Like any other skincare product, eye masks really get their power is from their ingredients, some of which are typically hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide, and caffeine.
“Eye patches incorporate key ingredients like hyaluronic acid to boost moisture, peptides to firm, ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier, caffeine to help reduce puffiness, and niacinamide to reduce discoloration,” says dermatologist Marisa Garshik, MD.
What To Consider
As with any beauty product, there are always a few things to consider before making the investment. Since these masks are mostly advertised for their ability to soothe and hydrate, you’ll want a formula that can back up the claims. Here’s what to look out for.
Key Ingredients
For starters, look for key ingredients such as aloe, chamomile, cucumber, green tea, glycerin, or hyaluronic acid. You’re less likely to come across vitamin C and retinol, but it’s a plus if you do. Patches with a cellulose gel material can also prevent them from sliding off your face (a con I often deal with and try to avoid as much as possible).
Benefits
Not only is the skin under your eyes thinner and more delicate than in other areas of your face, it’s also where lymphatic fluid drainage occurs, says dermatologist Dr. Lauren Penzi, MD. It can also show more blood vessels, and in turn, make dark circles appear more visible, says Dr. Garshick. Most eye masks are created to reduce fine lines, undereye darkness, and wrinkles while giving your skin the boost of moisture it needs. The overall effect of these patches is to revive and hydrate, which is why so many people use them to get a more refreshed look.
Many people complain about looking tired, and eye patches are a nice quick fix. Still, it’s important to be realistic about the kind of results you’ll get in just one or two uses. So, you’ll want to zero in on the reason you’re buying patches, says Dr. Camp. For example, you can target puffiness by rocking undereye patches infused with caffeine or green tea while getting ready for work, says Dr. Camp.
How We Chose
As a member of the beauty team at Women’s Health, I’m constantly on the hunt for the best products and spend a lot of my time testing and reviewing the latest drops. I frequently consult skin experts, which is exactly what I did to kick off my selection process here. I consulted five New York-based dermatologists and had them give their recommendations with insight on why these undereye masks are so splurge-worthy. Then, I tested several of their picks and compared them to some of the other undereye masks available in our beauty closet.
To narrow down the list even further, I got a few other members of team WH, including Addison Aloian, Lily Wohlner, Brian Underwood, and Danielle Jackson to get in on the testing process. Ingredients, price, and overall efficacy were taken into account to determine which would be best for a wide range of needs and preferences.
Here are the fruits of our labor.
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Best Overall
Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Rose Gold Eye Masks
After testing tons of undereye masks, this one takes the cake for best overall. Why? It’s the most hydrating option on this list and it doesn’t slip off your face, which is super hard to find in an undereye mask.
ICYMI, Wander Beauty basically started the undereye mask trend. This OG mask is made with peptides, amino acids, and hyaluronic acid to improve your skin’s texture, tone, and hydration. It’s also expert-approved by Dr. Garshik and dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD. “I love that this mask is made with three different layers that allow the formula to penetrate the skin deeply and prevent it from sliding off the face, so you can multitask while you wear it,” says Dr. Engelman.
Wander Beauty patches are as effective as they are Instagrammable. I’ve been a fan of the rose gold and yellow gold patches for five years, and all of my beauty editor friends gush over them. They brighten, hydrate, and plump up my fine lines. They also contain calendula extract and aloe vera to reduce puffiness caused by late nights.
These pretty patches have three unique layers: the surface’s foil retains heat and prevents evaporation, the middle grips to prevent slippage, and the base delivers moisturizing glycerin and depuffing calendula extract. For an extra soothing experience, I like to leave mine in the fridge. Cool temperatures help shrink blood vessels under the eyes, so dark circles appear lighter and puffiness minimizes, dermatologist Dr. Marisa Garshick, MD, recently said in our guide to under eye skin care.
That said, the construction of this mask consists of super light and flexible material versus the conventional plastic material found in a lot of other eye patches that were tested, giving this product a high-quality feel.
Read More: Best Retinol Eye Creams
| Key Ingredients | Hyaluronic acid, aloe leaf extract, amino acids |
|---|---|
| Count | 6 |
| Benefits | Soothes and reduces redness, soothes inflammation, helps brighten skin, contains anti-aging properties, improves skin tone and texture |
Best For Wrinkles
Patchology Serve Chilled Rosé Eye Gels
Pros
- Smooths out fine lines and wrinkles
- Reduces puffiness around the eyes
Cons
- It slips off the face easier than other patches
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my personal fave patch from Patchology. It contains hyaluronic acid (hi, hydrated, plump skin) and feels super cool under the eyes to de-puff and smooth out that area.
Patchology is fantastic for targeting lines, says dermatologist Dr. Anar Mikailov, MD. He mentions that there’s resveratrol, a natural antioxidant found in grapes that helps improve barrier function, and other antioxidants that provide protection against oxidizing agents that can visibly age the skin by causing wrinkles. There’s also antioxidant-rich strawberry extract, which helps brighten dark circles.
After using this patch, I also noticed a slight reduction in puffiness and discoloration near the eyes. My only con was that the mask slides out of place after a while, but it’s still epic to use and totally worth incorporating into your routine. My hack is to use these patches while laying down in bed to prevent any slipping.
| Key Ingredients | Resveratrol, strawberry extract, hyaluronic acid |
|---|---|
| Count | 5 |
| Benefits | Improves skin hydration, protects against environmental stressors, and may smooth the appearance of fine lines |
Best For Brightening
Live Tinted Rays Copper Peptide Eye Masks
Pros
- Adds a subtle glow to the undereyes
- Allows for easier makeup application
- Stimulates collagen production
Cons
- It can slip down the face
These eye masks from Live Tinted are packed with copper peptides and banana extract (hi, Ashton Hall!) to reduce puffiness and smooth fine lines. They also reduce puffiness after just a few uses and leave skin looking glowy and feeling hydrated.
And because these patches help soften and smooth your delicate undereye area, Aloian relies on them for makeup prep. “Not only is the patch super cute—it’s shaped like a sun—but it also genuinely hydrates and brightens my undereye area,” she says. These patches make Aloian feel confident going makeup free because of the glow they leave behind, but it’s just as helpful on days when she wants a dewy base before applying concealer.
Along with a mix of peptides to help stimulate collagen production, this eye mask contains niacinamide, bakuchiol, caffeine, and Vitamin C. Bakuchiol is a great retinol alternative that helps stimulate collagen production, says Dr. Mikailov.
Wohlner also gave this patch a try and loves how flexible it is under the eye. However, she did note that it does tend to slip down the face because it’s super thin.
| Key Ingredients | Triple complex copper peptides, banana extract, bakuchiol |
|---|---|
| Count | 5 |
| Benefits | Brightens, hydrates, de-puffs, reduces fine lines and wrinkles |
Best For Puffiness
Grace & Stella Energizing Eye Mask
Pros
- Comes with a lot of serum
- Reduces dark circles and puffiness
- Has a cooling feel
Cons
- Needs to be left on for 20 minutes
This undereye mask is basically an expert at reducing puffy, tired-looking eyes thanks to its cooling effects. It also treats dark circles and fine lines with hydrating hyaluronic acid.
This option comes with a lot of serum, so it may slip down your face over time. But, feel free to go ahead and massage that extra serum into your undereye area—that little bit of massaging can help assist with lymphatic drainage and further reduce puffiness. Need even more convincing? Celebs like Jessica Alba posts about this mask on her Instagram story time and time again, noting that she’s a major fan.
Most masks on this list only need 10 minutes on the skin, but this one can stay on for up to 20. That said, you can totally stick to 10 minutes if you’re low on time. Although, 20 minutes fly by when you have a good book in hand (pro tip!).
| Key Ingredients | Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hyaluronic acid, glycerin |
|---|---|
| Count | 6 |
| Benefits | Minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, plumps and hydrates skin, prevents dark circles |
Best For Dark Circles
Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Brightening Hydra-Gels
Pros
- Includes tiny spatula for an easy and sanitary application
- Great at targeting surface spots, per dermatologists
Cons
- Pricey, but derms say it’s worth it
This vitamin C-packed eye patch is perfect for helping brighten up the undereye area while reducing signs of aging and puffiness with the help of caffeine.
Yeah, it’s a little pricier, but trust that it’s totally worth it if you have the budget. The gel patches are super easy to apply. Plus, they can reduce discoloration and fine lines within just a few weeks. Sometimes I’m weary of products with vitamin C in them because the smell can be a bit aggressive, but these are just right.
Derms also deem this patch worth the money. “The key ingredient in this mask is THD Ascorbate Vitamin C, which is 50 times more powerful than other forms of vitamin C,” says Dr. Engelman. THD is especially good for surface dark spots that need brightening rather than deeper dark circles, says Dr. Mikailov.
It’s worth noting that these dry up around the 10 minute mark, and while they stay on really well, the edges break off easily if you try to move the masks around a few minutes after the initial application.
| Key Ingredients | THD ascorbate vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, caffeine |
|---|---|
| Count | 60 |
| Benefits | Reduces the appearance of fines lines, puffiness, and wrinkles |
Most User Friendly
Peace Out Puffy Under-Eye Patches
As the name suggests, this patch is meant to soothe tired-looking eyes. So, for those of you who have a lot of sleepless nights or are just night owls at heart, this is your winner. Infused with caffeine, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid, these work overtime to reduce puffiness and dark circles.
“I often recommend Peace Out’s acne patch for the face, but I also love the brand’s eye patches,” says Dr. Engelman. “It’s so effective at quickly bringing down puffiness and brightening and smoothing the under-eyes.” The patch is biodegradable and made with biocellulose, which helps the formula deeply penetrate the skin, says Dr. Engelman.
These patches fit snuggly under my eyes, so I could wear them while doing my eye makeup. They also did a great job of catching eyeshadow fallout that would normally ruin my undereye concealer. Another pro? Unlike most gel patches, they weren’t completely soaked in serum, which can make the process a bit messy. Instead, they had just the right amount for ample hydration. After the initial use, I noticed my undereyes were softer and brighter, and I’d slowly reach for these patches for special occasions.
I’m not the only fan on WH’s beauty team. “I have very sensitive skin, so I’m always cautious when it comes to trying things out, but this didn’t give me any issues,” says Talbert. “It also doesn’t have much of a scent, which put my mind at ease since fragrance tends to be an early indicator that my skin might not like a product.
”These patches are on the larger side, so they feel a bit bulky. They also need to be slightly adjusted because they slide down a little bit over 15 minutes, but honestly, they’re such minor cons that Talbert continues using them.
| Key Ingredients | Caffeine, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid |
|---|---|
| Count | 6 |
| Benefits | Hydrates skin, reduces the appearance of puffiness and dark circles |
Meet The Experts
- Dr. Lauren Penzi, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
- Dr. Marisa Garshick, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
- Dr. Brendan Camp, MD, is a double board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology.
- Dr. Anar Mikailov, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Skintensive.
- Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Shafer Clinic.
Nicole Saunders is the beauty editor at Women’s Health and has over eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing lifestyle content. She specializes in breaking down complicated topics, like red light therapy for hair growth and LED face masks, into easy-to-understand guides. Saunders takes great pride in heavily researching and testing featured beauty products, such as strengthening shampoos and body washes for dry skin on our site.
Previously, she was the beauty editor at Best Products where she tested quite literally thousands of launches for her quarterly column and the Best New Beauty Awards package. She also launched the beauty and wellness coverage at NBC News and contributed to CNN, Cosmopolitan, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and Harper’s BAZAAR.
You can follow her on Instagram to stay in the loop on her product testing adventures.
Brian Underwood is beauty director at Women’s Health, where he oversees content strategy for the brand across all platforms, including digital, print, and social. Underwood previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily and O, The Oprah Magazine. During his tenure leading beauty content for the Oprah brand at Hearst, stories Underwood commissioned were awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation Media Award and a Fragrance Award for Editorial Excellence (his second). He was the launch Beauty Director of Dr. Oz THE GOOD LIFE, and has held additional editorial positions at Fitness, Organic Style, Good Housekeeping, Life & Style Weekly, and Woman’s Day and has written for Self, Shape, Seventeen, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and many more. Underwood previously served on the Skin Cancer Foundation’s gala committee and as partnerships director of the Trans Beauty Clinic, a New York-based charitable organization that provided beauty services and workshops to the city’s trans community.
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