Do eye gels and patches actually help with wrinkles and dark circles?

If, like me, you’re a glutton for some of those ‘Real Housewives’ shows you’ll likely have noticed the ladies frequently sporting little gel eye patches of a morning.

In the last couple of years they seem to have become the anti-aging beauty accessory. But are they anything more than a gimmick?

The skin around our eyes is of course thinner than elsewhere and is therefore more susceptible to fine lines, darkness and puffiness.

It’s also why it’s important not to miss your eye area when applying sunscreen to protect this thinner skin from the harsh impact of prolonged exposure to UV rays.

Gel eye patches have been touted as an effective way of restoring hydration and plumpness to the skin around the eyes with marketeers telling us that they can have both an immediate impact and a longer-term impact too due to the cumulative effects.

So here’s my take on them having tried quite a few on the market, including those with the little dissolving micro-darts designed to penetrate the skin barrier to push ingredients deeper into the skin.

And, if you have time, you can also watch my microneedle eye patch review.

My experience with gels and patches

I can absolutely attest to the plumping effect of any type of gel mask left on the skin overnight or for a period of an hour or more.

It’s largely because moisture gets trapped between the gel and the surface of your skin which leaves an instant but temporary result.

In my experience the effect is lost within hours – but I think it’s a great idea to use them before an occasion or for when you want to look your very best.

Considering a lot of gel patches are now infused with active ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, there is a potential cumulative effect to be found in wearing them – but I’m not a big fan of using non-recyclable products like this frequently because of the unnecessary waste.

At the end of the day, Vaseline and other oil-based products will help trap moisture on the surface of your skin and prevent it from evaporating and will also have a temporary plumping effect.

So there are more environmentally and cost-effective alternatives out there.

The mask is made from mulberry silk so not only is it comfortable it should help prevent lines, and has a similar though not as pronounced, effect to eye patches.

Among them is something like the Dr Harris Anti-Wrinkle Sleep Mask which is sold by CurrentBody. It’s priced around £59 in the UK and $80 in the US and what’s clever is it has little raised silicone dots on the skin side of the mask designed to stimulate receptors in the skin to relax your muscles and help prevent furrowed brow.

It is a great alternative for those of you who don’t like the idea of using disposable nightly patches but would appreciate the benefits.

Best gel patches

For those who want to try out eye gels and masks then Skyn Iceland’s Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels are a beauty industry favourite and are enriched with hydrolysed elastin to increase firmness, alongside acetyl hexapeptide to reduce visibility of fine lines.

Patchology offer every kind of mask and eye patch imaginable including their popular Rose patch range which, just like the wine, you chill in the fridge before enjoying the effects! I like their illuminating eye gels which have vitamin C and green tea for a brightening effect.

More importantly, they’re reasonably priced with some of their eye gels coming in around  £15 for 5 pairs and similarly priced in dollars.

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