The skin around the eye is the thinnest on the face and rapidly reveals signs of fatigue and ageing. Argireline, often regarded as a topical alternative to botox, is sometimes promoted for its smoothing effect on the eye area. However, its impact on under-eye bags remains little understood. Could argireline help to reduce their appearance? Let us examine the evidence together.
Can argireline help reduce under-eye bags?
Published on November 17, 2025, updated on November 17, 2025, by Pauline, Chemical Engineer — 4 min of reading
Themes:
Is argireline a solution to under-eye bags?
The under-eye bags correspond to a localized swelling of the lower eyelid, resulting from fluid accumulation or relaxation of the supportive structures around the eye. Indeed, with age, fibroblasts produce less collagen and elastin. The skin then loses firmness and the connective tissues that support the orbital fat stretch, which can lead to bags. Moreover, blood circulation slows down, sometimes hampered by fatigue, stress, genetic predisposition or a high-salt diet, leading to local water retention. The result is visible under-eye bags that give the eyes a tired appearance, even after a restful night’s sleep.
To date, no scientific study has evaluated the effects of argireline on under-eye bags.
As a reminder, argireline is a peptide that acts by modulating the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, thereby reducing the intensity of the contractions responsible for expression wrinkles. This targeted action makes it a highly interesting active ingredient for the eye-contour area, where the skin is thin, delicate and subject to repetitive movements, particularly at the outer corner of the eye. Numerous studies have therefore evaluated argireline specifically in this area, but always with the aim of measuring its effect on periorbital wrinkles, and not on eye bags.
Moreover, based on its mechanism of action, there is no evidence to suggest that argireline can reduce under-eye bags. Indeed, under-eye bags are related to water retention or tissue laxity, phenomena that do not depend on local muscle activity. As argireline acts solely on the contractions that contribute to the formation of expression lines, its effectiveness on under-eye bags therefore appears to be limited. Given the current state of knowledge, it does not represent a relevant option for alleviating under-eye bags, even though it remains an interesting active ingredient for smoothing wrinkles and softening the gaze.
Find here all our recommendations for alleviating periorbital puffiness.
4 minutes to understand your skin. Our dermatological diagnostic guides you toward the ideal skincare for your specific needs. Simple, quick, personalized.
Sources
SIMON G. J. B. & al. What causes eyelid bags? Analysis of 114 consecutive patients. Plastic and reconstructive surgery (2005).
GALLARDO V. & al. Evaluation of the anti-wrinkle efficacy of cosmetic formulations with an anti-aging peptide (Argireline®). ARS Pharmaceutica (2010).
WANG Y. & al. The anti-wrinkle efficacy of argireline, a synthetic hexapeptide, in Chinese subjects. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology (2013).
YI T.-H. Sustainable dynamic wrinkle efficacy: Non-invasive peptides as the future of botox alternatives. Cosmetics (2024).
