Do hydrogel eye patches work? What they can and can’t do

Under-eye patches are everywhere, from airport shops to social feeds. They can make the eye area look
fresher for an event or a morning after a short night. Here’s what’s realistic.

What a hydrogel patch is

A hydrogel patch is a water-rich gel shaped to sit under the eye. It holds a serum against the skin for 10
to 20 minutes, which keeps the ingredients from evaporating and gives a cooling feeling. The main effects
come from two things: hydration, and the ingredients in the gel.

What the ingredients can do

Hyaluronic acid and glycerin attract and hold water, so the thin under-eye skin looks smoother and
lines caused by dryness look softer for a while (see our guide to
hyaluronic acid on damp skin).
Niacinamide helps even out the look of skin tone with regular use; its best-known studies used about
5% applied daily for weeks (Bissett et al., 2005), which is a different routine from occasional patches.
Cooling from the gel can make the area look less puffy in the short term.

Research on patches as a format is limited, so the fair summary is: they are a pleasant, short-term
hydration boost, and they won’t change the structure of the eye area.

What they can’t do

Patches won’t remove hereditary dark circles (often caused by thin skin or pigment) or bags caused by fat
pads. If puffiness is new, one-sided or painful, see a doctor.

How to use them

Apply to clean, dry skin, shiny side off, a few millimeters below the lash line.
Leave for 15 minutes; chill the box in the fridge first if you like the cooling effect.
Remove and pat the remaining serum in. Follow with eye cream if you use one.

Our Anti-Age Hydrogel Eye Patches
combine niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe and panthenol. They’re fragrance-free and come seven
pairs to a box.

Sources

Bissett DL, Oblong JE, Berge CA. Niacinamide: a B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance.
Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(7 Pt 2):860–865.

Cosmetic information, not medical advice. Patch test new products.