The Best Eye Serums
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know I’ve been on a very long search for the best eye serum. My holy-grail eye serum, the one that set the standard for hydration, smoothing, and fine-line plumping, was sadly discontinued and sent to the skincare heavens. Since then, I’ve tested countless contenders in the hope of finding a proper replacement. Some eye serums have been far too thin and watery to make a difference, while others were overly rich, risking those tiny white milia bumps around the eyes (the ones that look like whiteheads but absolutely won’t and you shouldn't squeeze).
If you’re in your 30s and starting to notice early signs of dryness or dehydration around the eyes, an eye serum is absolutely worth considering. It can turbo-charge your existing eye cream, delivering deeper hydration and targeting fine lines before they fully set in. And if you’re in your 40s or beyond, your collagen and hydration levels will truly thank you for layering an eye cream over your serum.
After months of testing and endless comparisons, here are the best eye serums that truly impressed me, and that deliver real, long-lasting results.
The Best Eye Serum Under £25
The Body Shop Edelweiss Eye Concentrate
This product completely surprised me, I genuinely wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this eye serum. It’s incredibly hydrating and beautifully plumping (thanks to all that moisture), and it’s loaded with antioxidants to help protect this delicate, easily stressed area. The hero ingredient, Edelweiss, has 43% more antioxidant power than retinol, though it’s important not to confuse that with the skin-renewing action retinol is known for.
The texture is super lightweight, absorbs quickly, and is formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin B3 to support smoother, stronger, more resilient skin.
If the skin around your eyes is sensitive, dehydrated, or just constantly thirsty, this eye serum is definitely one I would recommend. Think of this serum as hydrating and shielding the skin from environmental skin damage.
L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Filler Eye Serum - 2.5% Hyaluronic Acid and Caffeine Eye Serum
This serum is formulated with 2.5% hyaluronic acid, which delivers hydration to help plump and smooth the eye area. It’s also blended with caffeine, a brilliant decongestant that helps reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness by improving microcirculation.
If you’re in your 30s, this is an ideal eye serum to introduce into your routine. For those whose fine lines haven’t fully settled in, meaning they’re more linked to dehydration or tiredness, rather than static lines (lines that are visible even when the face is at rest). This formula will leave the skin around your eyes looking refreshed, hydrated, and visibly smoothed.
If you’re not seeing too many lines yet and want to focus on prevention, hydration, and maintaining a smooth under-eye area, this is a fantastic option.
Best Eye Serum £60 and Under
Elemis Pro Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment
This formula is brilliant. It’s incredibly hydrating thanks to a rich blend of moisture heroes, humectants, amino acids, and natural moisturising factors (NMF) all of which help the skin barrier attract and retain essential moisture. Although the amino acids included are classified as “non-essential” (meaning the skin can naturally produce them), their levels decline as we age. They play an essential role in skin repair and in softening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Together with NMF components, they help keep the skin’s surface intact, supple, and deeply hydrated. This Elemis eye serum genuinely reminds me of a facial essence; it floods the eye area with hydration.
The texture is gorgeously lightweight yet intensely hydrating. The formula is packed with barrier-supporting ingredients that help smooth dehydration lines, boost moisture retention, and strengthen the delicate skin around the eyes. Blue Flower Linseed, rich in omega-9 fatty acids, proteins, and minerals, provides instant comfort and softness, while hydrolysed wheat protein and collagen amino acids temporarily smooth and plump fine lines, making them appear less noticeable.
For those in their 30s and under, it’s an excellent preventative option on its own. If you’re in your 40s or beyond, pair it with a targeted eye cream for maximum hydration and anti-ageing benefits. Do a patch test first if you have sensitive skin, as this formula does contain fragrance.
If the skin around your eyes is dry, dehydrated, or just chronically thirsty, this eye serum is one I would absolutely recommend.
PURCHASE HERE Linking this offer as it will be while stocks last, but too good to miss out on. The duo includes Elemis Pro Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment and Pro-Collagen Future Restore Serum
Clarins Double Serum
Since its launch, Clarins Double Serum Eye has remained one of my go-to recommendations, not only for its luxurious texture, but for its intelligent dual-phase formula and results-driven ingredient blend. Inspired by the iconic Double Serum for the face, this eye-specific version combines thirteen plant extracts with advanced technology to hydrate, nourish, and protect the delicate eye contour.
It’s infused with turmeric, a powerful antioxidant that defends against daily environmental stressors, and kiwi extract, rich in vitamins to energise and replenish tired-looking eyes. Oat sugars help smooth the skin and support firmness, while leaf of life acts as a hydration hero, boosting the skin’s water reserves for long-lasting comfort.
The real standout, however, is organic wild chervil extract. Backed by Clarins research, this botanical has been shown to improve cell cohesion — essentially helping skin cells stay more closely connected so they can communicate, repair, and regenerate more efficiently. As we age, these cellular connections naturally weaken, contributing to loss of firmness and slower skin renewal. Wild chervil supports Alpha-V integrins, which are essential for cell regeneration, helping the eye area appear firmer, smoother, and more resilient over time.
While Clarins claims visible results in seven days, my experience was more gradual. I didn’t see a dramatic improvement in firmness within the first week, but I did notice an immediate boost in hydration, a smoother texture, and a fresher, more awakened appearance. With consistent use, the benefits became increasingly noticeable.
If you’re looking to hydrate, smooth, and defend the eye area while addressing early signs of ageing look no further.
Eye Line Elixir Serum Concentrate - Organic Neroli and Rose Otto
I was really fascinated to see what results I would get from this eye serum. I am huge fan of plant oils and essential oils and have seen incredible results, naturally they are rich in omegas and have an amazing affinity with the skin. This is the only serum that is more of an oil-based serum as opposed to water, packed with beautiful oils of organic rose otto, neroli, baobab and moringa oil to smooth and moisturise the eye area. This eye serum is truly stunning and the rollerball option is a must as it allows you to be able to tease the oils into the lines and glide effortlessly over the skin without dragging the skin.
If you have dry, lined and crepey skin around the eyes you will love this.
Best Eye Serum £100 and Over
Wildsmith Active Super Eye Serum
This eye serum combines hydrolysed (low-molecular-weight) hyaluronic acid to hydrate and visibly plump lines and wrinkles. It floods the skin with moisture, and given that hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, it helps restore the bounce and suppleness that naturally diminish with age. By the time we hit our 30s, we’ve already lost around 50% of our natural hyaluronic acid reserves, which is why fine lines become more noticeable, making replenishment essential.
The formula also includes a powerful combination of green coffee and larch tree extract, both of which support cell renewal and skin repair. Green coffee is particularly impressive, offering greater antioxidant power than vitamins C and E over 48 hours, ideal for delivering long-lasting environmental protection. The eye area absolutely depends on antioxidants, especially if you struggle with dark circles. This skin is delicate and fragile, and daily exposure to pollution and free radicals can damage the tissue, leading to inflammation, increased puffiness, and deeper discolouration.
If you experience dark circles, under-eye bags, fine lines or wrinkles, this is an eye serum I would strongly recommend.
La Prairie Skin Caviar Eye Essence
This essence is gorgeously lightweight and layers beautifully under any eye cream. At its core is the iconic La Prairie Cellular Complex™, the brand’s signature patented blend. Created across three separate laboratories and kept closely guarded, this complex is designed to energise skin cells, support renewal, and help counteract the visible signs of ageing. It goes far beyond basic hydration, focusing on longevity by protecting cells from environmental stress while helping to reset ageing markers at a deeper level.
The formula is also intensely hydrating, featuring panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) and glycerin to replenish moisture and strengthen the skin’s barrier. Soothing extracts from algae, Panax ginseng root, and horsetail add comfort and resilience. Two skin-nourishing ferments, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus, bring additional repair and conditioning benefits. And of course, the star ingredient, caviar extract, delivers that unmistakable La Prairie luxury while supporting firmness and suppleness.
Your skin feels instantly refreshed, smoother, plumper, and noticeably firmer, with fine lines softened and puffiness reduced. It’s indulgent, absolutely and also incredibly effective.
Thank You For Reading
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Happy shopping, and thank you again for being here!
Fiona x
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