If You Can’t Use Your Sunscreen Around the Eyes, Try These SPF Eye Creams

First and foremost, know that you don’t actually need a separate sunscreen for the eye area. You can use your facial sunscreens on the under-eyes and all over the eyelids.

But you’re not alone if your sunscreen irritates when you use it around the eyes. It happens. And it’s more common when you have sensitive eyes or ocular rosacea like yours truly.

That’s when you consider separate sun protection for your eyes in the form of SPF-infused eye creams. While the benefits of eye creams are plenty, sunscreens have no rival when it comes to skincare that fends off wrinkles and lines caused by unprotected sun exposure.

So when you combine the skincare benefits of an eye cream with the anti-aging benefits of sunscreen, you can protect the eye area from the damaging effects of free radicals and prevent the early arrival of signs of aging around the eyes.

The only downside with SPF eye creams is that they’re pretty rare. When I say rare, I mean eye creams with SPF above 30! And that leaves us stuck with pretty pricey options.

But rest assured, if you need an eye cream with sun protection, these will not disappoint! Find below the best eye creams with SPF to use around the eyes for ultimate sun protection.

Best Eye Creams with SPF

1. Colorescience Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35

If you already have sensitive eyes, your facial sunscreen is probably mineral. And that’s the one to go for to use around the eyes too. Because mineral sunscreens are very unlikely to irritate or make the eyes watery. This is unrivaled in this department. The mineral SPF eye cream is 100% fragrance-free and plumps the skin with hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5.

It has signal peptides and vitamin E for added anti-aging action. It comes with an applicator tip for convenience and feels weightless around the eyes. Plus, it comes in different shades to match different skin tones. And that allows you to get some concealer benefits too. If you don’t have major discolorations under the eyes, you don’t even need to apply concealer on top of this.

Key Ingredients: Vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid
SPF: Mineral, 35
You’ll Like It If: You prefer tinted SPF eye cream
Good To Know: The applicator tip reduces puffy eyes, fragrance-free, vegan

2. Supergoop! Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream SPF 40 PA+++

This is by far the most raved-about SPF eye cream. Well, I think it’s brilliant. The eye cream has a light pink tint to it that blends out but it leaves the eye area super radiant like a healthy glow. Plus, it has caffeine to help with dark circles in the long run too. And it plays well with your concealer.

The mineral SPF is water-resistant for up to 40 minutes, which is handy if it’s raining or if you’re sweating. But if you’re like me, it means you’ve got yourself a good 40 minutes of crying before you need to start worrying about reapplying your sunscreen.

Key Ingredients: Caffeine, probiotics, green tea
SPF: Mineral, 40
You’ll Like It If: You prefer high-concentration sun protection
Good To Know: Cruelty-free

3. Coola Day SPF 30 & Night Organic Eye Cream Duo

On the flip side, if you don’t have sensitive eyes or don’t mind chemical sunscreens and you’re just looking for a good eye cream with SPF, you can try this. This is like the fast lane to smooth, bright, youthful eyes. This has 2 different eye creams, one for the day and one for the night.

Considering the total amount, the level of protection, and the price, this is actually more cost-effective than most SPF eye creams. The daily eye cream contains SPF 30 as well as vitamin C to protect the eye area and reduce dark circles. The night eye cream contains an equally potent antioxidant, resveratrol, to rejuvenate the eye area. Both creams are moisturizing and helpful in minimizing fine lines by plumping up the skin.

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, resveratrol
SPF: Chemical, 30
You’ll Like It If: You prefer organic skincare
Good To Know: Cruelty-free, vegan

Are SPF eye creams necessary?

No, because eye creams aren’t the only way to keep the eye area protected from the sun. You can use your daily SPF around the eyes. Just like the way you apply it on the face, bring it closer to the under-eyes to cover that area. If your face sunscreen irritates your eyes, consider switching your sunscreen before trying an SPF-infused eye cream. It’s because these eye creams can be expensive and they’re not always easy to apply under makeup. So investing in a gentle sunscreen you can use all over your face makes more sense than using a separate SPF for your eyes.

How do I choose an eye cream with SPF?

You can divide SPF eye creams into two categories: the one that focuses on sun protection and the one that focuses on eye care. Because it can be difficult to achieve both. If your priority is sun protection, go for eye creams that contain at least SPF 30. If you have very sensitive eyes, go for eye creams with mineral sunscreens as they tend to be gentler.

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