5 De-Puffing Eye Creams That - Gasp - Actually Work

When TikTok users find a beauty product that works, they tend to share it with the digital world by way of a video extolling the formula’s abilities. Recently praised concoctions, for example, include a full-coverage foundation balm and a color-changing lipstick. The latest viral hit, however, is the magically de-puffing prowess of Peter Thomas Roth’s Instant FirmX Temporary Eye Tightener.

TikTok user @Trinidad1967, a 54-year-old woman, shared a video demonstrating the eye cream’s effects by applying it underneath just one eye so viewers could see the comparison to her skin without it. Two minutes later, the results were visibly astounding: The treated eye area had completely de-puffed and smoothed out. Since it was posted on Aug. 25, it’s garnered over 5 million views... and the Peter Thomas Roth product is sold out on multiple beauty retailers’ websites.

Although the de-puffing effects seem otherworldly, the key ingredient to the product’s efficacy isn’t. The star that does the smoothing trick is a salt compound known as sodium silicate, an eye cream ingredient that delivers the most dramatic short-term results, says Dr. Marie Hayag, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Fifth Avenue Aesthetics in New York City.

“The sodium silicate creates a framework that contracts as the product dries, and this is what provides the almost instant tightening effect,” says Hayag. These effects, however, only last as long as the product remains on your skin. “The benefits will be gone as soon as the product is washed off, so the results are definitely temporary,” she explains.

To address under-eye puffiness on all fronts, Hayag recommends reaching for an eye cream that has sodium silicate combined with another ingredient that has a “slower burn,” like peptides, to smooth the skin over time. Peptides work by stimulating collagen production and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. She also points to skin-boosting superstars vitamin C and vitamin E, both antioxidants that protect your complexion from free radical damage and help skin maintain its elasticity.

While the viral Peter Thomas Roth product is still sold out, you can shop de-puffing eye creams with similar results below.