#Skin Care
These Cooling Eye Masks Boost Hydration, Fade Dark Circles, And Feel So Refreshing
by Caroline Harris
Image Credits: 100% Pure Instagram
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Waking up with dry, puffy eyes can throw your whole day out of whack before it has even started. Fortunately, cooling eye masks exist to make those bleary-eyed mornings a little sweeter. These healing treatments help fade dark circles, reduce puffiness, smooth fine lines, and boost hydration. In addition to making you look like you got a full eight hour’s sleep no matter the truth, eye masks feel so refreshing thanks to rejuvenating ingredients like cucumber and lavender.
RELATED: Perk Up Your Peepers: Best Eye Creams for Every Purpose
Cooling eye masks come in two basic forms: gel and under-eye. You may be wondering, what’s the difference? Gel eye masks cover the top half of your face, with straps securing the fit and cut-out placement so you can still see. They’re filled with gel beads to relieve swelling, dryness, and irritation, and the masks essentially act as ice packs for the sensitive eye area.
Meanwhile, under-eye masks target the delicate skin under the eyes to improve firmness and elasticity, while also delivering hydrating benefits. Cooling under-eye masks, in particular, are similar to applying cucumbers to your eyes — the masks are nourishing, with ingredients like sea water and aloe leaf working to revive your peepers. Under-eye masks come in the form of both patches and creams, so you can choose whichever formulation you prefer.
The best cooling gel eye masks:
- Best Overall: Optix 55 Gel Eye Mask with Eye Holes
- Cute Design: Hilph Cooling Mask for Puffy Eyes
- Great for Depuffing: Kimkoo Gel Eye Mask
- Best Splurge: Angela Caglia Skincare Self Love Rose Quartz Eye Mask
- Best Budget: Ariel EDGE Plush Hot/Cold Eye Mask
The best cooling under-eye masks:
- Best Hydrating: 100% Pure Bright Eyes Mask
- Best Gold: Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Mask
- Great Water Eye Patches: Milk Makeup Cooling Water Eye Patches
- Best Eye Sleeping Mask: Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask
Treat yourself to these cooling eye masks from retailers like Amazon, Sephora, and Revolve. The eye treatments are perfect for recuperating from late nights and early mornings, and we recommend storing them in the refrigerator or freezer to enhance their nourishing effects. After trying out these cooling masks for eyes, you might even become a morning person – or at least look refreshed for that early-morning meeting.
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Best Cooling Gel Eye Masks
1 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Optix 55 Gel Eye Mask with Eye Holes
This reusable eye mask fits comfortably on most faces thanks to its flexible gel beads and adjustable strap. The mask is hand washable and built to last for many pampering sessions. What’s more, this gel eye mask relieves pain, reduces swelling, and helps prevent acne.
2 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best Overall
Hilph Cooling Mask for Puffy Eyes
This eye mask looks adorable with its eyelash and reindeer detailing in addition to its range of colorful hues. The cooling mask features soft plush fabric to keep you cozy. You can use the mask for either cold or hot therapy, and it’s easy to clean with a damp sponge or towel.
3 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Cute Design
Kimkoo Gel Eye Mask
This gel eye mask relieves eye fatigue, making it perfect for recuperating after a red-eye or all-nighter. Use the mask for six to eight minutes for best results, and see why one happy Amazon shopper says “this is the best eye cooling mask I have ever used.”
4 of 10 Image Credits: Revolve
Great for Depuffing
Angela Caglia Skincare Self Love Rose Quartz Eye Mask
Self-love is key, which is why celebrity esthetician Angela Caglia themed this luxurious eye mask around the topic. This cooling mask is made with real rose quartz crystals that soothe facial muscles, improve circulation, and reduce the appearance of pores, among other benefits. At $140, this mask is an investment – but Caglia is often referred to as the “Hollywood Glow Girl,” so this best-selling eye treatment is definitely the real deal.
5 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Best Splurge
Ariel EDGE Plush Hot/Cold Eye Mask
Reap the positive effects of a soothing eye treatment for under $10 with this cooling Amazon option. The eye mask comes in pretty pastel shades of blue, green, pink, orange, and purple that scream summer. You can also order the eye mask with or without eye cut-outs depending on your preferences.
Best Cooling Under Eye Masks
6 of 10 Image Credits: 100% Pure
Best Budget
100% Pure Bright Eyes Mask
This under-eye mask is made with natural caffeine for de-puffing, cucumber for cooling, and aloe vera for quenching. You can choose from either a single mask or a five-pack, and the product is both vegan and cruelty-free.
7 of 10 Image Credits: Sephora
Best Hydrating
Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Mask
These gold eye masks are a Sephora best-seller with over 21,000 loves at the time of this writing. The masks include rose gold foil to make you feel like you’re at the spa, along with ingredients like lavender oil, aloe leaf extract, and jojoba seed oil to cool and soothe the skin. Plus, you get six masks for just $25, which is a total steal.
8 of 10 Image Credits: Sephora
Best Gold
Milk Makeup Cooling Water Eye Patches
Milk Makeup is known for its high-quality, multipurpose products, and these versatile eye patches are no exception. Formulated with caffeine and sea water, the patches work to reduce redness, de-puff, energize, and soothe the under-eye area.
9 of 10 Image Credits: Revolve
Great Water Eye Patches
Tonymoly Moisture Boost Cooling Hydrogel Eye Patches
These eye patches from beloved K-beauty brand Tonymoly provide tons of moisture and work for most skin types to minimize under-eye bags and the appearance of fine lines. The patches are sulfate- and paraben-free, and they feature ingredients like sea water, plankton, and anti-aging hyaluronic acid for hydrating and protecting your skin.
10 of 10 Image Credits: Sephora
Perfect for Tired Eyes
Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask
This eye sleeping mask from another popular K-beauty beauty brand contains encapsulated retinol to help with unevenness and early signs of aging along with avocado and coffeeberry for nourishing damaged skin. Sephora shoppers are raving about how great their skin looks after using this product, declaring, “using this mask makes the skin around my eyes noticeably smoother, less puffy, and more hydrated.”
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