When I turned 32, I began to reconsider my stance on eye creams—which I’d previously deemed superfluous given the smooth, bright skin I’d taken for granted in my 20s. These days, I awake to greige shadows and puffiness even icy water can’t quell. My under-eye skin—an area that’s thin, delicate, and notoriously prone to rapid aging—has adopted a crinkly texture that bodes poorly for concealer application.

Desperate to restore some semblance of my college-era skin, I turned to an eye cream from Tatcha—a brand beloved by beauty editors, Oprah, and Meghan Markle. The brand’s Brightening Eye Cream promised to ameliorate each of my under-eye woes, including sallowness, puffiness, and laxity. After two weeks of daily use, the formula singlehandedly converted this naysayer into an under-eye cream-proponent.

The Tatcha Brightening Eye Cream is a lightweight, creamy treatment for dark circles, fine lines, crepiness, and puffiness. The formula features brightening ingredients praised for their illuminating benefits, in addition to firming properties that tighten crepey skin and target pouchiness.

The key brightening agent? Vitamin C. Beloved by dermatologists, the antioxidant fades discoloration over time and ultimately creates a more even-toned, refreshed skin surface. Also present, Niacinamide: a B vitamin and anti-aging powerhouse known for its hyperpigmentation-pummeling properties. Together, the illuminating duo tackles dullness, yielding brighter under-eyes.