Are Instagrammable under-eye patches worth your penny?

From Chanel to Dior and Dieux to d’you, several brands now offer under-eye patches. But do they really work?

It’s no secret that your lifestyle practices show up on your face—whether it’s in the form of taut-looking skin due to dehydration, a film of greasy sebum due to overindulgence in high-sodium foods, or wrinkled and fatigued under eyes owing to insufficient sleep. Every so often, make-up fails to conceal it all—think a mega-sized patch of pimples or severely tumefied under-eye bags. That’s where your skincare routine can realistically help you attain healthier skin. Having said that, on days when you’ve woken up with baggy eyes and have a meeting to attend in the next hour, you stand in need of quick fixes. Enter under eye patches that claim to alleviate signs of fatigue, ageing, dehydration and even signs of a hangover in under 15 minutes. We ask experts to weigh in on whether under-eye patches are worth giving a shot or not.

What do under-eye patches do?

“Under-eye patches are nothing but occlusive agents used to ensure minimal evaporation or loss of water (or the skincare products one uses) from the surface of the skin,” says Shamika Haldipurkar, founder of homegrown skincare brand d’you. The comma-shaped masks are created specifically to fit into your periorbital area like a glove and boast a host of benefits. Today, under-eye patches are available in both single-use and reusable variants. “The occlusive patches are designed to hydrate and infuse the actives (in your serum or cream) in a better way,” says New Delhi-based dermatologist and author of Skin Sense, Dr Kiran Sethi. “When you occlude an active onto the skin, it increases its efficacy and strength. Plus, under-eye patches are moisturising as they are usually made up of silicone,” she adds. 

While Haldipurkar, whose brand offers reusable eye patches, and Sethi’s theses are better applied to reusable under-eye patches, celebrity dermatologist Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta sheds light on the advantages of single-use eye masks that function similarly to sheet masks. “Under-eye patches, soaked in a concentrated essence or serum, contain a potent blend of moisturising agents, vitamins, minerals and other active ingredients. Such patches are supposed to provide moisturisation, hydration and other nutrients to nourish the sensitive under-eye skin,” says the dermatologist. However, reusable eye patches have a conspicuous upper hand over single-use ones because of elevated eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, multi-functionality and longevity. “Reusable ones may lose their moisturisation capability as compared to one-time use ones but the latter will ultimately be more expensive,” states Sethi.

Necessity or indulgence?

“The skin under our eyes is thinner than the rest of our face and because of the muscles surrounding the eye area, the under-eye skin is constantly moving. Therefore, the products one uses in this area don’t stay on the surface of the skin for too long,” says Haldipurkar. “Thinner skin means lesser occlusion, which also means this area of the face is prone to faster water loss from the skin. Silicone patches aim to reduce this trans-epidermal water loss from the skin, plus act as an occlusive agent to seal in whatever product you use underneath the patches and thereby enhance its efficacy,” she adds, reinstating Sethi’s assertion. 

While every company offering under-eye patches does stand tall in their claims—better absorption and augmented efficacy of products being the top two ones—it doesn’t essentially make the cut for an ‘it’s either this or nothing’ product. “For me, under-eye patches are a luxury, feel-good item instead of an essential,” shares skincare and beauty content creator Aleena Darwesh who believes that the product basically hydrates and instantly de-puffs the eye area, and that’s about it. Upon being asked if the benefits of under-eye patches really have some merit, she says, “Compared to consistently using eye treatments—no. Temporary benefits—yes.”

On the same lines, Haldipurkar admits that it’s definitely an indulgence. “We are pretty upfront about this with our brand communication as well. Nothing in skincare besides a good cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen is really essential,” she adds candidly. “The patches also require a commitment to daily usage to see results. It’s not a product you can use once and expect results.” The founder believes that the case of under-eye patches adopts the same philosophy as sheet masks—they are indulgent but people enjoy them. She says that if one isn’t into masking, then one might as well adopt reusable materials that are scientifically proven to give you better results than use-and-throw ones.

Mittal Gupta has a slightly different opinion, for her under-eye patches “are more of a necessity because the under-eye skin is thin and delicate and contains lesser amounts of sebaceous glands, making it more prone to dryness and vulnerable to wrinkles and other signs of ageing.” 

Ways to max out the benefits

The product may have bagged mixed opinions; however, if you’re someone who still wishes to give under-eye patches a shot, you’re not alone. The product is a staple in the vanities of celebrities like Jessica Alba, Kim Kardashian, Priyanka Chopra, Jennifer Anniston and Lady Gaga. “The skin around the eye area is extremely fragile and, if neglected, can become dry, puffy and congested and age your face beyond your years,” skincare expert and Elemis co-founder Noella Gabriel toldRefinery 29. 

“You can layer a hyaluronic acid serum first and then stick on an eye patch to hold the moisture better. Pop them in the fridge for a few minutes before applying for an extra de-puffing effect,” recommends Darwesh. If you’re in the mood to glam up , she suggests under eye patches be used right before make-up application so your base sits better without creasing. According to Haldipurkar, the patches can be used anywhere on your face, and not just in the periorbital area. “While these are marketed for the under-eyes, they can technically be used anywhere on the face to treat skin in patches,” she affirms. Elaborating further, she explains, “People can face skin barrier damage or flaky skin in patches and not necessarily all over the face. So the patches work well for ‘zone-treating’ the face wherever you see extra dry skin or a damaged barrier. Just finish your skincare or apply an emollient cream and place the patches anywhere on the face for faster healing in that zone.”

Mittal Gupta offers a word of caution, explaining, “One shouldn’t disregard instructions on the product’s packaging as they are advised by professionals, doctors and cosmetologists. And in case you’re opting for single-use, product-soaked eye patches, do not apply any serum, essence or cream underneath—it simply won’t work.” 

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