The 0-100 Of Eye Care (Including The Hardcore Stuff)

I feel I need to preface this article with some real talk.

I know there are people out there that strongly oppose injectables. I know these people and have been judged by them. So for anyone out there that lowers their eyes when a friend says, “I can’t believe she gets Botox” - and I know the feeling because I used to be that girl - I’m here to say loudly and proudly, I love it, and I’m not ashamed of the fact I get it done. Do I expect you to love it too? Nope. You do whatever makes you feel comfortable. And hey, if you try it and hate it, it doesn’t last forever.

Okay, rant over. Now I can get to the juicy stuff…

The skin around our eyes is the thinnest and most delicate on the body, and it sits over muscle that never stops moving — every blink, squint and smile. That’s probably why I’ve noticed this area ageing at a quicker rate to the rest of my face. And it’s for this reason I like to give my eyes some extra TLC.

Since starting at Adore, I've managed to get my skin to a really good place (I'm now happy to come to work without makeup on), but the fine lines creeping in under my eyes were causing me a little concern. Not staying-up-at-night concern, but enough for me to want to try a few different products and treatments.I’m going to give you my honest verdict out of five for each of the eye treatments I’ve tried thus far — and because our eye cream and eye mask range has grown a lot since I first wrote this, I’ve added the newer options worth knowing about, sorted by what you’re actually trying to fix.

Score: 4.5/5

Boy, I wish I’d discovered eye serums at 19, not 29. Your regular retinol is usually too harsh to use around the sensitive eye area, so the clever brands formulate a gentler version specifically for it. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye is the one I reach for now — it uses retinaldehyde (a step up from retinol, but buffered with ceramides so the eye area tolerates it), and it comes in escalating strengths so you can build up slowly. If you’d rather start even gentler, Medik8 Intelligent Retinol Eye is the softer entry point.

On the mornings I skip retinal, I alternate with a peptide serum instead. The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum is the budget hero here (genuinely hard to beat for the price), while Liberty Belle Rx EYE DO® Peptide Wrinkle Defence Eye Gel is the one I use when I want something that sinks in fast under makeup. For a K-beauty take, Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + Retinal gives you retinal and ginseng in one very reasonably priced tube.

Whichever you choose, start two or three nights a week and build up slowly — and always follow a retinal with SPF the next morning.

I’ve given eye serums a really high score because combining a retinal and a peptide has been a game-changer.

Score: 4/5

An eye cream won’t erase a deep line — nothing topical will — but the right one makes a genuine difference to texture, hydration and how tired you look. Here’s how I’d choose.

Dark circles are usually one of three things: pigment, thin skin showing the blood vessels underneath, or shadow from puffiness — and it’s worth working out which one you have, because a cream can soften pigment and shadowing, but it can’t change the bone structure behind genuinely hollow, hereditary circles. Vitamin C and niacinamide help with the pigment kind. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Vitamin CC Stick is the targeted option, and Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème does double duty — it brightens over time and the peachy tone blurs things instantly. If you want a cheap-and-cheerful starting point, Innisfree Green Tea Caffeine Bright Eye Serum is a good one to trial.

Caffeine is your friend here — it constricts blood vessels temporarily, which is why so many de-puffing formulas include it. Hada Labo Smoothing Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream is the affordable everyday pick. For an actual event, nothing beats a patch: Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Hydra-Gel Eye Patches or Dr LeWinn’s Hyaluronic Acid & Caffeine Eye Masks for 10 minutes before makeup. Keep them in the fridge, thank me later.

This is retinoid and peptide territory. If you want the clinical end, Skinstitut Ultra Firming Eye & Neck Cream and Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream are both worth the spend. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex is the one I’d hand someone who wants a single do-everything night treatment. On a budget, Some By Mi Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream punches well above its price.

If your eye area stings easily, skip the actives and go hydration-first. CeraVe Eye Repair Cream is the one I recommend most often — ceramides, hyaluronic acid, no fragrance, cheap enough to use generously. La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Eye Serum and Avène Hyaluron Activ B3 Triple Correction Eye Cream are both excellent if you want a pharmacy-grade formula with a bit more treatment behind it. COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream is the gentle K-beauty option, and Boost Lab Bio-Active Eye Reset Serum is a solid Aussie-made pick under $30.

A note on order: eye serum first, eye cream second, and always pat rather than rub. You need about a grain of rice per eye — more than that and it’ll migrate and sting.

Score: 4/5

I’ve been getting anti-wrinkle injections (also known as botulinum toxin) around my crow’s feet for a couple of years, and in all honesty, nothing really compares. The results are subtle and last about four months. And despite what I heard about anti-wrinkle injections, my face doesn’t look frozen - actually, not even my family noticed I’d had it done!

But, under-eye dermal filler was a different story. To be honest, our Beauty Editor was not fully on board with this treatment, as the under-eye area is tricky. Some injectors won’t even touch this area. It also bruises badly. I don’t think I would do this again because the bruising and recovery time just wasn’t worth the results. Filler plumps the area, so unlike anti-wrinkle injections, it won’t “freeze” fine lines.

It’s important that you have a consultation with a qualified professional before contemplating injectables — these are prescription medical procedures, not beauty treatments, and we don’t sell them. AHPRA’s cosmetic procedures hub explains what to check before you book, including how to confirm a practitioner is registered.

Score: 3.5/5

Skin needling works by very lightly puncturing the surface of the skin to send the skin into repair, encouraging collagen and elastin production. This also allows active topical ingredients to better penetrate the skin, giving you enhanced results from your skincare products.

Worth saying: the orbital bone area is delicate, and this is not a treatment to DIY aggressively around your eyes. Keep any at-home rolling to the orbital bone and outwards, leave the eyelid itself alone, and I’d leave anything close to the lash line to a professional. Hygiene matters too — clean your roller before and after every use, and replace the head as recommended.

Recently, I had an ultrasound around my eyes (the things you do when working in the beauty industry!) and the eye on my driver’s side had more sun damage than the other eye. It’s a very literal reminder that a lot of what we call ageing around the eyes is accumulated UV exposure — through car windows, on the walk to work, all year round.

I once ran into Iain Jeffery at an event, and while admiring his plump eye area, I asked him what on earth he was using. He said he’s religious about using Ultra Violette Queen Screen around his eyes. It’s designed to be comfortable close to the eye, which is really the whole battle with sunscreen here — the best SPF is the one that doesn’t sting, because that’s the one you’ll actually keep wearing.

A good pair of sunglasses does a lot of heavy lifting too, by stopping the squinting that creases the area in the first place. The Cancer Council’s sun protection advice is worth a read if you want the full picture.

Despite all the treatments mentioned in this article, SPF is the MOST important product to prevent ageing. If you’re only going to do one thing, wear SPF every day.