Mastering the Art of Applying Under-Eye Gels: A Guide to Flawless Results

Not sure if you’re applying your under-eye gels correctly? This guide was made for you! 

Whether you love applying eye gels as part of your self-care routine or you’re totally new to this hot skincare trend, we know what it’s like to wonder if you’re using a skincare product to its full potential. 

Eye gels can be a mystery due to their shape and size, so we’ve created this guide to reveal everything you need to know about eye gels from application to benefits and must-have ingredients to search for next time you pick up a pair of patches.

Don’t be fooled by their size – eye gels are tiny yet mighty! The right ones have potent ingredients to heal stubborn skin concerns. The wrong ones can be wasting your money and hindering your results! Keep reading to uncover everything you need to know about eye gels. 

If you’re new to under-eye gels and just realizing how amazing this skincare hack can be, here are some benefits of incorporating eye gels into your skin routine.

Under-eye benefits of eye gels:

• Reduce puffy eyes
• Diminish dark circles
• Smooth out fine lines
• Hydrate dry under-eyes
• Brighten dull complexion
• Soothe irritation

There are all kinds of eye gel patches, but the best kind will have potent, natural ingredients that deliver amazing benefits to the skin and leave you feeling refreshed, vibrant, dewy, and glowy. 

We’re convinced there’s an eye gel out there for everyone! Depending on the vibe you’re going for or what skin concerns you have, eye gels differ by color, ingredients, and shape. 

Check out these ingredients to scout when shopping for your next eye gel re-up and you’ll be sure to target your under-eye skin concerns.

Other great ingredients to look out for are natural extracts such as reishi mushroom extract or coconut extract, peptides, and caffeine, as they all reduce dryness and aid in smoothing out the under-eye while reducing the appearance of fine lines. 

The best eye gel award goes to…

The coolest part about eye gels is their versatility – many different eye gels can address your skin concerns while also throwing in added benefits. Here are our favorite eye gels by skin concern! 

Best under-eye gels for fine lines 

Fine lines be GONE with these On Ice Eye Gels – these bad boys are designed to cool upon contact for a refreshing cocktail of skin-smoothing, depuffing ingredients. Packed with firming and nourishing ingredients like bakuchiol, cloudberry oil, and peptides, they help reduce pesky fine lines that nestle underneath the eye and even at the corners. They also reduce under-eye bags and brighten the skin while they’re at it! If you want to increase the de-puffing power, pop them in the fridge before use for a refreshing treat!

Serve Chilled™ On Ice Eye Gels - $4 1-Pair, $15 4-Pack.

Best under-eye gels for crow’s feet

Incorporate eye gels into your nighttime skincare routine for extra potency to banish crow’s feet around the eyes. The Restoring Night Hydrogel Eye Patches are formulated with a powerful combo of retinol, peptides, and arnica extract to help reduce the appearance of fine lines by boosting collagen production. Notice a naturally hydrated and softened under-eye after making these part of your nightly routine. 

Restoring Night Hydrogel Eye Patches - $5 1-Pair, $20 5-Pack, $40 15-Pack, $60 30-Pack

Best under-eye gels for dark circles

Looking to lighten up that dark cast under the eyes? Look no further than Bubbly Eye Gels for a powerful blend of orange extract, resveratrol, and niacinamide that will unveil brighter, revitalized eyes in no time! These eye gels will also help the pro-aging process.

Serve Chilled™ Bubbly Eye Gels - $4 1-Pair, $15 5-Pack, $35 15-Pack

Best under-eye gels for puffy eyes 

If you’re sooo over puffy eyes, you need eye gels loaded with caffeine to improve micro-circulation. Rejuvenating Eye Gels accelerate the delivery of caffeine and hydrolyzed collagen to revitalize your under-eye area, improving skin elasticity and reducing skin inflammation. 

These best-selling gels also brighten the eyes with rich vitamin C and essential omega-3 fatty acids for refreshed and revitalized look and wayyy less puffiness. Use these in your morning skin routine for 'just-woke-up-like-this' results.

If your eyelids are puffy, don’t forget to rock these gels on your lids to reap the benefits and see actual results! This might seem like a weird way to wear your eye gels, but it really works! We’ll talk more about how to wear your eye gels below. 

Rejuvenating Eye Gels - $4 1-Pair, $15 5-Pack, $35 15-Pack, $50 30-Pack

Best vibey eye gels for self-care Sunday 

If you’re looking for a fun self-care eye gel, the Allure award-winning Rosé Eye Gels are the perfect pair of pink eye gels. Doused in the refreshing scent of rosé wine, this ultimate dry-skin savior is a treat to the senses as well as your delicate eye area. They also pack a punch, formulated to protect skin from environmental aggressors with their antioxidant-rich combination of resveratrol (sourced from real grapes!) and strawberry extract, plus an ultra-hydrating dose of hyaluronic acid.

Rosé Eye Gels - $4 1-Pair, $12 5-Pack, $35 15-Pack, $50 30-Pack

How to wear eye gels the right way

Now that you’re well equipped with the proper eye gels to reduce your specific skin concerns, let’s address the elephant in the room: are you wearing your eye gels the right way? 

4 easy steps to apply eye gels: 

Step 1: With clean hands, carefully remove the eye gels from their packaging. 

Step 2: Figure out how you’d like to place your eye gels, depending on your under-eye concerns (more on that below).

Step 3: Place eye gels onto a clean, dry under-eye area for 5-15 minutes.

Step 4: Discard after use and massage the remaining serum into your skin.

3 ways to wear eye gels

Eye gels have a teardrop shape, meaning they’re wider on one end and have a thin tail-like shape on the other. Depending on your under-eye needs, the way you place the eye gels will change. 

If you want to target under-eye bags, place your eye gels with the wider part facing toward the nose. If you’re looking to diminish crow’s feet ( fine lines at the corners of the eyes), place the tail-like end of the eye gel toward the nose. 

Ways to wear eye gels:

1. Rounded side in targets undereye bags
2. Skinny side in targets crow’s feet 
3. Over the eyes targets upper-eyelid puff

Why does your under-eye concern change the way you position the eye gel?

The widest part of the eye gel covers the most surface area. So, if you want to get rid of pesky fine lines by the outer portion of the eye, you need to cover it with the eye gel as best as you can. 

It sounds intuitive because it is! Don’t get confused by the way others are wearing them and what you’ve been told. How you wear your eye gels is unique to your under-eye needs! If that’s not proof enough, we’re even recommending you wear your eye gels over your eyelids! 

Eye gel FAQs 

Here are some common questions about eye gels and how to apply them.

Why do some people put their eye gels way below their under-eye?

If your eye gels are sitting on your cheeks instead of underneath your eye, you’re not reaping the benefits! It might be easier to apply them this way and more comfortable, so many people have taken to this for aesthetics and vibey photos. However, this won’t get you the results you’re looking for under the eyes. Angle them to make sure they cover the target area.

How long is too long to wear under-eye gels?

Typically it’s recommended to wear under-eye gels for anywhere from 5-15 minutes. But just like cake, too much of a good thing can quickly turn bad.

Leaving eye patches on longer for 20 minutes can make your skin dry and dull, so keep it short! You’ll see more improvements if you wear them consistently for short periods instead.

Why are my eye gels slipping down my face?

If you’re having a hard time getting your eye gels to stay put, your skin might still be wet from washing your face. Make sure the area is dry to prevent slipping and sliding.

How often should I use eye gels to see results?

For best results, apply under-eye patches 1-2 times a week. Consistency is key so make sure to incorporate this into your skincare routine. 

If you’re having a hard time staying committed to your skincare routine, maybe it’s time to craft a skincare routine tailored to you. When you’re investing in seeing the results, it’ll be easier to stay committed to a daily habit.

It’s time to elevate your under-eye ritual

You’re officially a master in the art of eye-gels, go tell your friends! There’s a chance they could be applying their eye gels incorrectly too. 

Now that you're armed with the knowledge to achieve flawless results using eye gels, it's time to elevate your under-eye ritual. Whether you're targeting fine lines, crow's feet, dark circles, or puffy eyes, there's a perfect pair of eye gels waiting for you.

The more often you use eye gels, the more confident you’ll become in the application process and start seeing results. It’s best to make the eye gels part of your daily or nightly routine to form a habit. Eye gels, just like all other skincare, need more than just one application to yield results. 

The good news is that face masks come with an aura of chill – you can’t help but sit on the couch and relax while you enjoy the pampering experience, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. Lean into that feeling and indulge in the self-love that comes from this self-care experience. You deserve it!