ever-so-famous Hyaluronic Acid, along with Hydroxy Acid, Jojoba Oil, and a Castor Oil derivative, which is quite interesting. They all work to rejuvenate the skin, moisturize, and nourish. Not only that, but they help provide the skin with a kind of moisture barrier, while perking up dry, tired skin.

The moisturizer can be applied over a serum if you use them, and typically won’t conflict with other products, but this depends on the product and your skin sensitivities. You can technically use it during the day, but most users put it on at night, right before bedtime. As you sleep, it works away, nourishing and hydrating the skin.

How does it feel?

The cream, itself, is very lightweight, surprisingly, for a night cream. It feels almost like a facemask with the results it provides, however, the results could’ve been more drastic, in our humble opinion. What we did love, was the fact that it’s non-comedogenic, making it an excellent contender for those with acne or combination skin prone to breakouts.

Overall, we saw some pretty good results, but again, it didn’t provide the best we’d seen. After about a week, we did see some improvement in the color around the eyes, as well as an overall look of hydration and health.

What We Loved

  • Great for initial signs of premature aging
  • Results in just a week (on average)
  • Non-comedogenic; great for those prone to breakouts
  • Well-known company

What We Didn’t Like

  • May not be strong enough for some
  • Can cause some reactions from those with very sensitive skin

Olay Effects Anti Aging – Best Preventative Product

best drugstore eye cream for dry skin
Unlike many drugstore eye creams, we love the packaging on this beauty, although we’re no stranger to getting that from Olay. The Olay Total Effects 7-in-One Anti-Aging Eye Cream comes in a beautiful, round pot with a screw-on lid.

That’s really the one thing we didn’t like – that the screw-on style is rather unhygienic when you compare them to the ones that never touch anything until you want them to.

What does the formula consist of?

A VitaNiacin Complex, along with Vitamins B and E works to enhance the skin’s natural, smooth state, while simultaneously nourishing the skin.

The texture of the best selling eye cream is very emollient and quite slippery, and while that could be seen as a downside, it makes it very easy to distribute. We know how important it is not to tug at the skin around the eyes, so this makes it easier to avoid and makes for a smooth, easy application. Keep in mind that it is not greasy, and is oil-free.

In fact, we used it as an almost kind of primer, to make cover-up application super simple!

Speaking of cover-up, you may not even have to use yours, due to the fact that this cream is peach-hued. Some of you probably already know that anything tinted “peach” will help to cancel out dark circles and some hyperpigmentation spots on the skin.

While most eye skincare products we’d tried are for once-a-day use, we used this one twice per day for a few weeks, and we did see results, but they weren’t exactly what we’d expected. What we did notice was a difference in the dryness and texture of the skin. It was noticeably smoother and looked more hydrated, sure. However, we would have liked to have seen more of a difference in the wrinkles, as well.

With that being said, we’d classify this Olay eye cream as more of a preventative measure, as opposed to a treatment after-the-fact.

What We Loved

  • Goes on smoothly and easily
  • Peach-tinted to set off dark circles
  • Relatively inexpensive
  • Hydrates and nourishes dry skin

What We Didn’t Like

  • More preventative than to be used as an “after” treatment
  • Unhygienic screw-on style lid

How To Choose The Right Drugstore Eye Cream For You

You may be wondering at this point, what you need a buying guide for. Perhaps you’ve already picked out the best drugstore eye cream for yourself. Perhaps you haven’t. Regardless, it doesn’t hurt to make sure you’ve done your due diligence and gone through all of the steps to ensure you’re putting the proper product in your shopping cart! Let’s get started, shall we?

Price

As we usually do, we have to include a spiel about pricing. As previously mentioned, if you’re looking for the best drugstore eye cream, specifically, we’re willing to guess that you may already be searching specifically for a budget product. This by no means has to be a “cheap” product or one that doesn’t work. However, we should still be realistic about expectations.

Most drugstore eye creams, in our experience, don’t seem to “wow” us. However, the few exceptions have been placed on this list. There are some that surprised us in a good way, and some that were just “okay”. Make sure you know what you need. Do you want something preventative that helps get rid of wrinkles before they start? Do you want something stronger that’s going to reduce the appearance of already-existing signs of premature aging?

Ingredients

It’s important to look at ingredients, no matter who you are. Some people are vegan, vegetarian, or just prefer more natural products, which we understand! We feel that if you can get an awesome product that really works, and is free of excess chemicals, then go for it! Sometimes a stronger chemical makeup is preferred, but that’s all up to you.

If you have sensitive skin, you probably already know to look at each of the ingredients to make sure the chances of it causing you an adverse reaction are very low. Look at added artificial fragrances as well as known allergens, too!

Time to See Results

How long are you willing to wait to see results? Remember, you didn’t get those wrinkles overnight; they’re not going to disappear overnight, either. We typically recommend you give it at least three weeks before making a decision. In fact, most of the products we have here don’t make much of a difference until the two-to-three-week mark. Consistency is very important, as is applying the correct amount at the correct time.

Conclusion

Are you feeling younger and more rejuvenated yet? If not, soon after that package lands on your doorstep! If you’re still feeling on-the-fence about which eye cream to select, don’t fret! We liked all of the products listed above, but there was only one that really caught our eye: the InstaNatural Eye Gel Cream. Honestly, it was hard for us to find anything we didn’t like about this amazing anti-aging product!

First of all, as the name suggests, it’s all-natural. There are no severe chemicals to speak of, and the product is cruelty-free, which we always love. It’s perfect for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin. The cream is very easy to use and goes on smooth and simple. It absorbs quickly, and the packaging is wonderful. Not only that, but it’s very affordable and lasts a long time.

So, which one of the best drugstore eye creams will be making their way into your eye care routine?

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Rosalind Watson
Rosalind Watson

Rosalind graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media from the Erasmus University Rotterdam and now lives and works as a freelance writer in Utah.

Rosalind Watson

Rosalind graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media from the Erasmus University Rotterdam and now lives and works as a freelance writer in Utah.