Eye creams will test your patience. Unlike moisturizers, toners, and cleansers, you won't be able to tell right away if they're actually doing their job. And if you're a sucker for instant results, you might even give up and move on to the next way before you finish your tub of eye cream.
This anti-aging skincare staple requires weeks—if not, months—of regular use until you can notice a difference in your under-eye area (at most, your skin should feel smoother after a few days.) This is why we asked real Pinays to share the most effective eye creams they've tried—so you won't have to waste your time (and suweldo!) on another unsatisfying splurge.
From cult-favorites to under the radar finds, check out the best eye creams, according to 30-something women:
Tara Cabullo, 33
The eye cream she swears by: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex Synchronized Recovery
How long she's been using it: 10 years
"I've been using [Estee Lauder's] ANR since my early 20s—I'm in my early 30s now—and I'm happy to say that I have no visible lines so far. I always think that anti-aging products including eye creams are kind of like [life] insurances; we can't see immediate results and sometimes it feels like they do nothing, especially if the areas aren't too problematic. However, the effects of the products will be realized after some time and for me, 10 years has been a good benchmark for it."
TRY: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex Synchronized Recovery, P4,280, available in Esteé Lauder boutiques and online
Nicole Limos-Morales, 34
The eye cream she swears by: Sisley's L’Integral Anti-Age Eye and Lip Contour Cream
How long she's been using it: 4 months
"I have this usual 3-month product rotation, allowing me to test and use different skincare products. So far the most effective eye cream I’ve tried is Sisley’s L’Integral Anti-Age Eye and Lip Contour Cream, which I used for about 4 months. I rarely rely on double duty products, but this eye and lip cream just works wonders. When I got it last year, it came with a metal roller applicator which was an incredible bonus that instantly depuffed my under eyes, thanks to its cold rolling surface. As for the product itself, this is something I could count on for hydration, refreshing and brightening my eye area enough to fake eight hours of sleep, thanks to star ingredients like fermented pomegranate, passion fruit, and atlas cedar extracts. The hydrating and smoothening effects were instant, but what’s more remarkable is how the skin around my eyes became more toned over time."
TRY: Sisley L’Integral Anti-Age Eye and Lip Contour Cream, price available upon request, available at Rustan's The Beauty Source
April De Leon, 35
The eye cream she swears by: Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright Eye Cream
How long she's been using it: 2 weeks
"Although my eye area isn’t problematic, I noticed the brightening effect that Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright Eye Cream promises to deliver. It also serves as a good eye primer!"
TRY: Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream, P2,800, available online
Ira Nopeuente, 34
The eye cream she swears by: Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex (eye serum) and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex Synchronized Recovery (eye cream)
How long she's been using it: 1 year
"It's only been months since I've experimented with retinol, and I can say that I'm addicted to it. My serum, eye cream, and moisturizer all have vitamin A. I'm just so amazed by its anti-aging and skin-resurfacing abilities, [but] enough about my routine, let's focus on my eye cream!
"I get sunken eye bags when I'm sleep-deprived, and I have crow's feet on the corner of my eyes. I layer two products: An eye serum and an eye cream. The Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex has—you guessed it—retinol as its active ingredient. I had my skin recently checked in a dermatological clinic, and the machine's reading showed that my crow's feet were reduced. I couldn't believe it. I would layer it with Estée Lauder's ANR Supercharged Eye Complex. I had dark circles (think: panda eyes), and this potent eye cream brightened the eye area. It protects the skin from pollution and blue light—the two major skin stressors we face every day. You can opt to choose just one; I use both of them because I'm just praning with fine lines and eye bags."
TRY: Dermalogica Age Reversal Eye Complex, price available upon request, available at Rustan's The Beauty Source
What is the correct way to apply eye cream?
Using your ring finger, dab some eye cream to your undereye area, starting from the inner corner of the eyes up to the outer corner where crow's feet would usually appear. According to Healthline, it's best to not apply eye cream on your eyelids to avoid irritating your peepers.
Which is better eye serum or eye cream?
Eye serums are lighter compared to eye creams. They usually contain less oil to allow active ingredients to penetrate the skin. While eye creams work to mainly moisturize the undereye area, eye serums target specific concerns such as puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles.
Like what one of the Pinays mentioned earlier, you can use both an eye serum and an eye cream to address your different undereye concerns. Just remember to apply the serum before the cream! Otherwise, your skin won't be able to absorb the potent ingredients of your eye serum.
