Best Brightening Eye Creams of 2026

Charlotte Powell Avatar
Charlotte Powell
Last Updated: 2 Feb 2026

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Brightening Eye Creams are beauty products designed to reduce the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines around the eyes. These creams contain ingredients such as vitamin C, retinol, and caffeine that work to brighten and tighten the skin, leaving the eyes looking refreshed and rejuvenated. They are suitable for all skin types and can be used as part of a daily skincare routine. Regular use of these creams can help to improve the overall appearance of the eye area, giving a more youthful and radiant look.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Garnier Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin C Cover #TOP 1
Garnier Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin C
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Bubble Skincare Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream Cover #TOP 2
Bubble Skincare Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream
ftb score rating icon 9.8
The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream for Dark Circles Cover #TOP 3
The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream for Dark Circles
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Brightening Eye Creams

Garnier Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin C

Vitamin C
15 ml (Pack of 1)
Garnier Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin C Cover
Garnier Vitamin C Eye Cream for Dark Circles, 4% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Banana Powder, Caffeine, Brightening Eye Treatment For Dark Circles, Under Eye Bags And Puffiness, 15ml

The Garnier Eye Cream is designed to brighten dull and tired under eyes. It helps to reduce eight signs of fatigue, including dark circles and fine lines, giving you a fresh and youthful appearance. With its vegan formula, it contains 4% Vitamin C, Niacinamide, and Caffeine, making it suitable for all skin tones. Applying this cream is simple: just dot it around your eyes, tap gently, and blend. This convenient routine can help you achieve smoother and firmer skin around the eyes.

What We Like
Reduces dark circles
Brightens tired eyes
Vegan and cruelty-free
Easy application method
#TOP 2

Bubble Skincare Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream

Bubble Skincare
108005
14.2 g (Pack of 1)
Bubble Skincare Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream Cover
Bubble Skincare Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream - Vitamin C Under Eye Cream for Dark Circles & Puffiness - Enriched with Green Tea Extract to Calm, Protect & Soothe Skin (15ml)

The Bubble Skincare Morning Rays is a brightening eye cream designed to refresh tired eyes by reducing dark circles and puffiness, helping your eyes look more awake and vibrant. It contains turmeric extract, which targets dark circles, and soothing green tea extract to protect your skin from environmental damage. The powerful Vitamin C brightens your under-eye area, reviving dull skin. Easy to use, simply apply it gently on clean, dry skin both morning and night to enjoy a refreshed and youthful appearance.

What We Like
Reduces dark circles effectively
Soothes and protects skin
Brightens with Vitamin C
Vegan and cruelty-free

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream for Dark Circles

Pack of 1
15 ml (Pack of 1)
The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream for Dark Circles Cover
The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream 15ml, Improves Dark Circles, Brightens Under Eye, Fragrance-free, Vegan Friendly, Suitable For All Skin Types

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream is designed to improve dark circles and brighten the under-eye area. This fragrance-free formula is suitable for all skin types, making it a versatile choice for everyone. As a skin moisturiser, it hydrates and nourishes the delicate skin around your eyes, helping to reduce puffiness. By incorporating this cream into your routine, you can enjoy a fresher, more vibrant appearance, addressing signs of fatigue and providing a perk-me-up for tired skin.

What We Like
Reduces dark circles
Brightens under-eye area
Fragrance-free formula
Suitable for all skin types
Hydrating and nourishing

REN Radiance Brightening Eye Cream

4879
White
15 ml (Pack of 1)
REN Radiance Brightening Eye Cream Cover
REN Radiance Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream, 15ml – Eye Cream with Elderberry Flower and Glycogen, Clinically Proven to Reduce Dark Circles in 7 Days, Hydrates and Firms Delicate Skin

REN Brightening Eye Cream is designed to tackle dark circles effectively, promising noticeable results in just seven days. With Elderberry Flower Extract, it helps neutralise free radicals and reduce puffiness, giving you a refreshed look. The inclusion of Glycogen ensures that your delicate eye area remains hydrated and firm, preventing dryness. Its lightweight and fast-absorbing formula makes it perfect for both day and night use, allowing you to enjoy a brighter, more youthful appearance effortlessly.

What We Like
Reduces dark circles quickly
Hydrates and firms skin
Lightweight, fast-absorbing formula
Vegan and cruelty-free
#TOP 5

The Inkey List Brighten-i Under Eye Cream

BEE0030
Cream
15 ml (Pack of 1)
The Inkey List Brighten-i Under Eye Cream Cover
The Inkey List Brighten-i Under Eye Cream 15ml, Improves Dark Circles, Brightens Under Eye, Fragrance-free, Suitable For All Skin Types

The Brighten-i Eye Cream is designed to instantly illuminate and brighten your under-eyes, targeting dark circles and uneven skin tones. Its lightweight and hydrating formula contains BRIGHTENYL, which is four times more powerful than Vitamin C, helping to reduce darkness effectively. Additionally, the Mica Mineral blend reflects light, providing an immediate brightening effect. You will also appreciate how GRANT-XT blurs fine lines and wrinkles, leaving your under-eye area looking smoother and plumper.

What We Like
Brightens dull under-eyes
Reduces dark circles
Smooths fine lines
Suitable for all skin types
Fragrance-free formula
#TOP 6

COSRX Snail Peptide Eye Cream with Niacinamide

RLE51070
Cranberry
22.99
COSRX Snail Peptide Eye Cream with Niacinamide Cover
COSRX Snail Peptide Eye Cream with 73.7% Snail Mucin and Niacinamide, Brightening Korean Night Cream for Fine Lines and Dark Circles, Korean Skin Care

The COSRX Snail Peptide Cream is a brightening and tightening eye cream designed to help you achieve a youthful and healthy-looking complexion. It works to diminish dark circles and puffiness while reducing fine lines, giving your eyes a refreshed appearance. The lightweight, lotion-like texture makes it easy to apply without feeling sticky or heavy, allowing you to use it comfortably around the eyes and other areas like smile lines, forehead, and neck. Key ingredients include 73.7% snail mucin to rejuvenate your skin, 2% niacinamide to lighten dark circles, plus peptides and adenosine to firm skin and smooth wrinkles.

What We Like
Brightens and tightens skin
Lightweight, non-sticky texture
Contains 73.7% snail mucin
Includes niacinamide and peptides
Multi-use for face and neck

Olay Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin B3

8001841718446
15 ml (Pack of 1)
Olay Brightening Eye Cream with Vitamin B3 Cover
Olay Brightening Eye Cream for Dark Circles With Niacinamide Caffein & Orange Peel Extract Brighten & Awaken Your Eyes, 15ml

Olay Eye Cream is designed to help you achieve a bright and well-rested appearance. It visibly brightens dark circles, allowing you to look more awake and refreshed. The formula is enriched with vitamins B3 and caffeine, which work together to reduce the appearance of fine lines while hydrating your skin. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, dry, and oily skin, this eye cream specifically caters to the delicate area around your eyes, ensuring it receives the special care it deserves.

What We Like
Brightens dark circles
Reduces fine lines
Hydrates skin
Suitable for all skin types
Gentle on sensitive skin
#TOP 8

Nip+Fab Vitamin C Fix Eye Cream 10% Brightening

Vitamin C Fix Eye Cream
50 ml (Pack of 1)
Nip+Fab Vitamin C Fix Eye Cream 10% Brightening Cover
Nip+Fab Vitamin C Fix Eye Cream 10%, 20ml, Eye-Brightening Complex with 5% Vitamin C, 1% Haloxyl, 1% Caffeine, 3% Meiview, Targets Dark Circles & Puffiness

The Nip+Fab Vitamin C Eye Cream offers a powerful 10% eye-brightening complex that revitalises your under-eye area and helps reduce signs of ageing. Its unique formula includes three stable forms of Vitamin C, enhanced with ferulic acid, ensuring long-lasting brightening effects for your skin. The cream also contains 3% Meiview to firm the delicate skin, 1% caffeine to smooth puffiness, and 1% Haloxyl to target dark circles, giving you comprehensive eye care. Additionally, niacinamide strengthens your skin barrier and evens out skin tone, working together with Vitamin C for healthier-looking eyes.

What We Like
Effective brightening complex
Long-lasting stable Vitamin C
Reduces dark circles and puffiness
Firms and smooths skin
Enhances skin barrier
#TOP 9

e.l.f. SKIN Bright + Brew-tiful Eye Cream

57207
Beige
15 g (Pack of 1)
e.l.f. SKIN Bright + Brew-tiful Eye Cream Cover
e.l.f. SKIN Bright + Brew-tiful Eye Cream, Helps Brighten Appearance of Undereye Dark Circles & Repair Puffiness, Vegan & Cruelty-Free

The e.l.f. Bright + Brew-tiful is an under-eye cream designed to refresh tired eyes. It contains vitamin C and banana-tinted powder to brighten your under-eye area, making you look more awake. The 3% caffeine blend helps reduce puffiness, giving a rejuvenated appearance. Its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula works well under concealer, making it a perfect step in your morning skincare routine for a smooth, radiant finish.

What We Like
Brightens dark circles
Reduces puffiness
Lightweight and fast-absorbing
Works under concealer
Vegan and cruelty-free
#TOP 10

Clinique All About Eyes Lightweight Vitamin C Eye Cream

61EP010000
Clear
15 ml (Pack of 1)
Clinique All About Eyes Lightweight Vitamin C Eye Cream Cover
Clinique All About Eyes Lightweight Eye Cream With Vitamin C | Hydrating, Brightening, Depuffing + Reducing The Look Of Dark Circles

The Clinique All About Eyes is designed to help reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness, giving your eyes a refreshed appearance. It also works to soften fine lines and wrinkles, making your skin around the eyes appear smoother and younger. This eye cream strengthens the delicate skin in this area, providing better protection against daily stress. Additionally, it soothes and comforts tired eyes, helping to calm and smooth the skin for a more comfortable feel throughout the day.

What We Like
Reduces dark circles and puffiness
Softens fine lines and wrinkles
Strengthens delicate eye skin
Soothes and comforts eye area
Quick absorption
Buying Guide Image
Editor's Notes

During our brightening eye cream research, we found 193 brightening eye cream products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 60,117 customer reviews through our big data system to write the brightening eye creams list. We found that most customers choose brightening eye creams with an average price of £14.53.

The brightening eye creams are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of brightening eye creams, including Garnier, Bubble Skincare, The INKEY List, REN Clean Skincare, COSRX.

Written by
Charlotte Powell Avatar

Charlotte Powell is a dermatologist and a licensed cosmetologist from Westminster, London. However, she was first a cosmetologist from London Beauty Training School. According to Charlotte, she needed better insight into the human skin, hence the dermatology degree. Long before she acquired her degree, she wrote and edited articles, eBooks, and editorials for companies and websites. Charlotte combines her skill and knowledge in providing DIY Beauty tips amongst other fashion related topics.