These 13 Cheap Eye Creams Are Just as Good as Their Expensive Counterparts

It’s fair to say that I have made no secret of my scepticism about eye creams. They are usually eye-wateringly expensive when you look at the cost per millilitre and come with a whole host of unwarranted promises about their ability to reverse wrinkles and eradicate eye bags. In fact, until I discovered The Ordinary’s Caffeine Solution I basically didn’t use eye cream at all. This one really only changed my mind because it’s pleasingly affordable at just £10 and didn’t make any ludicrous claims that it then failed to deliver on. Fast-forward four years, however, and how times have changed. I am now in my early thirties with a toddler, and contending with dark circles and under-eye puffiness has become a daily challenge. If an eye cream lands on my desk these days? Trust me—I’m trying it.

Thankfully, I have since discovered a whole array of brilliant eye creams that help to minimise dark circles and allow me to fake an uninterrupted night's sleep. Having said that, whilst I am so grateful to be able to test out some of the best eye creams in the beauty industry as part of my job, I am still totally not on board with the fact that basically every eye cream I get sent is ridiculously expensive. In my opinion, diminishing puffiness and brightening shadowy under-eyes shouldn’t set you back £100+.

best-affordable-eye-creams-291394-1612181120442-main

(Image credit: @STELLASIMONA)

It's good news, then, that more and more skincare brands are coming out with affordable eye creams that are brimming with ingredients that actually work—and have the customer reviews to prove it. Even if you’re already loyal to a premium eye cream, I think you just might be converted once you try these.

Ahead are 13 of the best affordable eye creams that actually work.

13 of the Best Affordable Eye Creams:

1. Best eye cream for first signs of ageing 

If you love:

Try:

2. Best eye cream for lines

If you love:

Try:

3. Best eye cream for de-puffing

If you love:

Try:

4. Best eye cream for sensitive eyes

If you love:

Try:

5. Best retinol eye cream

If you love:

Try:

6. Best eye cream for brightening

If you love:

Try:

@emmahoareau taking a selfie in the sun

(Image credit: @emmahoareau)

7. Best eye cream for hydration

If you love:

Try:

8. Best lightweight eye cream

If you love:

Try:

9. Best eye cream for an immediate boost 

If you love:

Try:

10. Best travel eye cream

If you love:

Try:

11. Best eye cream for dark circles

If you love:

Try:

12. Best eye cream for dry skin

If you love:

Try:

13. Best eye cream for tired eyes

If you love:

Try:

This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Explore More:
Mica Ricketts

Mica Ricketts is a freelance beauty editor, copywriter and regular contributor toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK. She also writes for titles including Marie Claire Refinery 29 and Cosmopolitan, and previously worked atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK as Beauty Editor. With experience in both editorial and content management, she also works with beauty brands and small businesses on brand messaging and content strategy. As a busy mum of two, she is passionate about finding efficacious beauty products that can disguise all signs of tiredness with minimal effort.