Whether the result of genetics, improper makeup removal or a night spent tossing and turning, puffy eyes are never a happy sight. Sure, stars like Mila Kunis can pull off the “I’ve never slept a day in my life” look. But the vast majority of us just look, well, tired.
Rather than relying on concealer, we prefer a more clinical, long-lasting solution: eye masks. Not only do they feel great (especially if they’re gel, especially after a few hours in the fridge), eye-specific masks really get to the root of the problem. It’s all thanks to de-puffing, fine line-reducing, complexion-brightening ingredients like retinol, caffeine and, on the haute end of the spectrum, gold.
That said, you have to be careful when choosing the right eye mask for you and limit use to once or twice a week max. The skin around your eyes is thin and fragile and heavy formulas can do more harm than good.
Ready for an eye-opening shopping experience? Click through the slideshow above for 10 nonirritating eye masks we trust to deliver smoother, brighter and tighter eyes (and quite a few Instagram likes).
Eye Masks
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Rodial
Dragon's Blood Eye Mask Single, $6 at DermStore
This best eye mask uses hyaluronic acid to prolong moisture retention and arnica extract to reduce puffiness and dark circles. Then there’s the brand’s unique dragon's blood complex that rejuvenates your appearance.
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Skyn Iceland
Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, $32 at Ulta Beauty
Tired and/or stressed out? Well, these cool eye gels are the solution. In only 10 minutes, peptides and botanicals improve blood flow and reduce puffiness. Plus, they’re 100 percent vegan and safe for sensitive skin.
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Joanna Vargas
Bright Eye Firming Mask, $60 at DermStore
Reduce that dreaded puffiness with this moisturizing eye mask. Each one has hydrolyzed silk protein and hyaluronic acid to hydrate your undereye area. Throw in allantoin to soothe and heal and you’ve got a pretty powerful treatment.
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DiaForce
Ruby Hydro-Gel Eye Patch, $26.40 at Amazon
Keep a box of these diamond-infused patches in your fridge at all times. In addition to being cute, pink and highly Instagrammable, they're great for brightening, moisturizing and de-puffing your undereye area. (Not to mention the cooling sensation is calming AF.)
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Petitfée
Gold & Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch, $9.69 at Amazon
Snail mucin is known for its regenerative properties — it helps with wrinkles and dryness and any kind of hyperpigmention, including, of course, undereye bags. Gold, meanwhile, helps to reduce redness, puffiness and inflammation plus it stimulates collagen, which in turn diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Basically, these masks work wonders on your puffy eyes, feel ultra-luxurious and they're total Insta-bait. (Yet again, these work best when stored in the fridge.)
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Shiseido
Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask, $70 at Ulta Beauty
These Allure Best of Beauty winners promise to "reduce the appearance of wrinkles in as little as 15 minutes" — and that they do, with the help of Shiseido's signature WrinkleResist24 and pure retinol micro-infusion technology. The first is a combo of firming chlorella, mukurossi and gambir extracts, the latter a carefully balanced, nonirritating retinol complex. (Retinol is basically kryptonite for wrinkles, in case you didn't know.)
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Guerlain
Super Aqua-Eye Anti-Puffiness Smoothing Eye Patch, $130 at Guerlain
Sure, these will put a bit of a dent in your wallet, but they deliver lasting results. They're intensely hydrating — in a mere 10 minutes they'll give your puffy eyes a visible lift. A host of moisturizing, fine-line-smoothing actives (like desert rose flower complex) help get the job done.
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Peter Thomas Roth
Cucumber De-Tox Hydra-Gel Eye Patches, $52 at Peter Thomas Roth
Think of these as really fancy cucumber slices. The star ingredients — aside from cucumber extract — include brightening arnica and caffeine, soothing aloe, chamomile and allantoin as well as plumping glycerin, hydrolyzed collagen and hyaluronic acid (each molecule of which is capable of holding up to a thousand times its weight in water).
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Shangpree
Gold Black Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask, $60 at Peach & Lily
From K-beauty star Shangpree, a breathable hydrogel mask that’s steeped in amino acids, minerals, proteins and black pearl and gold particles, which work together to — you guessed it — brighten and tighten puffy eyes. Each container holds 60 masks so you're really getting your money's worth.
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Chantecaille
Gold Energizing Eye Recovery Mask, $195 at Nordstrom
These are pricey, yes, but also completely transformative. Each one is soaked in a powerful, energizing, seaweed and rosewater-based formula that's packed with shadow-lightening peptides and anti-inflammatory 24-karat gold particles. Save them for special occasions, like long-haul flights and serious all-nighters.
