Whether you're already an eye serum user or you think eye serums seem silly and unnecessary, read on.

Consider your skin care routine: You have workhorse serums that brighten dark spots and fight wrinkles, and you have fluffy face creams that feel good and moisturize. Right?

The eye serum vs. eye cream situation is similar. Sure, an eye cream is hydrating and gentle enough for the delicate eye area, but what's it doing for your crow's feet? Probably not much — because odds are your beloved eye cream contains more water than active ingredients. If you want real results, you have to use an eye serum.

The latest eye serums (and balms, gels and oils) outshine their eye cream predecessors. Like your other skin care serums, they're loaded with ingredients that actually get stuff done. And eye serums might be even more important than the other serums cluttering your medicine cabinet — the eye area is generally the first place wrinkles crop up. Are you convinced yet? Here are 11 new eye serums to choose from.

Image via Imaxtree

When Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Eye-Opening Serum, $48, was in development, the scientists over at Kiehl's wanted to fight crow's feet, but they also wanted to make eyes look more open. And they succeeded — according to clinical data, after four weeks your eyes will look bigger and brighter. Plus, this serum contains more than 10 percent botanical extracts, and it has a silky, pearlescent quality that instantly brightens up the skin.

Fans of the iconic Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum, get excited: Now, there's ANR for the eye area, too. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum, $65, has all the age-fighting benefits of the original, plus it's wildly hydrating. You won't miss your eye cream for a second.

As the name suggests, Darphin Ideal Resource Anti-Dark Circle Eye Illuminator, $60, is designed to treat dark circles. But it's the cooling, soothing, depuffing metal applicator that we're most excited about -- it feels like an ice cube being rubbed under your eyes. The formula also has the perfect amount of tint to brighten eyes on makeup-free days, and peptides and vitamin C to improve skin over time.

Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Eye Serum, $46, contains a smorgasbord of skin-brightening mushrooms mixed with herbs like ginger and turmeric to calm the skin. Inspired by traditional Chinese medicine, this serum will make the thin skin around your eyes stronger and more resilient (to ward off future wrinkles).