Whether the cause is a few long days or too many restless nights, dark circles and puffy eyes can leave you looking and feeling like you're in a slump. Splashing cold water on your face or grabbing concealer is not the answer. There are many more effective ways to unpack those under-eye bags and prevent eye puffiness.
So what causes those annoying dark circles?
It's not solely (or even mostly) hard living staples like caffeine, tobacco, or a lack of sleep. Allergies, asthma, and eczema, any condition that causes the eyes to itch can contribute to darker circles due to rubbing or scratching the skin around them, fat loss under the eye, broken blood vessels, and increased melanin - or hyperpigmentation (A common, usually harmless condition in which patches of skin become darker in color than the normal surrounding skin. This darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits in the skin.) -- are the main culprits.
Brighten your eyes with these tried and true expert remedies.
1. Get enough sleep - Sound sleeping is an inexpensive, easy way to help minimize dark under-eye circles, no matter what the cause. Sleep not only helps keep eyes bright. It also aids your body in repairing cell damage to your skin.
2. Avoid alcohol and caffeine - Though they may perk you up in the short term, caffeine and alcohol don't do the same for your skin. They can cause mild dehydration, making dark circles more obvious.
3. Consider skin lighteners or bleaching agents - If the dark circles under your eyes are due to too much melanin, creams containing lightening agents such as retinol, hydroquinone, kojic acid, green tea, vitamin C, or soy can be helpful. To help skin-lightening products work their best, avoid the sun and use sunscreen daily.
4. Check out injectable fillers - A dermatologist may administer these if your dark eye circles are due to broken blood vessels. Fillers can also help if fat loss is the cause of bags under the eyes.
5. Look into laser treatments and vitamin K - Laser treatments may reduce the look of dark circles due to broken blood vessels. Skin care products containing vitamin K can also help.
6. Go a shade lighter in your concealer - A concealer one shade lighter than your skin tone can help disguise under-eye circles. A concealer with an SPF of 15 or higher provides double benefits. If your skin tends to be oily or acne-prone, use an oil-free concealer.
7. Apply Home Remedies such as Lemon Juice & Cucumber - Lemon juice has natural bleaching properties that lighten skin with regular use over time. The vitamin C in lemon juice strengthens the immune system and the skin cells around the eyes. Lemon juice tightens blood vessels to reduce swelling and prevent the accumulation of fluids. With skin-lightening and mild astringent properties, cucumbers are completely equipped to fix those raccoon eyes. Better yet, they are soothing and refreshing too.
