The best Korean eye creams can combat dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness like no other. While they contain many of the same formulas you’ll see in the rest of your products (retinol, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid), they’re often blended with ingredients signature to Korean skin care. Two classic examples are ginseng (an anti-inflammatory that can plump fine lines) and snail mucin (for hydration and antiaging). And if you’re looking for an eye cream for dark circles, dermatologists recommend vitamin C or niacinamide, which both brighten.
To find the very best Korean eye creams, I spent three months in Seoul learning about the latest innovations, talking to dermatologists, estheticians, celebrity makeup artists, and more, who shared their pics. Then I tested them and tapped Glamour editors to do the same. We found that Goodal Green Tangerine Vitamin C Dark Circle Eye Cream and Superegg Phyto Bounce Eye Contour Solution worked best for making dark circles look less prominent. Below are the rest of the standouts worth adding to your cart, whether you’re looking for a firming overnight treatment or a refreshing a.m. eye serum to add to your skin care routine.
The best Korean eye creams, at a glance
Your Korean eye cream questions, answered
What to look for in a Korean eye cream
Whether or not you’re shopping for Korean beauty brands, the right eye cream depends on your skin type and specific skin needs. “For dark circles, common ingredients include niacinamide and licorice root extract, which are antioxidants that have been shown to brighten the skin,” says Christina Chung, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in Pennsylvania. Effective depuffing ingredients include “caffeine to reduce swelling by constricting blood vessels and reducing excess fluid” as well as “anti-inflammatory ingredients like green tea extract and Cica (Centella asiatica) to reduce inflammation,” she says.
If you’re looking for an antiaging Korean eye cream, try ingredients known to target lines and wrinkles, such as peptides, snail mucin, retinol, bakuchiol, and ginseng, says Dr. Chung. “Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, snail mucin, peptides, and squalane help hydrate the thin eyelid skin and reduce the appearance of lines, while ingredients like bakuchiol, retinol, and ginseng can help stimulate collagen to prevent fine lines.” Just keep in mind that the skin around your eyes is very delicate so you should pat very gently when applying creams.
Best Korean Eye Cream for Dark Circles: Goodal Green Tangerine Vitamin C Dark Circle Eye Cream
Tested and reviewed by Glamour contributor Sarah Y. Wu
- Key ingredients: Organic green tangerine extract, niacinamide, adenosine, vitamin C peptide
- Fragrance-free: Yes
- Fast facts: Lightweight yet hydrating; recommended for all skin types (including sensitive skin); subtle brightening effect; layers well under concealer
Let’s get one thing straight: Don’t expect even the best brightening eye cream to do the camouflaging of an undereye concealer. But if the delicate skin around your eyes could use a subtle glow boost, try the Goodal Green Tangerine Vitamin C Dark Circle Eye Cream. Glamour editors and dermatologists love vitamin C as a key ingredient for brightening, plumping, and protecting skin. This eye cream gets its vitamin C boost from green tangerines, a fruit that’s naturally rich in the antioxidant. It’s paired with niacinamide, another popular ingredient for brightening and helping smooth skin texture and fine lines. “I always reach for this formula after a late night,” says Glamour contributor Sarah Y. Wu. “I love the lightweight texture that glides on and sinks right in, and it creates a beautiful smooth base for my undereye concealer. It also makes my skin look slightly dewier and glowier, which in turn makes my concealer look extra dewy and glowy—always the effect I’m after.”
Best Brightening Korean Eye Cream: Superegg Phyto Bounce Eye Contour Solution
Tested and reviewed by Glamour contributor Sarah Y. Wu
- Key ingredients: Tremella mushroom, peptides, caffeine, adenosine, niacinamide, amino acids, diamond powder
- Fragrance-free: Yes
- Fast facts: Clear gel; immediately brightens; gentle on sensitive skin; layers well under concealer
Superegg Phyto Bounce Eye Contour Solution received glowing reviews from four of our experts, cementing its well-deserved spot on our list. This clear gel contains powerful hydrators like hyaluronic acid and tremella mushroom, along with caffeine and niacinamide (a popular brightening ingredient). Because it’s so lightweight and smoothing, it layers well under makeup. “I discovered this eye cream from Superegg about a year ago, and I haven’t looked back since,” says Fiona Stiles, a celebrity makeup artist and founder of online makeup retailer Reed Clarke. “The fear, especially when I’m getting someone ready for a red-carpet event, is that eye cream will make their concealer crease or mascara run.” Stiles says that this gel “tightens, cools, and nourishes without manifesting any of my makeup nightmares.” She also uses it on herself before applying concealer, and “nothing shifts or creases” throughout the day. “More importantly, I trust it on my clients,” she says.
Charlotte Cho, a licensed esthetician and cofounder of Then I Met You and Soko Glam, says this is her favorite formula for sleepy mornings. “When dealing with puffy undereyes, I typically need a lightweight gel-textured eye cream that is cooling and will work well with my eye roller tools,” she explains. “This adds immediate cooling relief with a hyaluronic acid boost.” Dr. Chung confirms that the formula is “great for brightening and smoothing, especially for people who have normal to sensitive skin that suffer from dark circles.” While the formula isn’t shimmery, it immediately adds glow to under eyes. “There’s a sprinkle of diamond powder in this formula, which you won’t detect just by looking at it,” says Wu. “It’s so subtle that the gel still goes on clear, but it makes my concealer look extra dewy and lit from within.”
Best Korean Eye Cream for Fine Lines: CosRx Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream
- Key ingredients: Snail secretion filtrate, peptides
- Fragrance-free: Yes
- Fast facts: Recommended for sensitive skin; lightweight hydration; subtle brightening; has a temporary smoothing effect on fine lines
Snail mucin is one of K-beauty’s most popular ingredients, and you can find it in Korean eye cream. “Snail mucin contains a complex mix of glycoproteins, hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, copper peptides, and antimicrobial peptides,” says Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City. According to Dr. Chang, the ingredient’s “potential benefits” include “improved hydration, brightening, soothing, and antiaging,” although she adds that “unfortunately, large, randomized, controlled trials that specifically evaluate impact of snail mucin on human skin are lacking.” Still, CosRx Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream remains one of her personal favorite formulas. (The brand also makes one of the most popular Korean toners.) “It has 72% snail mucin to hydrate, soothe, and brighten the skin,” she says. “It’s also formulated with my favorite brightening ingredient, niacinamide, as well as five types of peptides to increase collagen production.”
