The Best Eye Creams With SPF

For the thin, delicate skin around your eyes, you may want to double up on your sun protection by using an eye cream with SPF. Though before reaching for just any old eye cream with SPF, you may want to read this article first. According to dermatologist Dr. Susan Van Dyke, the best eye creams with SPF contain physical — also known as mineral — sun blockers, like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Why? “Non-physical blocks are chemically based and can be a source of eye stinging and burning,” Dr. Van Dyke explains.

It’s up to you if you want to pick a product designed solely for the eye area that contains SPF or use your mineral-based facial sunscreen all over, the doctor says. “There are sunscreens which are specifically formulated for the thin, delicate, and sensitive skin of the eye area and that is great! On the other hand, you don’t have to exclusively use an eye-specific sunscreen. Most facial sunscreens will be fine, but be careful to choose one that is light and [made] for sensitive skin,” says Dr. Van Dyke. She adds that along with picking a gentle mineral sunscreen, you should also avoid ingredients that can cause stinging and irritation if they get into your eyes, such as fragrance.

Below are the best eye creams with mineral SPF — harder to find than you might expect — as well as two face sunscreens that contain ingredients that are beneficial for the skin around your eyes. To shop them now, keep scrolling.

1. The Overall Best Eye Cream With SPF

Supergoop!’s Bright-Eyed 100% Mineral Eye Cream is an eye-area sunscreen that offers up SPF 40 protection courtesy of non-nano zinc oxide. It’s has a hint of a universal pink tint that allows it to blend into skin more inconspicuously, since mineral sunscreens can often leave a white, ghost-like cast behind unless you do a lot of rubbing, which is definitely something you want to avoid when it comes to the delicate skin around your eyes. Added moisture and brightening benefits come from olive oil, pomegranate, antioxidant-rich green tea leaves, Hawaiian white ginger, and caffeine, the latter of which can help with puffiness. Overall, this is an eye cream that covers pretty much all of your eye-related bases, while still being gentle.

2. Best Tinted Eye Cream With SPF

Featuring SPF 35 derived from mineral ingredients, Colorescience’s Total Eye 3-in-1 Renewal Therapy has a cool (literally) wand-like applicator that feels refreshing upon contact under and around your eyes. It’s rich in nourishing ingredients like glycerin, jojoba, sea water, and marine algae to support collagen production, as well as plant-based hyaluronic acid and peptides to promote smoother, plumper skin. This eye cream is also fragrance-free and comes in four tinted shades, so it offers a bit of coverage in addition to those other skin care benefits.

3. A Solid Choice For An Added Boost Of Sun Protection

This lovely eye cream from Dermalogica contains an SPF of 15, which is a great companion to your facial sunscreen or tinted moisturizer with SPF, though it doesn’t offer enough sun protection on its own, as the American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends wearing SPF 30 or higher daily. It’s full of ingredients that work to soothe, brighten, moisturize, and exfoliate, including bisabolol, allantoin, centella asiatica, and lactic acid. Layer this under your other products to reap both immediate and long-term benefits around your eye contour area, such as smoother skin and less-noticeable dark circles.

4. Best Moisturizer With SPF That’s Also Great For Your Eye Area

If you prefer an all-in-one facial sunscreen that’s gentle and nourishing enough to use around your eyes rather than needing two different products, try Paula's Choice DEFENSE Essential Glow Mineral Moisturizer. Made with zinc and titanium dioxide for sun protection, this SPF 30 moisturizer contains several skin-brightening antioxidants that you’d normally find in an eye cream, like licorice, niacinamide, and vitamin C, so it’s great for giving both your under-eyes and your entire face a glowy boost (these ingredients are also great for offering environmental protection and promoting a more even complexion). It’s free of common irritants like synthetic fragrance, and has a nice, lightweight feel to it.

5. Best Tinted Moisturizer With SPF That’s Great For Your Eye Area

Australian Gold’s fragrance-free tinted face sunscreen, which comes from their best-selling botanical line, is a fan favorite for so many reasons, including a very reasonable price point; an all-mineral, oil-free formula; and a water-resistant rating of 80 minutes. Made with non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, as well as nourishing and skin-protecting botanicals (like eucalyptus, kakadu plum, and red algae), this lotion is offered in three tinted shades and leaves skin with a matte, shine-free finish. It’s great for offering natural-looking coverage for your entire face, and thanks to its antioxidant benefits, it’s great for your eye area, too. This sunscreen is, in fact, gentle enough that it received the seal of acceptance from the National Eczema Association, meaning that even people with sensitive skin can use this safely.

Expert:

Susan Van Dyke, M.D., Board-certified dermatologist and founder, Van Dyke Aesthetics