I'm 51 and test skin care for a living: Here are the weekend's best Amazon deals

If your under-eyes are looking puffy, dark and tired, we're happy to report that there's an easy — and tres affordable — fix. These eye masks are formulated to reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness while making you feel like you're getting a spa treatment in your own home. And who can resist a shimmery skin-care find? 

With real gold and ingredients like tea tree oil, glycerin, castor oil and collagen, these patches promise to revitalize your skin and reduce puffiness in 20 minutes.

Exfoliants are essential for turning over dead skin cells and promoting skin health and collagen production no matter your age. However, they're particularly important in your 40s, 50s and beyond to keep your face from looking dull and tired. 

This Bliss serum is an excellent entry point — it's gentle yet effective and good for all but the most sensitive skin types. It smells good too. 

There are loads of pricey treatments and potions meant to decrease facial puffiness, promote collagen growth and improve the texture of aging skin, but the ancient art of face rolling is the easiest, least expensive and arguably the most relaxing. 

This high-quality jade roller and face massager tool set has over 27,000 five-star reviews and, right now, it's more than half off.

While it's not exactly meant as a face cream, this ultra-rich moisturizer is used for that purpose by most every seasoned beauty expert I know. It's extremely hydrating, packed with nourishing plant-derived ingredients and is especially good as a nighttime treatment for faces, hands, feet, necks and even the décolleté.

This is my favorite mascara of the year! I'm including it in an anti-aging story for two reasons: it both thickens sparse lashes and removes easily, which means there's less risk of delicate hair loss.

More than 75,000 reviewers rave about Lash Sensational on Amazon, all stating something along the lines of, "10/10 would recommend, I've ordered this six times now ... it's the best mascara I've ever used." Truly, it's that good. And right now you can scoop it up for just $10.

Albolene's inconspicuous, no-frills moisturizing face cleanser is one of those in-the-know beauty secrets, a product you'd never think to buy for yourself until a friend says, "YOU MUST GET THIS. IT'S CHANGED MY LIFE." Well, I am that friend, telling you this lush, velvety, mild, no-fragrance cream is about to transform your entire night skin-care routine and make your face a whole lot softer and happier in the process. 

The gentle, century-old cleansing product removes makeup effortlessly, without water (though you can choose to take it off by using a damp washcloth or cotton pad). It's particularly effective for older women concerned with damaging delicate under-eye areas and causing fine lines by scrubbing away mascara and eyeliner. It's also safe for all skin types. Trust me, if you buy it now (for just $10!) it will become a can't-live-without beauty staple on your bathroom shelves and — if you're a good friend — those of every woman you know.    

If I could, I'd buy every person I know a bottle of CosRx snail serum — it's truly a favorite product, one of the most effective skin-care items for complexion smoothing, skin softening and dark-spot lightening I've ever tried. But, because handing over a bottle of snail mucus on a major holiday might seem a wee but strange, these sheet masks are a quality alternative. 

They contain the award-winning snail slime, are highly hydrating and work for most any skin type. Users report they help with skin inflammation and even rosacea, and this pack of 10 is a solid entry point into the famous K-beauty line — and you can't beat the price.

I've been loving this extra-firming eye cream from Derma E, a truly quality brand that makes natural, vegan and cruelty-free products that won't cost you a week's pay. Made of skin-revitalizing ingredients like copper peptides and plant stem cells, it's clinically proven to improve elasticity and firmness, and it lightens darker under-eye skin tone. I especially like it for my upper eyelids, where I've seen a noticeable difference in texture over just a few weeks.

More than 1,600 five-star reviewers also praise its lifting and tightening merits, calling it: "A miracle for your eyes — no time travel required!"

When 86-year-old beauty Jane Fonda recommends a product, I pay attention: The actress recently revealed she uses this serum every night on a clean face: "It has a lot of antioxidants and good things to hydrate the skin."

The rich formula is paraben- and mineral oil-free, dermatologist-tested and suitable for all skin types. Plus, right now, it's over 30% off. 

This is the cream you want if you're, like, "I think tightening creams are BS but I also want to believe they are true because I currently hate my neck." The Gold Bond firming cream is no frills but gets the job done (the job being tighter jowls and a less reptilian neck). The formula is lightweight and on the thin side, but the product absorbs well and is gentle enough not to irritate sensitive skin. 

Note: You'll need to use it consistently for about a month to see results, and it won't, of course, magically make you appear 25, but being able to snag this ample size for less makes this product worth a go.

Retinol is one of the few ingredients that's clinically proven to help smooth wrinkles — including crow's feet — and brighten dark under-eye circles. This affordable eye cream uses a stabilized form of the retinoid that actually releases slowly over time, which means there's less chance of skin irritation, even for beginners. We've also found that this drugstore pick is effective at reducing puffiness and is gentle enough for sensitive skin.

It's among the most highly rated eye creams on the market, with 15,000 five-star Amazon reviews. It's dermatologist-recommended too. Right now is a good time to give this popular cream a try — it's over $10 off.

If you're looking for an all-over tightening, brightening, hydrating, complexion-smoothing night cream for the face, neck and decolleté, you can't do much better than this clinically proven version by trusted brand RoC — especially at this price. 

The popular cream is nongreasy and noncomedogenic and beloved by both dermatologists and celebrities alike (Sarah Jessica Parker is a fan). And, according to the more than 4,000 five-star reviews, ordinary folks are all over it too: "I'm in my 70s and this cream has been my go-to for years. It works on my skin!"

My beloved snail mucin from CosRx is excellent for evening skin tone and making your face look softer and brighter overall. It's won multiple awards, has over 55,000 five-star Amazon reviews and impresses most beauty editors I know.

After using it the first time (here is my full review), my face was noticeably dewier and other users have boasted about its ability to hydrate, repair and improve dullness in the skin — all of which helps wrinkles look less deep and crepey. When I tried it again this month, after a medi-spa laser treatment, I found it soothed and calmed my skin as it healed, lending a healthy sheen. 

The sad fact is, if you're menopausal, your eyelashes are probably starting to thin and you might be seeking a solution to this thinning. This serum is it.

Tens of thousands of Amazon shoppers have experienced impressive results with this top-rated serum, which contains vitamins, peptides and amino acids to help thinning lashes appear fuller and longer. Just apply once daily, and you could see improvement in as little as four weeks, with the full effects kicking in after about three months, according to the brand.

For more, check out my colleague's full GrandeLash review.