Although eye serums and creams may sound similar, they work differently. “Both eye serum and eye cream are used to treat concerns in the eye area,” explains Dr. Gratch. “Serums tend to have more concentrated ingredients, so those with sensitive skin may tolerate an eye cream better.” 

Eye serums can help address puffiness, dark circles, or wrinkles, and certain ingredients can match up to your skincare goals. “For puffiness, I recommend any products that contain caffeine, antioxidants, and/or green tea,” says Dr. Gratch. “For dark circles, look for ingredients such as vitamin C, retinol, and hyaluronic acid.” 

Finally, if wrinkles and crow’s feet are your concerns, pick up a serum that’s packed with glycerin, retinol, peptides, and ferulic acid to help reduce their appearance, he adds. “Anyone can use an eye serum, especially those who are looking to prevent future concerns.”

When to Use Eye Serum?

The beauty of an eye serum is that it’s typically lightweight and absorbs quickly into the skin, which makes it perfect for both day and nighttime use, says Dr. Gratch. If you notice your makeup slips or doesn’t apply as well when using an eye serum in the morning, try waiting at least 10 minutes for it to absorb before doing your makeup, or you can go ahead and skip it in the morning and use it only at night.

How to Apply Eye Serum

1. Cleanse the Skin: Before applying skincare products, make sure to start with a fresh, clean base. If you’ve been wearing makeup all day, we’re huge fans of double cleansing to make sure all the gunk from the day is truly off of your face. 

2. Apply Other Skincare Serums: Dr. Gatch recommends doing your normal face skincare routine and applying your face serum before the eye serum.

3. Pat on the Eye Serum: Taking just a small, pea-size amount of product, gently pat it onto the under eyes. Dr. Gatch recommends avoiding the top of your eyelids, to make sure the product doesn’t slip into the eye. He also recommends avoiding the lash line. 

4. Moisturize: Add your face moisturizer to the skin after taking care of your eye serum. 

Layering Eye Serum and Eye Cream

We love eye creams and serums, but Dr. Gatch says you don’t need to use two products. “Some will recommend putting an eye cream over an eye serum, but I don’t believe in using excessive products, especially if you find an eye serum with the right ingredients for you,” he says. “If you do choose to layer, the cream will go after the serum.”

Final Thoughts

If you want to pare down your skincare routine, it can be helpful to choose an eye serum over an eye cream. Serums will contain more concentrated ingredients, which can help you tackle any skincare issues you see in the eye area. Match the above ingredients to your eye serum, based on your skin concern, and over time, you’ll start to notice a brighter, more hydrated look in the eye area. 

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