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If you shake your head in disbelief hearing about someone's 24-step skincare routine, you're not the only one. Most of us just don't have time for that. I do what I can to use peel-off masks and sheet masks in my weekly routine, but the extra "work" it takes off the excess product can be kind of annoying. Plus, I always end up getting clay mask stuck in my hair.
Sometimes I come through on the full skincare routine and other times I fall short. Even so, I am all about the little luxuries and strive to multi-task whenever I can. That's why I wear under eye patches twice a day. Instead of cutting into my regular routine, I just keep them on while I do other things, which is the beauty of those work-from-home, audio-only calls. I am always moisturizing and I'm always on task.
After I wash my face in the morning, I put under eye gels on, keeping them there while I sip on my morning coffee and start my work day. When I'm not working, I have to admit that I'm not the best at winding down and actually resting, but without fail, I put under eye patches on my face every night. Whether I'm staying up late watching a true crime documentary or getting ahead on work, I am hydrating the under eye area at the same time.
Under patches are the little bit of luxury, relaxation, and hydration that I can indulge in twice a day, mess-free. I love trying out different eye gels. At this point, I've tried many of them and I have a lot of opinions. I decided to share my ultimate guide that addresses different prices points and specific skincare concerns.
TL;DR: I broke down my recommendations into eight categories:
The Best Overall: Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches
The Best Bargain: Dermora Store 24K Gold Eye Masks
The Most Luxurious Experience: Swissökolab Under Eye Patches for Puffy Eyes
The Best for Tired Eyes: BeMyLady Eye Masks for Dark Circles and Puffiness
The Best for Brightening: Live Tinted Rays Copper Eye Masks
The Best to Combat Puffiness: Suprance Green Tea Matcha Eye Mask
The Best to Use Overnight: Skyn Iceland Dissolving Microneedle Eye Patches With Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides
The Best Splurge: Knesko Skin Nanogold Repair Eye Mask
The Best Overall: Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm Hydra-Gel Eye Patches (30 Pairs)
If you want to pamper your skin, just put these on for ten minutes (or longer). When you're done make sure to gently pat any excess serum into your skin. They are infused with pure 24K Gold and Colloidal Gold, which Peter Thomas Roth says lift and firm the appearance of your skin. After using these, my skin feels soft and refreshed and puffiness disappears. These are just what you need to get ready for an event or even the next morning following a long night. These are effective and relaxing. I could not say enough good things about them. These are everything of the sort.
If you really want to take the experience to the next level, keep these in your fridge, which is a pro tip from someone who uses these every single morning. They're so worth the purchase. But, there's just one thing I need to warn you about: if you bring these on a group trip, all of your friends will want to try them out... and continue using them every single morning of your vacation. They're just that good. But, don't just rely on me for the recommendation. We've seen Kyle Richards wear these on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Plus they have 42K "loves" from Sephora shoppers.
The Best Bargain: Dermora Store 24K Gold Eye Masks (20 Pairs)
These are such a great deal and they're an amazing product. At $20, you're getting each pair for just $1, which is so worth it. These are so hydrating and super refreshing. Once again, I highly recommend keeping them in the fridge. These help me diminish under eye bags and that ever-dreaded puffiness.
They're individually wrapped, which is ideal for travel. As an eternal bridesmaid, I think that these are great to throw in gift bags for bachelorette parties too. I can never get enough moisturization and I adore these oh so much. I'm not the only one who likes these. Lisa Barlow, Kyle Richards, and Cassie Randolph have recommended these. They have 11,400+ 5-star Amazon reviews.
The Most Luxurious Experience: Swissökolab Under Eye Patches for Puffy Eyes (12 Pairs)
It's natural to equate the word "luxurious" with "expensive," but, thankfully, that's not the case here. These are available at such an accessible price point. The Swissökolab Under Eye Patches have so much product on them. It really feels like I'm getting the most hydration possible, but they're not messy at all and they stay put even when I'm walking around and talking (a lot). These are so packed with product, that I can keep them on for 45 minutes without them drying out. The experience is so refreshing, cooling, and calming, and you cannot argue with the results. My skin is softer, more radiant, and puffiness-free when I use this.
And in case you were wondering, yes these are better if you keep them in the fridge as well (that's always the case with under eye patches, in my opinion, anyway). These are individually wrapped, which is perfect for travel. Plus, pink is my favorite color, which is a fun bonus. They have 5,500+ 5-star reviews and they're on sale right now.
The Best for Tired Eyes: BeMyLady Eye Masks for Dark Circles and Puffiness
Yeah, I know these are not under eye patches, but hear me out, please. I'm not the best at getting eight hours of sleep at night. Plus, I spend a lot of time looking at screens every single day. Sometimes my eyes just feel heavy, puffy, and dry with dark circles. These heated eye masks are the ultimate solution. Additionally, they're easy-to-use, and incredibly relaxing. They are individually wrapped, so all you need to do is take it out of the pouch and it starts warming up. Close your eyes and put this on. These are great to decompress and they're so comfortable that you can easily fall asleep with them on. The single-use masks stay warm for about 25 minutes.
I am obsessed with these and I make sure that I never run out. This isn't one of those products that's gone viral, but I've been using them for 3 years and they have 1,600+ 5-star Amazon reviews.
The Best for Brightening: Live Tinted Rays Copper Eye Masks (5 Pairs)
If you're specifically looking to brighten your under eye, these sun-shaped under eye patches are worth checking out. If you don't believe me, test it out by putting on just one for 10-15 minutes and compare it to the other eye. These really do brighten up that area. Say goodbye to dark circles, dryness, redness, and inflammation. These are just as effective as they are adorable. These are so clutch before a big event.
The Best to Combat Puffiness: Suprance Green Tea Matcha Eye Mask (30 Pairs)
Under eye patches are the luxury you need in your everyday life. Trust me on that one. They are cooling, comforting, and hydrating. They're the perfect way to start and end my day. My skin feels so soft after and, once again, we are combatting puffiness with these. I indulge in these every day, but if you cannot, these are great skincare prep for a big event. I have seen a difference applying concealer and foundation after using these patches vs. not using them at all.
These Green Tea Matcha Eye Masks have 1,800+ 5-star Amazon reviews. If you want to try Cassie's beauty routine from Euphoria, these are amazing.
The Best to Use Overnight: Skyn Iceland Dissolving Microneedle Eye Patches With Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides
These are not cheap, especially since the price tag is just for one pair. I understand why you might be hesitant about buying them (because I was). These are not for everyday use. This are an intensive moisturizing treatment that you can use once a week (or even every other week). You will feel the teeny, tiny little microneedles when you put these on before bed. These are not the most "comfortable," I'm not gonna lie to you, but if you want major results, put them on right before you go to sleep. The effects are truly worth it.
When you wake up, you will be truly wowed by the transformation. When you take these off, you'll see that the little microneedles have dissolved into your skin, which is oddly satisfying. Your skin will feel soft, shine bright, and you can say goodbye to that "crepe-like" feeling. If you want to maximize your "beauty sleep" use these once a week.
The Best Splurge: Knesko Skin Nanogold Repair Eye Mask (6 Pairs)
To be honest with you, I bought these after seeing them on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Kathy Hilton had a spa day at her house, with gold-infused skincare treatments (by the way this brand has so many other great masks for the lips, neck, chest, and face). Plus we've seen Kyle Richards using these too. The RHOBH stars definitely influenced me to buy these and I'm so happy I got them. I don't use them every day, but I love to use them before a special occasion.
They make my skin look lifted, plumped, and de-puffed as if I'm enjoying a spa day at Kathy Hilton's house. I've noticed an increase in moisture, firmness and along with a decrease in redness and dryness.
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—Originally published Feb. 4, 2022, at 4:00 a.m. PT