Journal
Reusable or single-use eye patches?
Single-use patches come soaked in their own formula and go in the bin after one wear. Reusable silicone patches contain nothing themselves: they work with the eye cream you already use and last for many wears. Which is better depends on what you want from them.
We sell reusable patches, so we have a side in this. We have tried to be fair to both, and plenty of people happily use both.
Side by side
| Single-use | Reusable silicone | |
|---|---|---|
| What is in them | A hydrogel or fabric soaked in the brand’s own serum | Nothing. You choose the eye cream or serum underneath |
| How they work | Release their formula onto the skin | Slow evaporation of your own product, so it stays on the skin longer |
| Feel | Cool and jelly-like, often thicker | Thin and soft; cool if kept in the fridge |
| Cost per use | From under £1 to several pounds a pair | About 30p a use for a £29.90 set used 100 times, falling the longer it lasts |
| After use | Into the bin, along with sachets or jars | Rinse, dry and back into the case |
When single-use patches make sense
If you love a particular formula and want it delivered in one easy step, single-use patches are hard to beat. The thick, cooling hydrogel is lovely after a long day. They are also handy for an occasional treat, when you don’t want to think about cleaning anything afterwards.
When reusable patches make sense
If you already have an eye cream you like, reusable patches simply help you get more from it. They suit a regular routine, because the cost per use keeps falling and nothing goes in the bin. And because they contain no ingredients, you can change your cream with the seasons and keep the same patches.
What about the waste?
Every single-use pair is thrown away after one wear, and many come in individual sachets or tubs of liquid. Used a few times a week, that adds up to hundreds of pairs a year. One reusable pair, looked after, covers the same ground.
Our honest summary
Choose single-use if the formula itself is what you are buying. Choose reusable if you want your own eye cream to work harder, every day, for less. If you are weighing up reusable options, our guide on how to choose reusable under-eye patches covers what to check.