Trust us, we love our traditional eye creams. But rollerball versions take a good thing and make it even better. Kind of like adding ice cream to pie or getting that extra 10-minute foot massage when you’re getting a pedi. If you haven’t yet used one, they’re simply serums (lighter than thicker creams) that come with a rollerball applicator. The benefits of this unique delivery system are plentiful.
Generally made of metal, the tips are innately cooling, even more so if you follow our lead and stash them in the fridge. This not only feels nice but is also choice for helping to take down puffiness, fast. The other upshot? Rolling the eye serum on, versus simply tapping it in with your fingertips as you usually would, acts as a little mini massage for the area under your eyes. This too might be a choice way to boost circulation and flush out the build-up of excess fluid that can cause, you guessed it, a puffy and swollen appearance. Couple that de-puffing prowess with the fact that many of these formulas offer a whole host of other benefits—line-fighting, dark circle-fading—and you may never want to go back to classic eye cream again, especially in the morning.
Check out our picks of the best rollerball eye serums, below.
Best Overall
First Aid Beauty Detox Eye Roller 0.28 oz
Eyes feel refreshed
Contains antioxidants
Addresses puffiness
Not ideal for super dry skin
Who else recommends it? Brit + Co and StyleCraze both picked the First Aid Beauty Detox Eye Roller 0.28.
What do buyers say? 75% of 500+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.
Multi-tasking for the win. This baby does it all, using caffeine meant to knock out undereye circles, peptides meant to smooth out fine lines, and sodium hyaluronate to hydrate. It’s also packed with a host of antioxidants, super important since you want to be extra diligent about protecting the ultra-thin skin around your eyes that’s even more susceptible to damage than elsewhere on your face. We also appreciate that it’s free of alcohol, fragrance, and parabens (just to name a few), so irritation is never a concern.
Price at time of publish: $24
Active Ingredients: Witch hazel, wheat protein, peptides | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, smooths and hydrates | Dosage: 2-3 rolls | Size: 0.3 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Drugstore
Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Anti-Puff Eye Roller
Feels cooling on skin
Helps calm redness
Addresses puffiness
Contains alcohol
An oldie-but-goodie, this drugstore staple gets the de-puffing job done, stat. It’s packed with caffeine and vitamin C meant to leave you looking bright-eyed, and while all rollerballs are cooling by nature, this formula ups the ante thanks to the addition of invigorating mint.
Price at time of publish: $14
Active Ingredients: Glycerin, caffeine, peppermint leaf extract | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, smooths | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Cooling
Origins No Puffery Cooling Roll-On For Puffy Eyes
Hydrating formula
Feels cooling on skin
Lightweight gel texture
Can be a little messy
Chill out, literally, with this ultra-cold de-puffer. Not only is it pleasantly chilly and refreshing, but the lightweight texture of the serum also won’t mess up your makeup; swipe it on whenever that that 3 pm afternoon slump hits. Plus, a unique type of mushroom extract is meant to deliver extra hydration.
Price at time of publish: $35
Active Ingredients: Hoelen mushroom extract, caffeine | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, smooths and hydrates | Dosage: 2 rolls | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Luxury
Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Eye Serum
Hydrating formula
Helps fill in fine lines
Can also be used on expression lines
Expensive
When you really want to treat yo’ self, reach for this option, which does in fact have a gold tip. There’s 24K gold infused inside the formula too, used for its antioxidant and soothing properties, according to the brand. But you’re not just paying for gold. The formula is filled with anti-agers, like stem cell extract and peptides meant to quickly minimize the look of wrinkles.
Price at time of publish: $230
Active Ingredients: Rose water, sodium hyaluronate, peptides | Benefits: Smooths, hydrates, helps fill in lines | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Dark Circles
Bliss Eye Do All Things Brightening Eye Gel
Helps fade dark circles
Addresses puffiness
Feels cooling on skin
Packaging could be improved
If you’ve had a late-night, early morning, or, horrors, both, it’s likely that your eyes will be both puffy and riddled with shadows. That’s where this pick comes up huge. The steel rollerball gently massages the skin to flush out fluid, but the serum also has the slightest light blue sheen. That subtle hint of color works to quickly counteract dark circles, giving you a leg up before you even reach for a concealer.
Price at time of publish: $22
Active Ingredients: Squalane, peptides, caffeine | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, smooths and hydrates | Size: 0.7 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Sensitive Eyes
Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage
Feels cooling to use
Wears well under makeup
Easy to apply
Could be more hydrating
In true Clinique fashion, this roller has been ophthalmologist-tested and is free of alcohol and fragrance, so no matter whether you have sensitive peepers, skin, or both, this is choice.
Price at time of publish: $37
Active Ingredients: Caffeine, grape seed extract, panthenol | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, smooths and hydrates | Dosage: 2 rolls | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
If you notice your under eye area looking fatigued mid-day, this roller can be used as a mid-day pick me up since it can be layered over makeup.
A powerful combo of ingredients deliver results instantly and over-time, a win for those of us for whom patience isn’t a strong suit.
Best Organic
Eminence Organic Skin Care Hibiscus Ultra Lift Eye Cream
Has a unique, angled applicator
Addresses puffiness
Hydrating formula
Expensive
Key Ingredients
Jojoba oil is a natural oil produced from the seed of the Chinensis plant, a drought-resistant shrub native to southern Arizona, California, and Mexico. It mimics natural sebum and conditions and seals moisture in the skin without clogging pores or exacerbating acne.
Given that the skin around your eyes is so thin and delicate, it makes sense to try and opt for eye products with cleaner, more natural formulas. Enter this guy, loaded with certified organic ingredients such as hibiscus meant to increase elasticity and keep skin supple, protective plant-based antioxidants, and moisturizing jojoba oil. The slightly angled applicator tip also makes it easy to reach all the contours around your eyes.
Price at time of publish: $99
Active Ingredients: Phytonutrient blend, vitamin B5, wine, caffeine | Benefits: Reduces puffiness, smooths and hydrates | Dosage: A thin layer | Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
What to Look For in Under Eye Rollers
Targeted Benefits
Under eye rollers can provide various benefits. When looking for under eye rollers, choose one that addresses your specific skin concerns. Most target puffiness and dark circles, but others will also include cooling ingredients, target fine lines, provide antioxidants, soothe, and hydrate.
Look for under eye rollers with vitamin C, antioxidants, nourishing oils, and caffeine ingredients.
Hydrating Ingredients
Under eye rollers that provide hydrating ingredients can act double-duty for nourishing and moisturizing the skin while de-puffing and cooling. This can help provide a smooth base for your makeup and lock in moisture for healthier skin. Look for ingredients such as glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, squalene, and jojoba oil.
Non-Irritating
The skin under the eyes is delicate and sensitive. Look for under eye rollers that leave out potential irritants or ingredients that can dry skin, such as alcohol, fragrance, and parabens if you have sensitive skin.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.