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Where would we be without vitamin C and injectables? No matter how mutually exclusive they seem to be, they have at least one thing in common; reducing wrinkles around the eyes! A couple of units of a wrinkle relaxer can get you a crow’s feet-free complexion for 4 months. But a potent vitamin C eye cream or an eye serum, when used regularly, can give you long-lasting results with additional perks. The best vitamin C eye creams ward off free radicals. But more importantly, they get rid of dark circles around the eyes.
By now, we all have some skincare product made with vitamin C. Vitamin C comes in serums, creams, and even cleansers these days to brighten the skin. And if something brightens your skin, you’re going to want to use it on the under-eye area too.
A good vitamin C eye cream can brighten up the skin around the eyes by inhibiting melanin production. That way, you can achieve more even-looking skin around the eyes without dark spots or circles messing with your appearance.
And I’m speaking from experience! To be honest, I’ve been spending more on brightening eye creams than under-eye concealers. And I think it’s paying off because I actually look for light-coverage concealers now.
So a good eye cream with vitamin C can actually be a good investment if you’re tired of trying to cover things up with makeup.
Remember that vitamin C has an acidic structure that may be irritating for some skin types. If you notice such a thing, use your eye cream every other day until you build enough tolerance.
Additionally, protect your under eyes by using sunscreen daily. There’s no point in using a free radical scavenger if you’re going to keep exposing your skin to the damaging effects of free radicals.
The Best Vitamin C Eye Creams
Now, dig in for the best vitamin C eye creams and vitamin C eye serums for a brighter under-eye area.
1. SkinCeuticals AOX+ Eye Gel
The company that gifted us with C E Ferulic has this sublime formula to end your under-eye concerns once and for all! It has the brightening vitamin C in its pure form and the superstar ferulic acid to amp up the antioxidant benefits. And it has caffeine to eliminate dark circles.
The lightweight gel form also packs a special antioxidant (phloretin) to reduce discolorations. This under-eye care is perfect for brightening the thin skin, protecting the eye area from wrinkle-causing elements, and treating the existing free radical damage.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, ferulic acid, caffeine Size: 15 ml Notes: Fragrance-free, paraben-free
2. Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Vitamin C Power Eye Cream
This is another vitamin C + ferulic acid combo for guarding the eye area against free radical damage. But this one is made with a vitamin C derivative to ensure maximum stability minus the irritation. The brightening eye cream also has the antioxidant vitamin E to neutralize the wrinkle-causing effects of UV and pollution.
It targets wrinkles with antioxidants, replenishes the skin with hyaluronic acid, squalane, and shea butter, and reduces the look of dark circles with caffeine.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, caffeine Size: 0.5 oz
3. La Roche Posay Pure Vitamin C Eye Cream
This one is the perfect vitamin C eye cream when you have extra dryness around the eyes or sensitivity. The drugstore eye cream has vitamin C + hyaluronic acid to replenish the eye area. But its base is really rich, which means you only need a tiny amount.
While vitamin C helps with wrinkles and dark circles for long-term results, hyaluronic acid gets rid of the paper-like appearance around the eyes by visibly plumping up the skin. The formula is paraben-free and fragrance-free. And it’s also enriched with mineral-rich thermal water as well as moisturizing shea butter.
Key Ingredients: vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, Centella Asiatica Size: 0.5 oz Notes: Fragrance-free
4. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream
This one is a hit and my personal favorite. It’s a super-effective under-eye cream to milk the benefits of vitamin C just like any other product in the collection. The illuminating effect of the eye cream is visible right after the application. It is super moisturizing, all thanks to jojoba oil and shea butter that leave the skin soft, supple, and even looking.
Plus, the collagen in the cream supports the skin’s natural elasticity. The eye cream keeps the eye area soft, smooth, and protected and also works as a primer for your concealer. And because it’s made with a vitamin C derivative, it’s perfectly suitable to use for sensitive eyes too.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C blend, vitamin E, collagen Size: 0.5 oz Notes: Vegan, cruelty-free
5. Origins Ginzing Vitamin C Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff
This cult-favorite brightening vitamin C eye cream packs additional goodies to target dark circles. It has niacinamide (vitamin B3), which is also an amazing skin brightener. Plus, it has caffeine to give the eye area a firmer, lifted appearance.
The nicely scented formula has a radiant finish and actually comes in different shades to help neutralize dark circles on different skin tones. It visibly brightens your eyes and is suitable for all skin types.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, niacinamide, caffeine, ginseng Size: 0.5 oz Notes: Vegan
6. Eve Lom Time Retreat Eye Treatment
This one is a retinol eye cream that has vitamin C, fatty acids, and oat kernel extract on the side. Using microencapsulated retinol to reduce sensitivity, the eye cream diminishes wrinkles and stimulates cell renewal in the eye area.
With fatty acids, it plumps up the skin and makes sure the skin stays hydrated and supple at all times. The anti-aging eye cream is a powerful one that combines skin-brightening vitamin C with skin-transforming retinol to completely rejuvenate the eye area by reducing wrinkles and discolorations.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, retinol, squalane Size: 0.5 oz Notes: Paraben-free
7. Paula’s Choice Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Eye Cream
This is another eye cream with vitamin C and retinol that restores the skin’s health back to its former glory. This one has ceramides, the barrier-repairing ingredients, that promote resilient skin. It’s also packed with antioxidants like grape seed and licorice to enhance free radical protection while helping to reduce dark circles.
The cream addresses all concerns related to the eye area while keeping it moist and protected. And because the retinol concentration is very low, you can use the eye cream to address crow’s feet, puffiness, as well as dark circles, without irritation.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, retinol, ceramides Size: 0.5 oz Notes: Cruelty-free
8. Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum
If you prefer your vitamin C in a serum form with a whopping 10 % concentration, you’re in luck. With its light texture, the eye serum penetrates the skin and effectively delivers the actives to reverse wrinkles and fade discolorations.
It’s also infused with hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and make the under-eye area super vibrant and energized. Plus, signal peptides work to strengthen the thin skin and reduce the look of dark circles. Gel-based, serum-like products are better if you’re prone to milia under your eyes too. So keep that in mind.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, peptides Size: 0.5 oz Notes: Paraben-free
9. Dermalogica Biolumin-C Vitamin C Eye Serum
Similarly, this is another vitamin C eye serum if you’re looking for something weightless. But it is also filled with super botanicals like chia seed oil and snow mushrooms to bathe the eye area in moisture.
And it has hyaluronic acid to give you that instant freshness that comes with hydration. The targeted vitamin C eye serum is perfect for getting rid of dark circles, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles around the eyes.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin B5, licorice extract Size: 0.5 oz Notes: Vegan, cruelty-free
This concludes our round-up of the best vitamin C eye creams that work exceptionally well for dark circles. If you’re dealing with dark circles but eye creams with vitamin C tend to irritate your eye area, you have options. Try eye creams with caffeine because they’re also helpful for reducing undereye discolorations but without irritation.
