Under-eye patches are having a moment right now. Over the course of three days, four highly influential beauty brands found themselves in an awkward position when Fenty Skin, Huda Beauty, and Glow Recipe simultaneously announced the launch of fresh-sliced eye masks, joining Korean label Wonder Bath—who released their “Slice Serum” eye patch line earlier in July—on the attempt at groundbreaking skincare innovation.
These supposedly unprecedented hydrogel patches are an advancement from the conventional eye patches as they are stored as one chunk of jello-like formula and freshly-sliced into the comma shaped pieces before usage. To the internet’s amusement, Fenty Skin turned the manufacturing debacle into humour and genius publicity by posting the all-too-familiar Spider-Man meme on their socials.
The rise of under-eye patches in recent years is undeniable. They have gone from beauty hack to the hottest eye accessory—to the point where it became impossible to log on to Instagram and not see a celebrity or influencer posing in a selfie with bright-coloured or monogrammed patches resting under their eyes. With all the discourse surrounding under-eye masks right now, we thought it would be a good opportunity to give our readers a breakdown on this fairly new skincare invention.
So what do under-eye patches do?
Introduced around the early 2000s, under-eye masks are essentially skincare masks meant to depuff and hydrate the area under the eyes. The skin under our eyes is delicately thin and prone to early signs of aging, puffiness, and irritation compared to the other parts of our faces, hence the extra attention. Many have incorporated under-eye patches into their morning routines because that is when our faces are usually most puffy, due to overnight fluid retention. Many have also found that it smoothens the skin before makeup.
How do I know which under-eye patches suit me?
In reality, the effectiveness of an under-eye mask depends more on the ingredients used than the patch itself. And to discover which under-eye patch suits your skin, you’ll have to identify the concerns you intend to target. If your concern is puffy eyes and dark circles, look for caffeine. And if you’re looking to combat fine lines, firmness or dryness, ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptides will help.
Do I actually need under-eye masks?
While it is easy to get addicted to that feeling of peeling off your eye masks and the instant gratification of having treated yourself to a little luxury, the actual effects of under-eye patches are limited. If you are looking to tackle serious concerns like fine lines or deep hollows, we would recommend an eye cream or serum instead. These provide long-term moisture and protection, while the patches offer quick, targeted boosts for instant depuffing and hydration, making them more suitable for special occasions. Either way, under-eye patches can still be a fun addition to your self-care ritual.
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