If you’re on the hunt for a new eye cream, you’re not alone. I’ve been searching far and wide for an eye cream that won’t break the bank, so I decided to test out a few Amazon Canada bestsellers. These creams, gel-creams, and serums will help hydrate your under-eyes and combat fine lines, leaving you with fresh, plump skin. I’ve covered all the bases, so you’re bound to find something worth hitting “add to cart” on.
L’Oréal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream is a lightweight, non-greasy gel cream that will help fight signs of aging, brighten dark circles, and reduce puffiness. Its hero ingredients are caffeine and hyaluronic acid which will work together to refresh tired-looking eyes, plump and hydrate the skin, and diminish the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It’s also dermatologist-tested and gentle enough to use every morning and night.
This eye cream has a cooling and refreshing feel and glides on smoothly, thanks to its creamy gel-like texture. A little product goes a long way and it doesn’t leave any tackiness or residue behind after application (it takes under five minutes to fully sink in, which is pretty standard for an eye cream). I also appreciate that it is unscented.
This eye cream only has one drawback, and it’s quite minor. It doesn’t have an applicator. I don’t love that you have to stick your fingers into the jar and it’s easy to grab more product than you need, however, it does make patting in the product a little easier.
Texture: Gel-cream
Applicator: None, it comes in a pot
Scent: Unscented
Hero Ingredients: Caffeine, hyaluronic acid
Size: 14 g/0.5 ounces
Average Reviewer Rating: 4.3 Stars
CeraVe Eye Repair Cream is a gentle yet effective skincare essential made with marine and botanical complexes. Formulated to address the unique needs of the delicate skin around the eyes, it relies on a blend of ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. Together, they will strengthen the skin barrier, reduce moisture loss, protect against environmental stressors, moisturize the skin, diminish the appearance of fine lines, and brighten the under-eye area. For peace of mind, it’s also fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and ophthalmologist-tested.
I am a huge fan of the squeeze tube packaging and pinpoint applicator, it reminds me of a lip balm, but with a more targeted tip. While it doesn’t feel expensive, it does offer easy, mess-free application and allows you to control how much product you’re applying so you don’t overdo it.
This eye cream is a true cream—definitely thicker than a gel but still quite lightweight. I find that it feels more present on the skin, even after it dries down. It can also feel a touch tacky as it dries down (when I scrunch my eyes, I can still feel the product sitting on the skin for a while). You might not enjoy it as much if you prefer a barely-there skincare feel upon application.
Texture: Cream
Applicator: Pinpoint nozzle
Scent: Unscented
Hero Ingredients: Ceramides, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, marine botanical complexes
Size: 14.2 g/0.5 ounces
Average Reviewer Rating: 4.4 Stars
Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel is lightweight, refreshing, and will give your under-eye area the hydration it’s been craving while reducing the appearance of puffiness and fine lines. Made with hyaluronic acid, licorice extract, chamomile extract, and vitamin E, you’ll be left with a more awake and youthful appearance. It’s also fast-absorbing, fragrance-free, and ophthalmologist-tested.
I consider this to be sort of like the middle ground between the L’Oréal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream and the CeraVe Eye Repair Cream. The gel texture paired with the squeeze tube makes application breezy and mess-free. It melts into the skin in under five minutes and doesn’t leave any residue behind.
The one thing you may take issue with is the scent. While all other eye creams, gels, and serums in this roundup are unscented, this has a light, fresh fragrance. I wouldn’t say it’s heavily perfumed, but you can definitely tell it’s there and it does linger.
Texture: Gel-cream
Applicator: Pinpoint nozzle
Scent: Light, fresh scent
Hero Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, licorice extract, chamomile extract, vitamin E
Size: 14 g/0.5 ounces
Average Reviewer Rating: 4.4 Stars
Keeping the under-eye area moisturized is the name of the game when it comes to the e.l.f. SKIN Holy Hydration! Eye Cream. The rich formula, packed with hyaluronic acid and peptides, will lock in moisture and minimize dark circles, leaving you looking refreshed. It’s compatible with all skin types, fast-absorbing, and ideal for wearing under makeup (no cakey under eyes here!).
As with many a moisturizing product, this eye cream is pretty thick. It doesn’t glide on as easily as the gel formulas on this list, but it sinks in beautifully and leaves no residue behind, which is always a plus. I do feel like it really delivers on its promise of hydration, and it’s very refreshing, making it a great (and affordable) addition to any morning skincare routine.
Like the L’Oréal Paris Eye Defense Eye Cream, I don’t like that it doesn’t have an applicator. A pump or squeeze tube would make controlling the amount of product per application easier, but having a jar does make patting in the product easier. You also may not love this one if you prefer more lightweight formulas or want something that specifically targets wrinkles and fine lines.
Texture: Cream
Applicator: None, it comes in a pot
Scent: Unscented
Hero Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, peptides
Size: 15 g/0.5.3 ounces
Average Reviewer Rating: 4.4 Stars
Vichy Mineral 89 Eye Serum uses a unique blend of pure hyaluronic acid, caffeine, and volcanic water to bless you with a stronger skin barrier, 24-hour hydration, and plumped-up skin with fewer fine lines and wrinkles. It’ll also work wonders for puffiness and dark circles, saving you from layering on concealer. The cherries on top? It’s fragrance-free, paraben-free, and suitable for all skin types.
Since it’s a serum, this formula was the most lightweight and easiest to apply—it’s extremely smooth and melts in effortlessly. The pump applicator doles out the right amount of product each time (one pump gives you enough serum for both eyes), so you never have to do any guesswork. I also love that it isn’t thick, sticky, or tacky, and that it sinks in entirely under three minutes.
I don’t have many negatives for this one. It is more expensive than most drugstore products, so it may not be inside your beauty budget. You also won’t be a fan if you prefer using thicker creams and gels.
Texture: Serum
Applicator: Pump
Scent: Unscented
Hero Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, caffeine, volcanic water
Size: 14 g/0.51 ounces
Average Reviewer Rating: 4.3 Stars
The Velamo Advanced Retinol Eye Stick is a skincare staple that finds itself on Amazon Canada’s bestseller list often. The multi-treatment uses—you guessed it!—retinol, along with peptides and vegan squalane, to fight signs of aging and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet. It’ll also hydrate and brighten your skin, leaving you looking more refreshed and awake.
This formula is definitely the easiest to apply, thanks to the lipstick-esque packaging and formula. It’s very smooth, I felt no snagging or dragging, and it can be dabbed or glided on. I would say this is a solid dupe for the Peace Out Retinol Eye Stick, if you’re looking for something a bit more budget-friendly.
Though it isn’t as thick as some balms I’ve tried, it does take a bit more time to sink in. It was mostly absorbed after five minutes, but I could still feel a bit of residue 25 minutes after application. This isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but I don’t think I would choose to wear it under makeup, so it would probably be part of my evening skincare routine.
Texture: Balm
Applicator: Stick
Scent: Unscented
Hero Ingredients: Retinol, peptides, squalane
Size: 3 g/0.1 ounces
Average Reviewer Rating: 4.3 Stars
La-Roche Posay is known for making minimalist, dermatologist-recommended, sensitive skin-friendly products, and the Toleriane Dermallergo Eye Cream is one of their best. Formulated with nuerosensine, shea butter, and sphingobioma, it will soothe repair, and rebalance the skin under your eyes. It has a non-greasy texture and is fast-absorbing, meaning you can easily layer products over top.
This lightweight eye cream has a gel-like texture which makes for easy application. The pump bottle distributes enough product for both eyes in one pump, so you won’t need to do any guessing. It’s the perfect Goldilocks texture for someone who can’t decide between a cream and a serum.
The only minor issue I’ve found with this product is the pump. It feels a bit cheap. However, I do like that it has a twist-to-lock mechanism, which means you won’t have to worry about losing a cap.
Texture: Gel-cream
Applicator: Pump
Scent: Unscented
Hero Ingredients: Nuerosensine, shea butter, sphingobioma
Size: 19 g/0.66 ounces
Average Reviewer Rating: 4.5 Stars
Different formulas offer different benefits. Know whether you’re looking to target dark circles, puffiness, hydration, fine lines and wrinkles, or all of the above to find an eye cream that’ll address your key issues.
Knowing whether you have oily, dry, combination, or sensitive skin will help guide you to your perfect match. Since they are applied around the eye area, most formulas are safe for sensitive skin, but it’s always a good idea to double-check.
Ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides will help with hydration, whereas vitamin C and niacinamide will work to brighten the under-eye area. Dig into the hero ingredients of each formula to better understand what they can do for your skin. Some will even have added benefits, like sun protection.
Do you like a heavy cream or do you prefer something light and serum-like? Creams tend to be richer and more hydrating, gels are lightweight and fast-absorbing, and serums sink in quickly and are great for layering. Learn what you like before for placing your order.
Sign up for an Amazon Prime account if Amazon Canada is your go-to site for shopping. It costs $99 a year (plus tax), but students can get it for only $49 (plus tax). If you’ve never tried it out, you can sign up for a 30-day trial period.
