These Top-Tested Retinol Eye Creams Really Target Wrinkles, Dark Circles and Bags (2024)

We updated this article in August 2022 to ensure all products vetted and tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab were available, in stock and correctly priced.

As dermatologist's gold standard anti-aging skincare ingredient, retinol is sought after for its myriad benefits like smoothing, firming, brightening and more. Plus, it has the proven studies to back it up; Research has found that retinol can help decrease the appearance of dark circles and stimulate collagen and elastin production to reduce the appearance of lines. Here's the caveat: The notoriously tricky vitamin A derivative can be strong and cause irritation, so not all retinol creams are safe around the eyes. But thanks to recent advancements in skincare technology, there are now retinol eye creams made specifically for those delicate areas.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab regularly tests skincare products, both evaluating them in Lab and with consumer testers. In our quest to find the best eye creams with retinol, we assessed samples for efficacy using technical instruments in our Lab. Our panel of consumer testers also tried them out IRL for four weeks, then reported their feedback on the eye cream's attributes, application and look and feel of their skin after use. With that, we gathered over 5,900 data points to determine the best retinol eye creams you can buy, as tested by the GH Beauty Lab.

Our top picks:

Starring retinol as the main active ingredient, Murad’s eye serum was a GH Beauty Lab test winner with strong firming, wrinkle-reducing and even skin-hydrating effects. The lightweight formulation increased skin’s firmness by 33% after four weeks of daily use with the Lab's Cutometer machine and moisture levels by 18% according to calculations with the Corneometer device. It also decreased wrinkles by 7% in digital imaging with the Visia Complexion Analyzer in four weeks and improved the look of undereye bags. Despite it containing retinol, our testers ranked it nearly perfect for not irritating skin. "Finally, an eye treatment that actually delivered on its promises," a consumer tester raved. "I’m thrilled with how this product improved my undereye area. Best I’ve ever used!" Another reported: "It never caused irritation or redness."

A top bargain in the GH Beauty Lab eye cream testing, this Garnier eye cream with retinol performed well at firming and softening skin. It increased skin's firmness by 32% and hydration by 31%, though it didn’t visibly reduce wrinkles in Lab assessments. The silky formula was also a tester favorite, earning high scores for minimizing dark circles and its pleasant scent. "It really seemed to diminish my dark circles so that I used much less concealer!" a consumer tester said. "It also was a great moisturizer and seemed to brighten the whole area."

Stubborn dark circles, undereye bags and crow's feet don’t stand a chance against this Good Housekeeping Seal Star Roc eye cream, proven to tackle all three issues with a potent blend of line-smoothing retinol and vitamin B5. A study found that the majority of testers’ eye-area wrinkle depth was reduced by 50% after 12 weeks. More than 60% also agreed that it visibly minimized dark circles and puffiness in four weeks. "It is a great retinol eye cream that is tolerated well by sensitive skin, effective and at a good price point," says Lindsey Yeh, M.D., a dermatologist and co-founder of B.TOX.BAR. in Los Gatos, California.

No7’s eye cream, a GH Seal Star, visibly improves three of the top signs of aging in the eye area: Wrinkles, lack of firmness and uneven skin tone. Loaded with active ingredients like retinol, peptides, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, a study showed that consumers noticed improvements in as little as two weeks. "I have been using this for about one week, and it has already started fading my crow's feet and tightening the drooping skin under my eyes," an Ulta reviewer commented.

Dr. Yeh recommends SkinBetter Science's overnight retinol eye cream, which she uses in her own skincare routine. "It has the equivalent of a prescription-strength retinoid combined with alpha-hydroxy acids and antioxidants, which gives additional anti-aging benefits and protection from daily environmental exposure," she explains. "It is also very moisturizing, which goes a long way in improving the appearance of the undereyes." GH Beauty Editor Dori Price is also a fan of the formula: “I love how nourishing this eye cream is — it sinks right in and plumps up my skin," she says. "I also love that it has a combination of a retinoid and AHAs, two powerful anti-aging ingredients to treat the crow’s feet around my eyes.”

Made with retinol, softening botanical oils and depuffing caffeine, the lightweight yet mighty L’Oréal Paris cream tackled multiple eye area issues in GH Beauty Lab testing without inflaming even sensitive skin. We found that it measurably hydrated, firmed and smoothed crepey skin and crow's feet, plus reduced the look of dark shadows and bags yet didn't bring on redness or irritation. "I have very sensitive skin and most products irritate, but this didn't at all," a consumer tester said. "I've tried product after product and have never had an eye cream work as effectively as this one."

Help deflate bags with this La Roche-Posay retinol eye cream. In GH Beauty Lab testing, it scored well for reducing puffiness and wrinkles while softening skin. Our Lab testers didn’t report any issues with skin or eye irritation and found it absorbed quickly. "It offers an instant pick-me-up: The cream made my eyes appear well-rested and younger-looking," a consumer tester commented. Another noted that she saw diminishing puffiness under her eyes.

Zero in on pesky eye area creases and sagging skin with No7’s retinol and peptide blend, which was a winner of the GH Beauty Lab eye cream test for lessening lines and firming skin. The cream reduced eye-area wrinkle size and severity by an impressive 13% in digital imaging with the Lab’s Visia Complexion Analyzer device and firmed skin by 28% in Cutometer calculations after four weeks. “It noticeably decreased my fine lines,” our consumer tester commented. Another marveled: "I got lots of comments on how well-rested I look and I'm not!"

A past GH Beauty Award winner, this Eau Thermale Avène cream is made with a stabilized version of retinol (retinaldehyde) and hyaluronic acid for softening. In our Lab testing, it scored well for smoothing wrinkles and increasing moisturization, plus GH testers found the formula fast-absorbing. "I have very pronounced crow's feet and felt as though the lines were softened and the skin under my eyes was more hydrated," a consumer tester said.

Retinol can be drying on skin, but this GH Seal Star works overtime to keep it hydrated, like others in the Olay Retinol 24 line. Our GH Beauty Lab data evaluation confirmed that the fragrance-free formula produced visible benefits in those with moderate to severe eye area wrinkles and even kept skin hydrated for up to 24 hours. "[It] has done wonders for the fine lines around my eyes," a Walmart reviewer said. "They're all unnoticeable or gone."

Target crow's feet with this GH Seal Star Olay retinol eye treatment. After four weeks of applying the product twice per day, participants in a study noticed an improvement in fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, as confirmed by GH Beauty Lab data evaluation. "I’ve been using for two weeks [it], and my crow's feet and lines under my eyes are less," an Amazon reviewer marveled. "I’m surprised; most stuff doesn’t work. This does."

Yes, and there's research to prove it! Retinol creams can help get rid of dark circles, crow's feet wrinkles and undereye bags. "A study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology showed that a stabilized 0.1% retinol facial cream applied once daily can significantly improve the look of fine lines, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness and overall photodamage in eight weeks," says Beauty Lab Chemist Danusia Wnek.