Your under-eye patch questions answered
What are the best under-eye patches?
Peter Thomas Roth’s 24K gold pure luxury lift and firm hydra-gel eye patches are the best under-eye patches. While the upfront cost might leave you baulking, you’ll actually pay less than £2 per pair of masks, which beats my budget pick from Grace and Stella. After use, my eyes appeared plumper and more awake, even if the jury’s still out on the efficacy of the 24-karat gold. Meanwhile, Grace and Stella’s variety pack makes an excellent and affordable port of call if this is your first foray with under-eye patches. If you’re after something more indulgent, Elemis’ pro-collagen hydragel eye masks offer spa-like comfort with their oversized design.
How I tested and selected the best under-eye patches
As I do when testing any beauty product, I made a tailored requirement list for the under-eye patches to meet, if they were to land a spot in the final round-up. I reviewed more brands than the seven that made my shortlist, and when making cuts, I considered the testing criteria below.
- Design: While the teardrop under-eye patch shape is relatively standard across brands, there are differences between the materials and sizes on offer. A good under-eye mask should cover both the hollows under the lower lash line and any crows’ feet around the outer corner, so I paid attention to the designs that were big or curved enough to achieve this.
- Ingredients: It was a bonus if the patches offered ingredients that were beneficial beyond hydration, such as anti-ageing effects or minimising hyperpigmentation, especially if they did so for a reasonable price.
- Ease of use: I wanted my final edit to feature under-eye masks that stayed put without sliding off my face. Equally, they needed to be gentle to peel off, without adhering so well that they pinched my skin upon removal.
- Value for money: Given that under-eye patches are (for the most part) disposable, they don’t warrant as much investment as tools like LED masks. With that in mind, I sought out formulas that balanced hardworking ingredients with reasonable pricing, be that in a single-use sachet or a tub of numerous patches.
How to wear under-eye patches
Dr El Muntasar recommends applying under-eye patches to clean skin. “Apply the smaller tapered end to the inner corner of the eye and the wider bit to the outer eye,” he explains, adding that “most people have more puffiness on the outer side of the eye, so there’s more to address from a topical point of view.” After you’ve removed your masks, Dr El Muntasar suggests continuing with your usual eye cream moisturiser, and if it’s daytime, SPF, too.
Can under-eye masks help with dark circles?
According to Dr El Muntasar, under-eye masks can “very mildly” help with dark circles. “If the dark circles are a product of puffiness and shadowing, then [the under-eye patches] might help a little bit, but not as much as people would like.” Specifically, he explains, under-eye masks can help with issues such as dehydration, mild pigmentation and vascularity, but, unfortunately, “they wouldn’t get rid of hollowness, skin laxity or real pigmentation.”
Do under-eye masks work?
Dr El Muntasar says that under-eye masks do work. He cautions that the effects are “very, very, very temporary”, so anyone using them shouldn’t expect dramatic results such as an increase in collagen or an antidote to hollowness.
Can you sleep with under-eye masks on?
Dr El Muntasar advises against sleeping with under-eye masks on, arguing that you probably wouldn’t want “that much pressure and occlusion on the area, because it can make the under-eye quite oily and cause milia and irritation.” Instead, he instructs anyone using under-eye patches to do so for 30 minutes or less.
Do under-eye patches work on wrinkles?
“Maybe for some fine wrinkles, in terms of hydrating them, but not deep-set wrinkles,” according to Dr El Muntasar.
Are collagen eye masks supposed to burn?
No, definitely not. As Dr El Muntasar informs me, “Burning is not normal when it comes to anything around your eyes. Tingling? Maybe. Cooling? Definitely. But not burning, stinging, redness or anything like that.”
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Lucy Smith has been IndyBest’s beauty writer since July 2024 and has reviewed all manner of skincare products, from micellar waters and moisturisers for oily skin to SPF moisturisers and Korean skincare. This means she’s well-versed on all the latest and greatest brands, having covered launches from numerous brands, including Elemis and Summer Fridays – both of which feature above. She also suffers eye sensitivity and dullness in the under-eye area, so she was well placed to put the best under-eye patches through their paces.
For more recommendations, read our review of the best eye creams for tired eyes, tried and tested by a beauty editor
