They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. But in the eyes of the industry, it’s the cult followings and antiaging claims that make the category a bull’s eye in terms of business.
To discover the top products in the category, WWD Beauty Inc asked shy of 400 executives, founders, editors, financiers, retailers, chemists and influencers to share their favorite picks. Promised secrecy (the full list of those willing to be identified as electors appears in this story, though the content of their ballots remains confidential), the results are a microcosm of the concerns and benefits that keep consumers coming back. Here, the in alphabetical order, the 20 most iconic eye products in beauty, as voted on by industry insiders.
BeautyStat Universal C Eye Perfector
Launched: 2020
Caffeine, magnolia and hemp oils teamed with BeautyStat’s patented vitamin C delivery system give this product its brightening power and broad appeal. It is also the most awarded product in BeautyStat’s lineup.
Results oriented: BeautyStat’s most awarded stock keeping unit has sold more than 130,000 units since its launch.
Clarins Total Eye Lift
Launched: 2020
A powerhouse cocktail of caffeine, horse chestnut and organic harungana extract comprise this formula, of 94 percent natural origin — which also boasts the claim of a visible eye lift in just 60 seconds.
Results oriented: Total Eye Lift was the fourth bestselling eye treatment in the U.S. in 2022, according to the brand.
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eyes
Launched: 2022
The eye-focused incarnation of Lauder’s hero pillar promises to mitigate environmental irritation and neutralize free radicals. A sight for sore eyes indeed.
Results oriented: The development of this product took nearly a decade of research into the effects of light on skin.
The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream
Launched: 2018
Celebrities from Charli D’Amelio to Gemma Chan are fans of this eye cream, which couples caffeine with fine line-smoothing peptides.
Results oriented: With one unit sold every 35 seconds, The Inkey List has sold more than 1.6 million units of the eye cream since launch.
Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado
Launched: 2002
Who said oil and water don’t mix? This water-in-oil emulsion promises all-day hydration, as well as brightening and depuffing benefits clinically proven after a single use.
Results oriented: The Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado is Kiehl’s’ bestselling eye product.
Kinship Brightwave Vitamin C Brightening + Energizing Eye Cream
Launched: 2021
The future is bright for Kinship’s eye cream, but so is the past. The vitamin C-rich product is up triple digits in sales growth over the last year.
Results oriented: Brightwave is Kinship’s bestseller at Ulta Beauty, according to the brand.
La Mer Eye Concentrate
Launched: 2007
The engine behind La Mer’s product range — and billion-dollar brand status — is also integral to the Eye Concentrate’s staying power. The proprietary Miracle Broth gets a concentrated dose here, helping mitigate the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles.
Results oriented: One Eye Concentrate is sold every couple of minutes.
La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Cream
Launched: 2019
Caviar Premier, a supercharged form of caviar, powers this product’s lifting and firming effects, in tandem with La Prairie’s exclusive Cellular Complex.
Results oriented: Skin Caviar Luxe Eye Cream is the most purchased product by first time La Prairie shoppers.
Macrene Actives High Performance Eye Cream
Launched: 2022
Dr. Macrene Alexiades may be Michelangelo with a needle, but her eye cream promises to replace procedures. Caffeines and organic yerba mate depuff, while peptides and hyaluronic acids firm and smooth wrinkles.
Results oriented: This product got unanimous five-star reviews from clinical trial participants before it launched.
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème
Launched: 2017
Don’t let the name fool you, it’s collagen, real gold and vitamin C that make this product as efficacious as it is beloved. Bioflavonoids also protect the under-eye areas with their antioxidant properties.
Results oriented: One Banana Bright eye cream is sold every 1.7 minutes.
Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream
Launched: 2009
Origins’ eye cream does all the heavy lifting, in more ways than one. Orange peel depuffs the eye area, while vitamin C and niacinamide boost radiance. In the short term, mineral pigments brighten the under-eye area upon application.
Results oriented: The product is Origins’ top-selling eye cream.
Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firmx Eye Temporary Tightener
Launched: 2011
Silicates and seaweed extract offer an instant tightening effect, in addition to long-term benefits. It went viral thanks to dramatic before and afters on TikTok — one video, from user @Trinidad1967, has more than 44 million views on the platform.
Results oriented: It is the top eye treatment in the U.S., according to the brand.
RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream
Launched: 2005
Taking a powerful hero ingredient like retinol to the ultra-delicate eye area is no small feat. Every user in RoC’s clinical trials reported no irritation, a study which also proved a 50 percent reduction in crows’ feet. No wonder RoC is the country’s most awarded retinol brand.
Results oriented: RoC sells one unit every 30 seconds.
Shani Darden Intensive Eye
Launched: 2021
Nine different actives treat the eye area with a 360-degree approach, including silk tree extract, niacinamide, ceramides and squalane. It’s that holistic approach that’s anointed Darden the de facto celeb skin care whisperer. Fans of her brand include Kelly Rowland, Shay Mitchell, Emmy Rossum and Laura Harrier.
Results oriented: It is Shani Darden Skin Care’s third bestselling product.
Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask
Launched: 2005
Long before the K-beauty sheet mask craze hit the U.S., there were the Shiseido retinol eye masks. Pure retinol, in conjunction with Shiseido’s WrinkleResist24 technology, the products are as hydrating as they are wrinkle-reducing.
Results oriented: The masks are manufactured in an oxygen-free, unheated and lightproof setting to keep the retinol as potent as possible.
Sunday Riley Auto Correct Brightening Depuffing Eye Cream
Launched: 2017
Sunday Riley’s hero eye cream smooths fine lines and wrinkles with caffeine, concentrated horse chestnut and acmella oleracea extract, which is a natural botox alternative. Cocoa and shea butters, conjunctively with watermelon rind, address moisture and hydration.
Results oriented: It is among the top 10 bestselling eye products in the U.S. in 2022, according to the brand.
Skinceuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex
Launched: 2009
Formulated with a high amount of proxylane, which scaffolds skin density and firmness, this eye cream addresses glycation, the process by which collagen and elastin atrophy and function abnormally. In the short term, optical diffusers perk up dull or fatigued under-eye areas.
Results oriented: 2022 unit sales of the product were more than 10 times the height of the Empire State Building.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5%
Launched: 2016
Talk about caffeine addiction. The Ordinary credits its Caffeine Solution 5%’s success to users’ instant gratification, reporting a supercharged under-eye area after a single use, thanks to its hero ingredient and highly purified epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside, a natural antioxidant.
Results oriented: Caffeine Solution 5%’s hashtag has more than 6 million views on TikTok.
Tula Glow + Get It Cooling & Brightening Eye Balm
Launched: 2019
When Tula took its microbiome-friendly, probiotic-rich approach to skin care above the orbital bone, it did so with hyaluronic acid, blueberry, apple and watermelon for hydration. The results are impressive: 100 percent of users in a clinical trial said their skin was hydrated, while 93 percent said their eyes felt more revived and awake.
Results oriented: Tula sells one eye balm every 2.2 minutes.
YSL Beauté Pure Shots Eye
Launched: 2022
Patented cream-to-serum technology gives this its cooling properties, while the caffeine-rich formula includes a 24-hour moisturizing claim.
Results oriented: The formula includes moonlight cactus from YSL’s gardens in Ourika, Morocco.