9 Best Undereye Patches to Soothe Puffiness and Brighten Dark Circles

Dec 3

By Ana Escalante, Danielle Sinay, and Alanna Martine Kilkeary | Beauty & Health Editors at Glamour

While you might try your best to get enough sleep, your dark circles may tell a different story. Before you spiral: The best undereye patches are here to save the day (and your skin). “Undereye patches contain a combination of potent active ingredients including hyaluronic acid, retinol, peptides and others,” says Divya Shokeen, MD, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Osvi Dermatology. These hydrating masks will perk up your undereye area by smoothing fine lines or depuffing the area.

To help you find the best ones, we tested nearly 20 different types of undereye patches over the past couple of years—from cooling options to color-correcting and more. Our favorite, by far, is Topicals Faded Brightening Under Eye Masks because they help depuff and eliminate the appearance of dark circles and fine lines over time thanks to a potent blend of kojic acid, caffeine, and niacinamide. Not to mention, they’re under $25, making them one of the more affordable undereye masks on this list. We also found options great for aging skin and eye bags, ones you can re-up on Amazon quickly, and others that are suitable for dry and sensitive skin types.

How we tested undereye patches

We tested undereye patches by evaluating ingredients, texture, format, and how well they brightened and depuffed our undereyes. The best undereye masks and patches had ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, which work to address discoloration and even out skin tone, texture, and elasticity. The ones we chose also had jelly-like textures that clung onto the skin and didn’t budge or move throughout our skin care or makeup routines. The ones that made the cut did a great job of minimizing eye bags and dark circles and depuffing the area.

Best Overall: Topicals Faded Brightening Under Eye Masks

The fastest way to depuff your eyes, according to Hope Mitchell, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Mitchell Dermatology, is to use products with ingredients like caffeine or peptides. That’s why these brightening undereye masks are a must-try if you deal with stubborn dark circles, thanks to their potent blend of kojic acid, caffeine, and niacinamide. They instantly wake up the area and make your undereyes look fresh and more even-toned.

Testing notes: “I love using these right before I have a big event,” says Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary. “They stick perfectly to the skin and don’t move or budge, even if I’m doing eye makeup. They’re cooling upon contact too, and make my eyes look more awake almost immediately. After using them consistently once every week I’ve also noticed that my undereyes look slightly brighter and less dark.”

Material: Silicone
Key ingredients: Caffeine, kojic acid, tranexamic acid
Number of patches: 6 treatments

Best on Amazon: Patchology FlashPatch Illuminating Eye Gels

Celebrity esthetician Candace Marino always opts for Patchology’s rejuvenating eye masks for an instant pick-me-up for tired eyes. “I love the brightening ingredients,” she says, so much so that she counts the FlashPatch Illuminating Eye Gels as the best undereye masks for revitalizing dull undereye skin. “These have green tea to lighten dark circles and energize the undereyes, mulberry extract for antioxidant protection, and vitamin C to soften and brighten skin tone,” says Marino.

Testing notes: “If you’re an ASMR beauty lover, I totally recommend reaching for these jelly eye gels that instantly cool and refresh the undereye area. They’re soft and bouncy to the touch and nicely stick onto the skin, and I love to use them in the morning to wake me up and depuff,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.

Material: Gel
Key ingredients: Vitamin C, green tea, mulberry extract
Number of patches: 5 pairs

Best for Dry Skin: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Eye Patches

If you have dry or flaky skin on the undereye area, we love these ultra-nourishing undereye patches that contain a blend of glycerin and hyaluronic acid to deeply moisturize. They also feature caffeine and peptides to depuff and firm up the area, and boast a satisfyingly thick texture.

Testing notes: “I sometimes get eczema flare-ups in my undereye area around my upper cheek, and it can be extremely uncomfortable to apply makeup there. To soothe it while I have a flare-up, I like to use these cooling masks to help hydrate the area before I apply foundation. These stick on really nicely, are super thick (which makes them satisfying to take on and off), and feel extra refreshing after putting them in the fridge,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.

Material: Silicone
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, cucumber extract, glycerin, caffeine
Number of patches: 6 pairs

Best for Sensitive Skin: Loops Hyper Smooth Eye Hydrogel Eye Mask

Hydrogel eye masks are a great option for sensitive skin types because they work to reduce redness and inflammation. These masks have a blend of alpha-arbutin, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid and a brightening complex to help boost skin and minimize the appearance of discoloration, fine lines, and crow’s feet.

Testing notes: “These are a real treat after spending time out in the sun during the day, especially if your skin is hot or flushed. They cool the undereye area and stay put for as long as you want to keep them on. I also love that they gently exfoliate, too, making the area look brighter and more even-toned and textured,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.

Material: Gel
Key ingredients: Tranexamic acid, niacinamide, alpha-arbutin
Number of patches: 5 pairs

Best for Puffiness: Peace Out Puffy Under-Eye Patches

Ready to say goodbye to puffy eyes? Reach for these bio-cellulose undereye patches that help to minimize unwanted signs of fatigue—thanks to a combination of caffeine, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Peace out dull skin; hello, hydrated, revitalized glow.

Testing notes: “If I know it’s going to be a day where I’m going to apply a lot of makeup, I like to plop these on to hydrate and prep my skin. It’s also just a nice little way to start my mornings. The size and shape fit great and they stay in place for the most part. My undereye area feels refreshed after using them each time. I only wish the packaging was better because I struggle to tear it open sometimes,” says Glamour senior commerce editor Jenifer Calle.

Material: Biocellulose material
Key ingredients: Niacinamide, caffeine, sodium hyaluronate
Number of patches: 6 pairs

Best for Dark Circles: YSE Beauty the Overachiever Eye Masks

You may or may not recognize these firming undereye masks from your FYP on TikTok, and we’re here to report that they are worth the social media hype. With a hydrogel underside that sticks onto skin, they work to brighten, depuff, and hydrate the undereye area with vitamin C, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and allantoin.

Testing notes: “I’m plagued with dark circles thanks to my genetics,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary. “So I’m always on the hunt to find treatments and products that help mitigate the discoloration. I was pretty impressed with these patches after trying them for the first couple of times—they did a great job of brightening my undereye area, which made me look more awake and alert. They’re super comfortable too, and don’t leave any stickiness behind after you peel them off.”

Material: Hydrogel
Key ingredients: Vitamin C, peptides, hyaluronic acid, allantoin
Number of patches: 1 pair

Best for Eye Bags: Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches

If you’re looking for a truly luxe experience, these antiaging Peter Thomas Roth masks are the gold standard. Packed with precious minerals and fortified with 24k gold, the hydra-gel eye patches are infused with hyaluronic acid and caffeine to tone and condition the sensitive undereye area.

Testing notes: “I always recommend these patches for those who have deep-set eyes or undereyes that look very hollowed out. Because of my dark circles, this area does tend to look that way, and the older I get, the more I notice that the delicate skin in this area is thinning. That’s why I’ve started to use these once or twice a week, and I’ve definitely noticed a difference. My eyes look less sunken, firmer, and brighter. This one is a little pricey, but definitely worth the money for 30 pairs,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.

Material: Gel
Key ingredients: 24k gold, caffeine, collagen
Number of patches: 30 pairs

Best Korean Beauty: Cosrx Under Eye Mask

We love our Korean face masks, so it’s no surprise that we’re also a fan of K-beauty undereye treatments. These hydrogel patches are packed with collagen, caffeine, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and peptides—and believe us when we say they’re no joke. They do a great job at softening, evening out, and depuffing the area in just a few uses.

Testing notes: “I was really impressed with these hydrogel eye patches. Word to the wise—they are a bit sticky and goopy during application, but this formula melts down to a nice lightweight serum while sitting on the undereye area. My eyes were particularly dark and puffy when I tested these, and I think they did a great job of brightening and softening my fine lines. Not to mention, I love that they’re hot pink,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.

Material: Gel
Key ingredients: Collagen, niacinamide, caffeine, hyaluronic acid, peptides
Number of patches: 30 pairs

Best for Travel: Wander Baggage Claim Rose Gold Eye Masks

Undereye masks are particularly great for travel to help depuff bags and wake up your skin after a long flight. We always pack these rose gold foil patches because they help flatten puffiness and brighten the area with hyaluronic acid, aloe leaf extract, and amino acids.

Testing notes: “I’m not going to get crazy and say these are the best undereye masks I’ve ever tried, but I did really love how Wander’s Baggage Claim Eye Masks clung to my skin and stayed put thanks to their unique and innovative combination of foil, elastic, and cellulose fiber. That allows the aloe leaf extract to really get to work on depuffing my undereye bags after a long, exhausting month,” says Glamour contributor Emily Tannenbaum.

Material: Cellulose fiber
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, aloe leaf, amino acids
Number of patches: 6 pairs

FAQ

Do undereye patches really work?

According to Dr. Mitchell, undereye patches do work, but she recommends thinking of them as a temporary boost. “They hydrate, smooth, and brighten, so they are perfect before an event, a night out, or even just when you wake up looking tired,” she says.

What causes eye puffiness?

Eye puffiness can be caused by a variety of factors, says Connie Yang, MD, board-certified dermatologist and Dermstore Medical Advisory Board member. “Puffiness often comes from fluid retention, which can be linked to allergies, diet, or other factors. If allergies are the cause, an antihistamine may help. Reducing sodium intake can also make a difference,” she says.

What do dermatologists recommend for puffy undereyes?

To quickly depuff eyes, the dermatologists we spoke with recommend cold compresses and topical products with ingredients like caffeine to help constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling in the area. “I love using cold eye patches (stored in the fridge) that contain caffeine. The chill and caffeine work together to constrict blood vessels, helping reduce fluid buildup,” says Dr. Yang.

Any other tips when using undereye patches?

To get the most out of your undereye patches, Dr. Mitchell recommends applying them on clean, dry skin. “Keep your patches in the fridge before using them for an extra cooling effect, and when you take them off, gently tap in the excess serum with your fingers and let your skin soak it up,” she says. You can then apply eye cream on top to lock everything in.

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