My Picks: Daytime Eye Creams

It’s allergy season, which inevitably means puffy eyes (for me at least). And with the combination of my bizarre sleep hours during quarantine, my eyes are carrying a bit of extra baggage these days.

Luckily, I do not suffer from major puffiness or dark circles normally. However, a light gray halo usually sits under my eyes, and I have a lot of visible fine lines in that area.

For many years, I didn’t understand the purpose of using an eye cream. Why would I add more moisturizer around my eyes? Now, my eye cream is one of my favorite parts of my routine. But there are a couple of tips you need to follow to get the most out of our products.

Tip 1: Eye cream can last a long time, which is how I justify splurging on quality products. You need less than a pea sized amount to treat both of your eyes. I dip my ring finger until it is just covered with cream, rub it with my other ring finger, and apply to the under-eye with tip 2. You want to avoid using too much of the product as it will actually prevent your makeup from sitting well on the skin, allowing mascara to transfer from your lashes.

Tip 2: Always dab, never pull! You don’t want to drag your finger around your eye, pulling on the skin. This creates more wrinkles and fine lines by stretching the elasticity of your skin. Gently take your pointer or ringer finger and tap the product until it is dissolved around your under-eyes and orbital bone (your high cheek bones).

Tip 3: Don’t apply too close to your lash line. The closer you get to your bottom lashes, the more the moisture from your product will cause makeup to transfer during the day, leaving you with smudgy dark circles and cracked concealer.

Tip 4: Let your products sink in! Any moisturizer seeps in through the pores; you do not want it sitting on the surface of your skin, or it isn’t taking effect. Just as you should between any skincare step, make sure you give time for your eye cream to penetrate the skin before you begin applying makeup.

Tip 5: Use a different eye cream during the day then you would at night. Your skin needs different things during the day than it does at night. I think a thinner moisturizer for day time with brightening qualities such as Vitamin C, followed by a thicker, anti-aging cream at night.

So which eye creams am I loving? I have two major staples that I alternate between depending on my dark circles.

My first pick is the Olehenriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream. With a delicious citrus scent and light orange tint, this eye cream works to combat the dark circles. It’s also packed with Vitamin-C (hence the citrus smell), which works to brighten and tackle pigmentation and fine lines. I am on the last bits of this cream after months of use (I bought this in January), and definitely plan to repurchase.

My second pick is the Farmacy Cheer Brightening Up Eye Cream. If you aren’t sick of me raving about this brand, then I am here to do it again. I bought this on a whim, hoping it would smell like Luden’s cherry cough drops (surprise- it does!), and I fell in love. Also featuring a Vitamin-C component, this provides the most natural glow with a real surge of moisture that doesn’t feel greasy during the day.

So what’s the difference, and which one should you buy? I would say, it really depends on what you want. The Banana Bright does a better job of tackling the tint of under eyes, while the Farmacy sits lighter on the skin with a more visible and lasting glow. Check out some comparison photos below:

Let me know what you end up buying, or what I should try next in the comments below!