Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector

Bottom Line

Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector contains ingredients that immediately reduce the appearance of dark circles and others that may diminish them over time. Whether the eye cream can truly eliminate dark circles is debatable, but compounds within the formula can strengthen and protect skin, which may make dark circles less noticeable. Although this new product isn't reviewed much by users, we give it a Best Reviewed tag because it's a top pick of two professional reviewers and it's loaded with state-of-the-art ingredients. If you have puffy eyes, experts recommend a cooling gel that contains caffeine like Estee Lauder Idealist Cooling Eye Illuminator (*Est. $60 for 0.5 oz.) .

Performance

Temporary brightening. Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector makes Allure magazine's list of best beauty products for 2012 because it produces instant results and reduces dark circles over time, editors say. Skin care expert Paula Begoun says the formula "helps disguise dark circles" with a combination of titanium dioxide to brighten the eye area, mica to reflect light away from dark shadows and iron oxides to conceal with a light flesh tone. She says the results are purely cosmetic, however, and the eye cream contains nothing that can permanently lighten dark circles. Its smoothing ingredients -- namely silicone -- also temporarily reduce the appearance of dark circles, she adds.

Even so, Begoun likes the formula's "beautiful array of anti-aging ingredients to help strengthen skin around the eyes (or elsewhere on the face) so it is better able to resist signs of aging that make dark circles look worse." Clinique Even Better Eyes contains antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and green tea extract; caffeine; mulberry root, which may have some lightening properties; the anti-inflammatory phytosphingosine; and cholesterol, which restores the skin's barrier. Allure editors say the eye cream is very hydrating, but there aren't many user reviews.

Feel And Smell

Cool, silky texture. Reviewers say Clinique's fragrance-free Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector "feels cool on the skin" and absorbs quickly. Begoun likes its lightweight, silky texture.