I’ll admit, I’m a bit skeptical when it comes to finding the best eye cream because I have permanently visible dark circles that make me look tired all the time. They’re genetic (and tend to look even worse when I’m actually tired), so eye creams don’t do much for them. In fact, I’ve tried just about every eye cream for dark circles out there, and only a handful have the power to actually make me look perky.
On top of this, I’m prone to milia (those stubborn white spots that only a lucky few experience) under my eyes, and heavy eye creams often make them worse. So with all this in mind, you won’t be surprised to hear that I haven’t always been a huge user of eye cream. Over the years, I’ve had a few favorites (I’m a huge fan of Elemis eye cream, for example), but I’ve never used eye cream on a regular basis. But recently, someone recommended that I try Kiehl’s eye cream, so I did. The results? They were absolutely amazing.
(Image courtesy of Shannon Lawler)
I’ve always had my eye on Kiehl’s eye creams—most beauty editors I know consider their cult-favorite Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado to be one of the best formulas of all time, and skin experts have recommended I try the brand’s Vitamin C serum—but it wasn’t until earlier this year that I actually decided to give it a go.
While researching whether to try Kiehl’s eye cream, I noticed that the brand seems to have an eye cream for every purpose. That being said, I think the selection is small and well thought out. Some of my favorite eye cream brands (Elemis being one of them) have too many similar formulas. But Kiehl’s has a clear edit: one for dark circles, one for puffiness, one for wrinkles, and one for daily moisturizers. And when I first tried Kiehl’s eye cream, they actually sold two formulas that were great for fine lines, and I’m kind of happy to announce that as of this writing, the brand has discontinued one of them (which I think was the right choice). Kiehl’s is clearly prioritizing quality over quantity, and I’m happy to see that.
(Image courtesy of Shannon Lawler)
So, since Kiehl’s actually only offers four eye creams (excluding one marketed for men), I figured it couldn’t hurt to try them all. And after seven months of using Kiehl’s eye creams, I’m happy to report that I’ve changed my mind a bit. Will I one day be the kind of beauty editor who uses eye cream twice a day, every day? That remains to be seen. But I’m very pleased to report that, of all the eye creams I’ve tried so far, Kiehl’s formula has the incredibly impressive ability to make me look less tired.
If you too are intrigued by the topic of Kiehl’s eye creams, then here are my honest reviews of each of them.
1. Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line-Reduction & Dark Circle Reduction Vitamin C Eye Serum
(Image courtesy of Kiehl’s)
Kiehl’s Vitamin C Eye Serum
Best Kiehl’s eye cream for dark circles under eyes
Reasons to buy+
Amazingly bright
+
Beautiful and moisturizing texture
Reasons to avoid:
Not recommended for those with sensitive skin
I’ll be very clear: if you have sensitive skin around your eyes or are likely to react to Vitamin C, don’t use this eye cream. However, I’m someone who doesn’t suffer from either, and I’m happy to tell you that this is one of my favorite eye creams. Even if you don’t share my sensitivity around the eyes as much as I do, you’ll know what I mean. With the powerful Vitamin C, tripeptides, and a slight apricot sheen to the cream itself (though it’s not pigmented), it visibly reduces dark circles under your eyes after just one use. It’s also infused with Hyaluronic Acid, so it’s super hydrating. It’s also great for reducing puffiness. My advice is to see if you can try it with a tester before you buy. If your skin reacts to it, it’s not for you. But if it works for you, you’ll be amazed.
2. Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
(Image courtesy of Kiehl’s)
Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
Kiehl’s eye cream for dry skin
Reasons to buy+
Rich and smooth texture
+
Beautiful and moisturizing
Reasons to avoid:
Might be too expensive for someone who suffers from milia like me.
This is widely regarded as one of the best moisturizing eye creams out there. I have had many people rave about how great this product is to colleagues, friends, and anyone who will listen. Formulated with squalane and ceramides, it is extremely effective at deeply moisturizing and soothing dry under-eye areas, brightening them, and making them look happier overall. I enjoyed every second of using this eye cream and the results it produced. However, this is not a potent formula, so don’t expect dramatic reduction in fine lines or brightening of dark circles under your eyes. If you’re looking for a daily eye cream for general moisturization, this is it. My problem? It’s so thick, it didn’t help at all with preventing milia.
3. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye Cream
(Image courtesy of Kiehl’s)
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye Cream
Kiehl’s eye cream is the best for reducing puffiness
Reasons to buy+
Beautiful and lightweight
+
Moisturizing and swelling relief
Reasons to avoid:
Don’t expect groundbreaking results
Objectively, this is my favorite of Kiehl’s eye creams. It’s light, cooling, and overall a pleasure to use. It does a great job of moisturizing and overall caring for the eye area. It contains Kiehl’s iconic Midnight Recovery blend, which contains evening primrose and lavender to help hydrate the skin overnight. However, somewhat similar to the one above, it doesn’t contain any of the stronger active ingredients, making it a great choice for those who are generally happy with the look of their under-eye area and want to give it a good moisturizing boost. It doesn’t do anything for my dark circles under my eyes (as I said, I’m somewhat used to this anyway), but the extra moisture really did make me look more awake.
4. Kiehl’s Super Multi Corrective Eye Zone Treatment
(Image courtesy of Kiehl’s)
Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Eye Zone Treatment
Kiehl’s eye cream for fine lines
Reasons to buy+
Beautiful and smooth finish
+
Light texture
Reasons to avoid:
It does contain silicone, so if you’re prone to milia, this should definitely be avoided.
To be honest, I stopped using this eye cream after 3 days. I was really disappointed because I loved the light texture, hydration, smoothness, and the collagen peptides that plump up fine lines. The reason I had to stop using it is because it has a pretty high content of dimethicone (a type of silicone). As a beauty editor, I test products all day every day, so I’m good at telling if a product has dimethicone or not. When I first use it, I feel silky smooth. And, to be honest, dimethicone is a nice ingredient for most people. It smooths the skin, keeps it hydrated, and serves as a base for makeup. But if you’re prone to milia like me, it’s an ingredient you should definitely avoid if you want to prevent breakouts.
