Turns Out, Eye Creams With Caffeine Actually Work—A Nurse Shares 9 of Her Favorites

Like a haunted Victorian child or Serge Gainsbourg post-bender, I’ve had dark under-eye circles since I was very young. I like to think it’s the result of being a wise old soul or that it’s the physical manifestation of a romantic and poetic je ne sais quoi, but I think we all know that it’s just genetics. I’ve tried just about every eye cream and concealer on the planet, with varying degrees of success. Recently, my interest was piqued by the many eye creams containing caffeine—I’m curious to see if they actually work or if it’s all just branding. I tapped an expert for her thoughts on the best eye creams with caffeine, and it turns out that they might be on to something!

We already know that caffeine is a stimulant, but how does that translate into being an effective skincare ingredient? After speaking with Brooke Morton, a Nurse Practitioner at JECT, it all became much clearer. She explains that caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, so it has the ability to constrict our body’s blood vessels, which makes it an anti-inflammatory ingredient. Research has shown that there is a visible improvement in puffiness when caffeine is applied under the eye area, making it particularly beneficial for those who suffer from puffiness, under-eye bags, and tired-looking eyes.

Pretty much everyone can benefit from using an eye cream with caffeine, since nearly all of us have some degree of inflammation and mild swelling around the delicate eye area, particularly in the morning.

Morton recommends applying an eye cream containing caffeine after waking up in the morning to help the eyes appear more alert and youthful. Luckily, there are no common skincare ingredients that are contraindicated for use with caffeine, but she reminds us to make sure to review our skincare regiment with our dermatologist or aesthetics provider.