Fashion

No matter the season, the best under-eye patches can elevate any beauty routine—just ask Salma Hayek Pinault, who sleeps in hers. But when cold weather rushes in, a good eye mask becomes essential for staving off dark circles, dry skin, and the puffiness that follows a late night of caviar, blinis, and martinis (‘tis the season to indulge, after all).

“Fall and winter bring colder temperatures, lower humidity, and more indoor heating—all of which can leave the delicate under-eye area feeling dry and tight,” says Whitney Tolpinrud, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the medical director of Curology. “This is a great time to lean into hydrating under-eye masks a bit more often.”

Vogue’s Favorite Under-Eye Patches

Speaking of hydration, Dr. Tolpinrud recommends eye masks with glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or antioxidants to ward off winter dryness. “These ingredients help protect the skin against the environmental stressors that are more common during the colder months,” she notes.

And if you’re traveling anytime soon, leave room for patches in your carry-on bag. “Airplane cabins are notoriously dehydrating, so popping on a pair of patches before or after a flight can make a big difference in how refreshed your eyes look and feel,” Tolpinrud says.

In addition to hydrating the under-eye area—which is, by the way, great for pre-party makeup prep—eye masks can target concerns ranging from puffiness to fine lines and hyperpigmentation.

When it comes to under-eye patches for dark circles, “Look for masks that include antioxidants or brightening ingredients such as vitamin C or licorice extract,” Dr. Tolpinrud instructs. “These can help improve the overall tone and radiance of the under-eye area.”

Ready to add a set of under-eye patches (or a few) to your eye-opening routine? Ahead, pros reveal the best masks to keep in stock all fall, winter, and beyond.

In This Story

Best for Morning: Rhode Peptide Eye Prep

• Why We Love It: Per Instagram, Rhode’s new peptide eye patches are a part of Hailey Bieber’s everyday morning routine—but admittedly, the Rhode founder may be a bit biased. So, take it from an expert with no (under-eye) skin in the game: According to Rayva Khanna, MD, a dermatology resident at Georgetown University Medical Center, “Rhode’s under-eye masks are cooling hydrogel patches perfect for morning use.” She explains that the eye treatment contains caffeine to constrict blood vessels and reduce puffiness. “They also contain hydrating powerhouses like sodium PCA and glycerin,” Khanna says. “The result is eyes that look refreshed, smooth, and awake in minutes.” A second endorsement comes from Kristina Collins, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs micrographic surgeon in Austin. “This formula is a standout for its blend of peptides and hydrating ingredients that help smooth and strengthen the delicate under-eye barrier,” she says. “It instantly refreshes tired eyes while creating the perfect base for concealer or makeup—ideal for morning prep.”
• Key Ingredients: Caffeine, peptide, sodium PCA, glycerin
• Benefits: Improves puffiness, fine lines, and dark circles; cools, brightens, tightens, and hydrates the delicate skin area
• How to Apply: Apply to clean, dry skin for 10 to 15 minutes, two to three times per week or as needed. Discard after use.
• Count: 6 sets of patches per box

Best Fine Lines: 111Skin Celestial Black Diamond Eye Mask

• Why We Love It: Anne Hathaway is a fan of 111Skin’s Celestial Black Diamond Eye Masks, and has the lovely doe eyes to prove it. But it’s not just celebrities who back the sparkly under-eye patches. According to Sandrine Dixneuf, spa director at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, “The 111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond Eye Mask is a client and esthetician favorite worldwide. It delivers an instant hydration boost with hyaluronic acid, plumps with marine collagen, smooths fine lines with retinol, and brightens with niacinamide.” (The patches are so esthetician-adored at the Grand Cayman property, they’re even used in its Celestial Black Diamond Non-Surgical Face Lift Facial.) The masks are made from hydrogel, which, Dixneuf says, is particularly well-suited for dehydrated, puffy, and tired eyes.
• Key Ingredients: 111Skin’s peptide complex, hyaluronic acid, retinol, rose hip extract, hexapeptide, and diamond particles
• Benefits: Firms, tightens, plumps, hydrates, evens out skin tone
• How to Apply: Cleanse skin, then remove protective film from both sides. Apply the hydrogel patch under each eye and leave it on for 20 minutes.
• Count: 8 sets per box

Best Rejuvenating: Chanel Le Lift Firming Anti-Wrinkle Flash Eye Revitalizer

• Why We Love It: “Le Lift Flash Eye Revitalizer is ideal for patients looking for an instant refresh before an event,” Dr. Khanna says. “The hydrogel patches are infused with low molecular weight hyaluronic acid and glycerin to plump and hydrate. They also contain Chanel’s proprietary eye complex for brightness, and escin to reduce puffiness.” Overall, she says, the luxe eye masks smooth fine lines and brighten the eyes in minutes, which makes them ideal for anyone seeking quick and visible results—a scenario she knows well. “These are my go-to eye patches before a big event,” Dr. Khanna says. According to Dr. Collins, the masks also offer benefits that last long after the party ends. “This is a true luxury treatment,” she says. “It delivers an immediate tightening and smoothing effect that’s perfect before an event or long day, while peptides and botanical extracts support long-term firmness and resilience.”
• Key Ingredients: Chanel’s Le Lift ingredient 3.5-DA (an extract from the edulis morning glory, dicaffeolyquinic acid), botanical extracts, camellia seed oil, arginine
• Benefits: Helps reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness over time, while also smoothing out fine lines and erasing signs of fatigue. The metal roller ball also provides a subtle cooling effect.
• How to Apply: Apply the roll-on serum first, then place the hydrogel patches directly under the eyes.
• Count: 10 pairs of patches per box

Best for Travel: Summer Fridays Jet Lag Eye Patches

• Why We Love It: A standby in Dr. Khanna’s travel kit, “Summer Fridays’ hydrogel under-eye patches are designed to minimize the look of dark circles,” she says. “Niacinamide helps brighten the under-eyes, while glycerin and hyaluronic acid deliver lasting hydration.” The royal-blue patches are also infused with caffeine, which, Dr. Khanna says, constricts blood vessels to reduce puffy eyes. “With all those ingredients together, these patches make the ultimate in-flight essential for refreshed, well-rested under eyes,” she says.
• Key Ingredients: Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, cucumber extract, panthenol
• Benefits: Hydrates, soothes, de-puffs
• How to Apply: Apply patches to clean, dry skin and leave them on for at least 10 minutes. Discard after use, and pat any remaining serum into the skin.
• Count: 6 pairs per box

Best for Night: Patchology FlashPatch Restoring Night Eye Gels

• Why We Love It: Salma Hayek Pinault’s secret weapon for pepping up her eyes overnight, Patchology’s restorative eye gels are designed to work the night shift. Infused with anti-aging retinol, peptides, and hydrolyzed collagen, the eye masks also contain hydrating and soothing ingredients such as glycerin and arnica extract. “This combination of ingredients makes them perfect for people looking to soften their fine lines and wrinkles over time,” Dr. Khanna says. While Hayek Pinault wears hers all night long, the technical instructions are to wear the masks for five minutes or longer, per the brand.
• Key Ingredients: Retinol, peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, arnica extract
• Benefits: Plumps fine lines, minimizes dark circles, hydrates
• How to Apply: Apply to clean, dry skin and keep on for five minutes or longer. Discard after use, massaging in the remaining serum.
• Count: 5 pairs per box

Best for Firming: Augustinus Bader The Eye Patches

• Why We Love It: Augustinus Bader’s golden eye patches are infused with the brand’s signature TFC 8 complex, which triggers cellular repair. The masks—which play into Dua Lipa’s skincare regimen—also contain green tea, sunflower root extract, and vitamin B5. “These are powerful antioxidants,” says board-certified plastic surgeon Julius Few, MD. “[They protect] against UV damage and stimulate collagen production.” What’s more, they’re easy to wear. Per Dr. Khanna, the masks feel “lightweight and refreshing” on the skin under the eyes. A great self-care beauty product to gift this season, too.
• Key Ingredients: TFC 8 complex, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, fermented polysaccharide, allantoin, vitamin B5, green tea, sunflower root extract
• Benefits: Hydrates, brightens, plumps, smooths fine lines; reduces hyperpigmentation and dark circles
• How to Apply: Apply to clean, dry skin and leave on for up to 20 minutes. Use two to three times a week.
• Count: 6 pairs of patches per box

Best With Retinol: Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask

• Why We Love It: Shiseido’s Benefiance pads pack a one-two punch: In addition to smoothing the appearance of wrinkles near the eyes, they can target laugh lines when placed around the mouth. The masks are infused with pure retinol and Shiseido’s WrinkleResist24 Technology, which has hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline. As Dr. Shamban explains, “This combination can stimulate collagen production, reduce fine lines, hydrate, and improve skin elasticity, making it best for evening use to optimize the skin’s circadian rhythm and repair mechanisms.” For board-certified dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, MD, it’s tough to beat the masks’ star ingredient. “Retinol is one of my most recommended ingredients in skincare—it is really the gold standard [for anti-aging],” he says. “Retinol helps boost the production of collagen and elastin, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and expedites cellular turnover for a more youthful look.” Dr. Hartman recommends using Shiseido’s masks as part of an evening skin-care routine a few times a week.
• Key Ingredients: Pure retinol, Shiseido’s WrinkleResist24 Technology (featuring hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline)
• Benefits:
• How to Apply: After cleansing and before applying serum or moisturizer, apply one mask at a time under the eye. Leave on for 15 minutes, then gently remove. Because the formula includes retinol, we’d recommend applying at night and following with SPF in the AM.
• Count: 12 pairs per box

Best for Tightening: Goop Lift + Depuff Eye Masks

• Why We Love It: Granted, Gwyneth Paltrow has a stake in calling Goop’s lifting, depuffing eye masks “the best [she’s] ever tried.” Nevertheless, the Goop founder’s endorsement—and the masks’ clean and active ingredients—piqued my curiosity, and I’ve been testing them out over the past few days. Soaked in a milky serum made with honey locust seed extract, olive leaf stem cells, squalane, and niacinamide, the masks were designed to firm, brighten, and hydrate the under-eyes in just 10 minutes. A couple of things have stood out to me during my trial run: First, the masks’ durable material, VEOCEL Lyocell fibers, makes them adhere to the skin remarkably well, so they’re easy to incorporate into a morning routine, however rushed it may be (and mine is, regrettably, not leisurely). Secondly, I’ve noticed that the skin around my eyes is visibly smoother and dewier when I peel the patches off. Though the masks are packed with active ingredients, those with sensitive eyes shouldn’t necessarily shy away: these have also been ophthalmologist and dermatologist-tested, and they’re fragrance-free. That said, the brand recommends patch-testing before the first use.
• Key Ingredients: Honey locust seed extract, niacinamide, wild olive leaf stem cells
• Benefits: Firms, brightens, moisturizes
• How to Apply: Using tweezers or a spare spatula if you have, remove a pair of masks from the jar and pull them apart. Let the masks sit for 10 minutes under the eyes, discarding after use and patting in excess serum. Designed for daily use, the brand recommends patch-testing on the skin inside the elbow before introducing the masks to the under-eyes.
• Count: 30 pairs per jar

Best Reusable: Dieux Forever Eye Mask

• Why We Love It: You’ll never need to buy another pair of under-eye masks again. Dieux’s bestseller eye masks, designed—as their name suggests—to be used in perpetuity, are made of 100% silicone gel to be used with your eye serum or cream of choice. As Beverly Hills-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban explains, the material creates a protective and occlusive barrier over the under-eye area. “[These masks are] ideal for nighttime use to keep the skin hydrated while allowing for better absorption of active ingredients, assisting in nighttime recovery,” she explains.
• Key Ingredients: Silicone
• Benefits: Sustainable, can be used with your go-to under-eye products
• How to Apply: Simply apply your favorite eye cream or serum, then place the mask on top for deeper penetration.
• Count: 1 reusable pair per box

Best for Dark Circles: Topicals Brightening & Clearing Eye Masks

• Why We Love It: “This is my go-to eye mask recommendation for anyone dealing with dark circles caused by hyperpigmentation,” Dr. Khanna says. “They stick to the skin incredibly well and are packed with brightening agents like kojic acid, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid.” A common accessory for Dr. Khanna during a morning workout or coffee run, the masks have proven to be budgeproof, even as she buzzes around. “By the time I take them off, my under-eyes look refreshed and brighter,” Dr. Khanna reports.
• Key Ingredients: Kojic acid, caffeine, niacinamide
• Benefits: Brightens and evens out skin tone
• How to Apply: Apply the masks to clean, dry skin under the eyes and let them sit for 15 minutes, two to three times a week.
• Count: 6 pairs per box

Everything You Need to Know