These Gold Under Eye Patches Are 'Better than Botox'
We updated this article in February 2023 to ensure all picks vetted and tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab were available and correctly priced.
For those morning-afters when you haven't slept a wink (think: red-eye flights, bachelorette parties, the eve of a big meeting), under eye masks are calling your name. Unlike a sheet mask or a traditional skincare face mask, these patches are formulated specifically for your delicate under eyes to target eye-specific issues like fine lines and crow's feet. Uniquely curved and formulated to stay put, they're perfect to slap on your clean, dry under eyes anytime you're feeling puffy or swollen, morning or night.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, we test thousands of skincare products year-round to help our readers rest easy knowing they're investing in products that actually work. Most under eye patches claim to do anything from hydrating and firming the skin underneath the eyes, to reducing fine lines, diminishing puffiness and dark circles or brightening the eye area — but only some actually do the trick. That said, we parsed through 43 of the most popular under eye patches on the market and tested on 228 consumers to narrow down the field and recommend the best picks that actually work.
Our top picks:
Below are the best under eye patches you can buy, a combination of our top-tested products, editors' and expert picks and cult favorites that have stood the test of time. Don't forget to follow up with a best-tested eye cream and a concealer for your most awake-looking eyes ever.
skyn ICELAND
dermstore.com
$33.00
For on-the-go rejuvenation, these eye patches — designed to work in just 10 minutes — ranked easiest to use in our tests. Testers gave them perfect marks for having a pleasant fragrance and staying put without leaving any unpleasant residue behind. In the Lab, they received high marks for diminishing fine lines and wrinkles — by 23% in our tests.
Testers also gave this set one of the highest scores for hydration, with one saying, "loved the way my under eye skin felt after using this product," and that skin "looked noticeably different." The asymmetric shape and generous size tackle a myriad of issues and can extend to reach crow’s feet, too.
PATCHOLOGY
amazon.com
$50.00
Clocking in at about $1.67 per use, these under eye gel masks are an economical choice that delivers serious results. The gels feel instantly soothing as the patches go on, and testers liked that they stayed put during application and left a serum-like residue behind that consumers felt hydrated skin. Lab tests showed this mask improved the look of fine lines and wrinkles by 9% immediately after application and a quick five-minute usage time means you'll see results fast.
Mary Kay
marykay.com
$40.00
If bags and puffiness are your main issues, reach for this 2021 Beauty Award winner. The effective patches had 80% of testers agreeing that eye area puffiness was reduced after just one use, and 96% of testers said they felt instantly refreshing. They're infused with a range of botanical extracts like pear, blueberry and blackberry and glycerin, which helps to soften and hydrate skin.
Peter Thomas Roth
amazon.com
$55.00
Think of these as a drink of water and a cup of coffee for your under eyes. The Water Drench line is packed with hyaluronic acid that works to bring hydration to skin all day long, while caffeine brightens eyes. These patches are also formulated with skin-soothing ceramides and collagen to soften skin and smooth lines. We haven't Lab-tested these, but one of our beauty editors swears by them to quickly hydrate and brighten even dry, sensitive skin.
Shiseido
sephora.com
$70.00
If you have crow's feet and visible signs of aging around your eyes that you want to nix, these retinol-infused patches are for you. Though we haven't Lab tested these patches, we stand by the fact that retinol is a the gold star of anti-aging skincare ingredients: It's proven to speed up cellular turnover to boost skin’s collagen production to both minimize and prevent fine lines, meaning it works on existing lines and stops new ones from popping up. Reviewers swear they immediately improve the look of wrinkles and puffiness.
talikacosmetics.com
$70.00
A celeb favorite, these eye patches are actually reusable for up to three wears, which means less waste and more bang for your buck — if you follow the instructions, each use comes out to around $3.89 (though some reviewers say, "I use them more than 3 times each and still totally works"). They're made with wheat germ oil, ceramides, and avocado oil, and reviewers "love the way it hydrates and reduces puffiness." After wearing the patches for 30 minutes, simply replace them with the included chic metal case until you're ready for your next round.
Wander Beauty
amazon.com
$26.00
While we haven't tested these Instagram-famous patches, we do know you'll feel like a star using these glitzy masks while traveling. They are formulated with elastic for a snug, custom fit and are formulated with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and fill the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while aloe and lavender soothe skin. Since they're made of cellulose fiber and gold foil, not slippery gel, they'll stay put even if you're running to catch a flight.
DERMORA
amazon.com
$24.99
Though we haven't tested these in the Lab, Amazon reviewers cannot get enough of these luxe-looking eye patches. With well over 18,000 5-star ratings, these gold patches are the top-seller in eye masks. Reviewers swear that applied twice weekly, "it keeps eyes looking young firm and healthy." One even says the formula is "better than Botox." The brand says the patches are formulated with hyaluronic acid and collagen and that you'll see results in 30 minutes flat.
Bliss
walmart.com
$3.00
These holographic eye patches are as cute as they are effective (even Chrissy Teigen loves 'em!). Reviewers say these masks feel great and brighten under eye skin after use, but don't do much in the way of dark circles. "I felt that the tiny lines by the corners of my eyes were much less noticeable," says one reviewer. "My whole eye area felt hydrated."
Good Molecules
ulta.com
$18.00
Look like you've just downed a cup of joe with these caffeinated hydrogel patches. Their gel-like texture feels soothing on a.m. skin, while its 1% caffeine ingredient claims to wake up sleepy eyes. For those looking to target dark circles, its brightening niacinamide is a great dark spot-fighting addition to your skincare routine. While we haven't Lab tested these, one GH editor loves how cooling these feel to prep for her makeup routine.
Dieux
dieuxskin.com
$25.00
Tired of tossing out single-use patches? With an eye cream or a serum in hand, opt for these reusable Dieux eye masks, designed to increase the efficacy of your favorite eye cream or serum. "These are a godsend for those who struggle to keep over-soaked eye patches in place and have no time to wait for the excess product to absorb," Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann says. "The non-porous silicone patches are slender yet durable and quickly adhered to the skin, preventing evaporation and extending the product beyond the surface." Its elegant aluminum case allows for easy breezy storage, with cleaning taking next to no time. Store them in the fridge for a cooling kick.
Pacifica
walmart.com
$9.24
Lift and rejuvenate your eyes with these top-performing patches. Soaked in glycerin, vegan collagen, cucumber extract, hyaluronic acid and more, these leave under eyes plumped and smoothed with a dewy finish, according to our Lab experts. Apply them under the eyes for 10-15 minutes, but don't toss them just yet: "After using them under my eyes, I soaked them more in the remaining serum in the pouch, flipped them and placed them on my upper eye area," a Lab expert says, so feel free to use them on crepey eyelids as well!
SEPHORA COLLECTION
sephora.com
$3.50
Sephora reviewers love the soothing and depuffing feeling of this cucumber set. Instead of being made of a gel-like material, our pros love that these are made of a natural fiber so they feel more reminiscent of sheet masks made specially for your eyes. Sephora has many different iterations of eye masks, but cucumber is the reviewer favorite to reduce puffiness. It's just as relaxing as placing fresh-sliced cucumbers on your eyes — but a lot more functional.
Joanna Vargas
revolve.com
$60.00
Celebrity esthetician Joanna Vargas is known for her facials that leave skin looking instantly refreshed and glowing. When you can't head in for a salon service, these eye masks are the next best thing. We haven't tested these, but love that they're made with silk protein, hyaluronic acid and algae extract to hydrate and plump eye skin for immediate smooth-looking results.
These Gold Under Eye Patches Are 'Better than Botox'
We updated this article in February 2023 to ensure all picks vetted and tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab were available and correctly priced.
For those morning-afters when you haven't slept a wink (think: red-eye flights, bachelorette parties, the eve of a big meeting), under eye masks are calling your name. Unlike a sheet mask or a traditional skincare face mask, these patches are formulated specifically for your delicate under eyes to target eye-specific issues like fine lines and crow's feet. Uniquely curved and formulated to stay put, they're perfect to slap on your clean, dry under eyes anytime you're feeling puffy or swollen, morning or night.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, we test thousands of skincare products year-round to help our readers rest easy knowing they're investing in products that actually work. Most under eye patches claim to do anything from hydrating and firming the skin underneath the eyes, to reducing fine lines, diminishing puffiness and dark circles or brightening the eye area — but only some actually do the trick. That said, we parsed through 43 of the most popular under eye patches on the market and tested on 228 consumers to narrow down the field and recommend the best picks that actually work.
Our top picks:
Below are the best under eye patches you can buy, a combination of our top-tested products, editors' and expert picks and cult favorites that have stood the test of time. Don't forget to follow up with a best-tested eye cream and a concealer for your most awake-looking eyes ever.
We rounded up the best under eye patches for dark circles, puffiness and wrinkles. These cooling and firming eye gel patches are effective for all skin types.
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