The 8 best eye creams to buy in 2019

Deciem, the founders of the budget sensation The Ordinary, also make the Hylamide brand. Hylamide offer products that are a little more expensive but still very budget-friendly – particularly given the quality of the products. Their eye serum, Hyalamide SubQ Eyes Advanced Serum, has quickly turned out to be a real gem.

If we start by looking at the packaging, a small glass bottle with a pipette, it’s attractive and stylish. But regardless of how Instagram-worthy pipettes may be, they aren’t always the most user-friendly alternative. A pump bottle would have been better. But this is mostly a secondary issue, as the contents of the bottle more than make up for the packaging.

Hyalamide SubQ Eyes Advanced Serum is a liquid product that you apply by dabbing it on with your fingers (you drip the product onto your fingers, not directly onto the skin around the eyes). The serum is packed full of active ingredients and immediately feels moisturising on the skin. After using it for a little while, dark circles under the eyes even seem to be a little less dark, and fine lines become less visible. If you look at the ingredients and the effect and compare these with prices for similar products from other brands, Hylamide SubQ Eyes Advanced Serum wins by miles in terms of price. It’s also worth noting that the serum is extremely economical. Even if the bottle is only small, it contains really big effects.

Tired eyes are a thing of the past and a night with little sleep is no longer a problem. Dermalogica's Total Eye Care SPF15 cream is a very pale beige colour. This means that dark circles are concealed from the first application. After a period of use, it also helps the skin to look fresh even before the cream has been applied, but for those who don’t have time to wait several weeks for results, this tint is perfect. The colour in the cream is a delicate shade that blends in with the skin and doesn’t make you look “made-up”. This means that it’s suitable for both men and women who don’t want to wear make-up. The light consistency is easily absorbed by the skin, which feels moisturised without being greasy.

The firming effect is relatively low. However, the cream soothes the skin and is good on bags under the eyes after a few weeks’ use. The cream isn’t quite as economical as some other eye creams. Getting the right quantity is simple and hygienic with the little spout on the tube. A big plus is also that the cream provides SPF 15. Dermalogica Total Eye Care SPF15 is expensive, but the ability of the cream to counteract dark circles together with its effectiveness on bags makes it quite simply fantastic.

Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado is a cream that looks really thick in the container, but which is quickly absorbed by the skin, giving a cooling and calming effect. The really nice thing is that the cream changes in consistency as you rub it in. It goes from thick to almost watery. This may sound weird, but it’s actually really nice to use. The cream doesn’t leave any stickiness behind, doesn’t feel greasy and is also really economical. Just a small amount is enough for the entire area around the eyes. After regular use with this light green cream, the area around the eye looks fresher than before. The skin becomes a little smoother and more even. It’s also worth knowing that it also performed well in tests on people who are sensitive around the eyes, even during the peak pollen season. The only actual disadvantage with Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado is the packaging, which is a small jar with a screw lid that gets sticky too easily, despite a protective inner lid. In a perfect world, all creams would come in just the right packaging. But until then, we’ll just have to put up with a little stickiness, as the overall experience of this cream is otherwise almost utopian.

Exuviance delivers an incredibly moisturising eye cream. In the winter, when the skin is often a little drier, Hydrating Lift Eye Complex is an absolute lifesaver. The cream nourishes the skin around the eye very well, which naturally counteracts both swollen eyes and dark circles. However, it doesn’t produce spectacular results. The primary characteristic of this cream is quite simply its moisturising ability. Despite the intense moisture, the cream is quickly absorbed by the skin and doesn’t feel sticky. It’s no problem to apply make-up immediately after the cream. Because the eye cream is so nourishing, the skin feels fresher and firmer after using it both morning and evening for a little while.

The tube has a pointed hygienic top which makes it easy to apply the right amount. The thick consistency of the cream also makes it easy to measure out. However, you need quite a lot to get the right amount for both eyes. But the moisturising ability counts for a lot, and means that Exuviance Hydrating Lift Eye Complex climbs the placings, particularly in the winter.

Despite the fact that this cream is actually a gel, it's smooth and moisturising. Estée Lauder’s eye cream is a little reminiscent of honey, and feels nourishing for the eyes. The cream is only intended to be used at night, and has an extra thick consistency. This isn’t a problem – instead the cream feels nourishing and freshening. When you wake in the morning, the skin is thoroughly moisturised and there’s no sign of bags. Dark circles also disappear after a while and the whole area around the eye looks fresher.

The cream comes in a small, exclusive jar, which gives a luxurious impression. To get the contents out, the cream comes with a spatula. This is a great solution for avoiding getting cream under your fingernails, and is also more hygienic than applying the cream with your fingers. But of course it does mean that you need to take both jar and spatula with you if you're travelling. As the cream is only for night time use, you need another eye cream for the daytime, which means more cost and an extra product in the bathroom cabinet. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex 2 is an expensive eye cream, but if you want to give yourself a real treat this is an alternative that succeeds both in moisturising and nourishing.

Clarins’ eye cream has a gel consistency and gives a good firming effect, leaving you with a fresh feeling. The gel feels cooling and soothing. This means that the cream is relatively effective against swollen eyes, even if it won’t quite conceal a sleepless night with your newborn or a late night on the town. But normal tiredness is no problem. The exclusive tube the cream comes in is easy to store in the bathroom cabinet as you can stand it upright. However, the light consistency of the contents means that too much cream often comes out. This is a risk that increases when the cream is stored standing up, as the contents run down towards the opening. Eye Contour Gel is actually quite economical but because it’s difficult to get the right amount it still runs out quickly.

Dark circles aren’t this cream’s strong point, but the firming effect still gives an obviously fresher impression overall. It moisturises well and the light formula is quickly absorbed by the skin and is neither oily nor sticky. You can apply your day’s make-up immediately after application, which is perfect on a stressful morning. Clarins Eye Contour Gel gives a pleasant fresh feeling, but given the price we would have liked it to last a bit longer.

Decléor’s Lift and Brighten Eye Cream has a lovely creamy consistency which is easy to apply evenly to the skin around the eyes. The skin is immediately well moisturised and feels fresher. If the cream is applied at night time, the skin is still smooth and soft next morning. The cream is also absorbed quickly, which means that you can apply your make-up immediately afterwards. After a few weeks’ use, dark circles are also reduced. However, it's the moisturising and firming ability that's the most obvious characteristic of this cream.

The tube the cream comes in is eye-catching to say the least. The top is almost as long as the rest of the tube, concealing a construction with a kind of spatula-like pump from which the cream is squeezed. The top of the pump is also intended to apply the cream. A nice idea, but not really necessary, was our verdict. It would have been easier to use a normal tube without the spatula construction. Instead this makes it rather fiddly both to get the cream out and to store the tube. Other than the tube construction, Decléor Lift and Brighten Eye Cream is a good product. However, it doesn’t give particularly astonishing results, and given the price we’d have liked to see more.

Regardless of whether it’s a tired and early morning or a late evening, this light eye cream from Clinique gives you a fresh feeling. It is quickly absorbed by the skin and despite the thin formula is extremely moisturising. It has an average firming effect and there are other creams that are better in this area. However, it’s incredibly effective on dark circles. You won’t see the difference the first time you use All About Eyes Rich Cream, but after a few weeks the dark circles begin to disappear and the skin around the eyes looks healthy and fresh. Clinique promise that the product is particularly aimed at bags under the eyes, and for this reason it contains caffeine. Like many other eye creams, it definitely helps to extend, but to say that it’s particularly good is stretching the truth somewhat.

The packaging is an attractive and stylish jar with Clinique's exclusive appearance. However, you need to wash your hands before using the cream because otherwise bacteria can build up, as you have to put your fingers in the jar to apply it. It can also be difficult to get the right amount of cream, but if you do it right the cream is economical and you only need to use a very small amount product. All About Eyes Rich Cream certainly does give a fresh feeling and is economical, but given the difficulty of getting the right amount and the jar, it doesn’t get top marks.