The 10 Best Low Cost Eye Creams That Are Just As Good At Tackling Dark Circles And Puffiness

Our beauty team tested budget eye creams that are just as good as their luxury counterparts.

Beauty writer, Sameeha Shaikh

by Sameeha Shaikh |
Updated on

Finding the best eye cream for your skincare routine is super important, particularly if you struggle with dark circles, puffiness and dryness. It's a product which I've never truly been sure about but, having consulted the experts and done a lot of research, I've discovered that the right one really can help improve the appearance of your delicate eye area. While there are a host of expensive eye creams on the market which can cost hundreds of pounds, I'm here to inform you that I've tried and tested the very best low cost eye creams to find the products which deliver brilliant results without breaking the bank.

Of course, drinking lots of water and getting a good night's sleep will definitely help matters, but a great eye cream can also make a notable difference by hydrating and soothing the delicate skin, loading the area with hard-working ingredients. Consultant ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgeon, Dr Elizabeth Hawkes, is a true believer in the transformative powers of eye creams – so much so that she says they are a crucial component of any comprehensive skincare routine.

Beauty writer, Sameeha Shaikh
Beauty writer, Sameeha Shaikh ©Beauty writer, Sameeha Shaikh

'The eye is a very delicate area - arguably the most delicate on the body. The eyelid skin is one of the first places to show the signs of ageing as it is so fragile; it needs a bit of extra TLC that face creams just won’t provide. One such example is that dedicated eye creams should be lighter than your regular moisturiser to ensure they won't clog up your meibomian and sebaceous glands. As they are lighter and skin around the eyes is thinner compared to the rest of your body, this allows the product to be absorbed effectively,' she notes.

In good news, budget eye creams are effective and can target your concerns with the promise of affordable yet sophisticated formulas that tackle everything from pigmentation to dehydration, dullness, rejuvenation, hydration and brightness.

'High street eye creams are just as good as expensive ones, it's all about the ingredients and your specific concerns,' Dr. Hawkes says. 'Expensive eye creams are great, they smell nice and have a lot of ingredients but that doesn't necessarily mean they are better.'

In fact, in her clinic, Dr. Hawkes has a range of skincare products to recommend to patients but will always ask about budget in order to provide patients with products that not only suit their unique skin needs but affordability, too.

Keen to get your hands on one? We've whittled our edit down to the 10 best eye affordable creams that won't cost a small fortune. Keep scrolling to discover our top eye creams that are (ahem) eye-deal for those of us currently glued to our screens...

Grazia's Best Low Cost Eye Creams 2024, At A Glance:

Best Overall Low Cost Eye Cream: e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream, £10

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Dark Circles: Dr. PAWPAW Brightening Eye Cream, £13

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Puffiness: The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream, £10

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Sensitive Eyes: Boots DermaCare Ceramides Conditioning Eye Balm, £6

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Brightening: Bubble Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream, £14

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Aging Skin: Beauty Pie Super Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream, £15

How we tested low cost eye creams:

Beauty writer, Sameeha Shaikh
Beauty writer, Sameeha Shaikh ©Beauty writer, Sameeha Shaikh

We tested these 10 different low cost eye creams over the course of a few months to gauge a sense of there unique formulas, application methods, and results, in a bid to investigate whether each of their claims was in fact true. We also spoke to experts like Dr. Elizabeth Hawkes who explained what a good eye cream always needs: the very best ingredients. We measured each product against this benchmark.

Shop: The Best Affordable Eye Creams 2024

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Brightening

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'I would have never used the word joy to describe an eye cream, but from its name to its bright lime packaging and comfortable formula, the Bubble Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream oozes exactly that. While thick, it quickly seeps into skin leaving it smooth and supple thanks to a combination of brightening vitamin C and calming green tea. My eyes are always left looking more revived and even post-application. If you like the illuminating effects of the OLE HENRIKSEN Banana Bright Eye Crème, £38, you'll love this.

Pros

  • Creamy yet quick-absorbing formula
  • Packed with a potent powerhouse of ingredients including turmeric, vitamin c and green tea

Cons

  • Perhaps not as hydrating as others on this list
Key ingredientsTumeric, vitamin C and green tea
Size15ml
Fragrance-free?Yes

Best Luxury Alternative

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'This luxurious feeling cream is certainly restorative and nourishing thanks to its silky thick texture and fortifying formula which is packed with algae extract, blackcurrant seed, and hyaluronic acid, to leave skin hydrated, plump and subtly glowy.'

Pros

  • Rich formula
  • Luxe, weighty packaging

Cons

  • Jar packaging may not suit those who prefer a more hygienic pump
Key ingredientsAlgae extract, blackcurrant seed, and hyaluronic acid
Size15ml
Fragrance-freeUnknown

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Puffiness

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'Loaded with a shot of caffeine this eye cream helps to minimise dark circles and take down puffiness. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it can relieve water retention - a big cause of puffiness under the eye area. The formula is thin yet uber-hydrating and provides just enough grip for make-up without being sticky. If you've wanted to try IRÄYE's clever lymphatic draining Eye Revive Cream but have long been put off by the hefty £86 price tag, try Inkey instead.'

Pros

  • Convenient thin packaging
  • Single hero ingredient formula for maximum targeted solutions

Cons

  • Packaging means the cream can overflow if there is air trapped in the tube
Key ingredientsCaffeine, patented Matrixyl 3000™, and albizia julibrissin bark extract
Size15ml
Fragrance-freeYes

Best On the High-Street

L'Oréal Paris 2.5% Hyaluronic Acid Eye SerumL'Oréal Paris

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'The turn of the season from warm to cold is the perfect time to try this viral, hydrating eye serum which is designed to flood the skin full of moisture and help instantly depuff, with the help of a high percentage of hyaluronic acid (2.5% to be exact) and a handy steel triple roller applicator which instantly cools.'

Pros

  • Features an innovative triple roller applicator gently massage skin
  • Refreshing and light gel-like formula

Cons

  • Larger bottle may not be suitable for travel
Key ingredientsHyaluronic acid and caffiene
Size20ml
Fragrance-freeYes

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Sensitive Eyes

Rachael Martin, beauty editor, says: 'This eye balm is a joy to use. The texture is rich and luxurious without feeling tacky or uncomfortable. I've been applying it around the contour of my eyes using my ring finger - gentle tapping motions work best here where the delicate skin is concerned. It contains probiotics and chamomile to soothe and brighten. It's particularly great for taking down morning puffiness. We love Dr.Jart+'s Ceramidin Eye Cream, £30, but Boots' version comes with similar benefits at a fraction of the cost.'

Pros

  • Ideal for sensitive skin
  • Built on restoring the skin barrier with ceramides

Cons

  • Perhaps not as flashy and alluring as others in this edit as far as packaging is concerned
Key ingredients Ceramides, probiotics, and chamomile
Size 15ml
Fragrance-freeUnknown

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Aging Skin

Beauty Pie Super Retinol Anti-wrinkle Eye CreamBeauty Pie
Price: £15 (with a membership)

www.beautypie.com

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'Beauty Pie has built a reputation for delivery high-performing products minus the hefty price tag and this product is a case in point. It features 1% retinol microcapsules to slowly (and gently) release its line-smoothing effects, as well as well as antioxidant-rich bioflavonoid to brighten. I especially loved it's no-fuss approach and seamless application. A word of warning this is known to sell out, so think fast!'

Pros

  • Gentle formula is suitable for sensitive skin
  • Great price point for members

Cons

  • Hard to tell when product needs replacing
  • Gets sold out, the restock drops on 9th August 2024
Size15ml
Paraben-free?Yes
Fragrance-free?Yes
Key Active IngredientsRetinol, ficucell vita, hyaluronic acid

Best Low Cost Eye Cream For Dark Circles

Dr. PAWPAW Brightening Eye CreamStriVectin Super-C Dark Circle Brightening Eye Serum

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'Dark circles can feel debilitating, but the burden feels lighter knowing there are products on the market that can genuinely remedy your woes. With an impressive formula that is built on nourishing and brightening, it's hard to think this eye cream is only £13 a pop. I used it AM and PM diligently and noticed my under eyes becoming just that bit brighter. If I can forgo the use of concealer, that's a win for me and with this the impossible seems within reach. Medik8's Crystal Retinal Eye 6, is loaded with retinal to tackle pigmentation but at £42 a pop it's an investment, try Dr. Pawpaw's offering for an affordable alternative.'

Pros

  • Works well to target dark circles with a clever combination of ingredients
  • A very fair price point

Cons

  • It's very lightweight, so if you prefer a thick, uber-nourishing formula you may be unsatisfied with this
  • Tiny nib deposits a small amount of product so you may need to reapply
Size15ml
Paraben-free?Yes
Fragrance-free?Yes
Key Active IngredientsVitamin C, guava leaf extract, Arabian jasmine, hawthorn flowers and flavonoid

Best Overall Low Cost Eye Cream

e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Creame.l.f.

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says 'Jam packed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acidand peptides, this rich eye cream plumps, smooths and gets to work on dark circles. Non-greasy and quick-absorbing, it leaves skin feeling quenched and sits beautifully under make-up. If you love that refreshed feeling, look no further.'

Pros

  • Non-greasy and fast-absorbing formula
  • Best for refreshing and replenishing the skin with moisture

Cons

  • Bulky jar packaging
Key ingredients Hyaluronic acid and peptides
Size15ml
Fragrance-freeNo

Best Bargain Eye Cream

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCGThe Ordinary

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'To tackle dark circles and puffiness, try this lightweight solution from The Ordinary. Caffeine and EGCG (an extract from green tea) work together to brighten the delicate eye area while taking down puffiness. Unlike other eye care we tested in this edit, this solution comes equipped with a pipette for max control and a nice point of difference in application.'

Pros

  • Pipette dropper for maximum application control
  • Water-based

Cons

  • On the larger side and not as compact as others
Key ingredientsCaffeine and epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside (EGCG)
Size 30ml
Fragrance-freeYes

Best-selling Low Cost Eye Cream

CeraVe Eye Repair CreamCeraVe

Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'A dermatologist-developed eye cream that targets dark circles and puffiness with three essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid to brighten and smooth skin. It is totally fuss-free, making it super easy and compelling to use, too, which is great as consistency is key when it comes to eye care.'

Pros

  • Dermatologist-developed eye cream
  • Tapered tip application for some degree of control

Cons

  • Smaller size than others in this edit
Key ingredientsCeramides, hyaluronic acid and a marine and botanical complex 
Size14ml
Fragrance-freeYes

Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia UK's Beauty Writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).

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