The bad news is, your dark under eye circles are probably more a result of genetics than a bad night’s sleep. The good news is, there are ways which you combat the not-so-trendy raccoon look. Some experts suggest to find the source of the problem before you apply a remedy.
The skin under our eyes is four times thinner than the rest of our face. That means, if you’ve inherited extra thin or fair skin under your eyes, the blood that pools under your eyes is even more visible, hence the appearance of “dark circles”.
But age can also play a factor. As we get older, our skin loses elasticity and its ability to regenerate and the skin under our eyes becomes even thinner. Too much sun exposure can also lead to more visibly dark under eye circles. As we are becoming more and more aware, the sun speeds up the aging process and that goes for our eyes, too.
Seasonal allergies can also be the culprit of dark circles. “They trigger the release of histamines in the body, which, in turn, inflame blood vessels and cause swelling,” says Ranella Hirsch, a dermatologist in Boston.
Once you figure out what’s causing your dark circles, you can start to take some steps to doing away with them. If it’s genetic, try sleeping with more than one pillow to keep the head elevated and blood from pooling under your eyes. You can also try a cold compress for five to ten minutes when you wake up. We love the Aqua Eye Mask from The Body Shop.
Also, try cutting out salt and alcohol. Okay. Most alcohol. These things lead to water retention, which causes puffiness.
If you think age is the main culprit, look for an eye cream that helps rebuild collagen, or the fatty part of your under eye area. We like RE9 Advanced Lifting and Contouring Cream from Arbonne. Vitamin C brightens the skin while hyaluronic acid helps firm the skin and rebuild collagen.
Finally, if you’re sniffing and sneezing this time of year, consider taking an over the counter antihistamine.
And there’s always the option of camouflaging the your under eye concerns. Choose a concealer that matches your skin tone and apply it in a V shape from under the eye to along the side of the nose. We love NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. It stays put and doesn’t have that terrible cakey concealer look.
No matter which way you try to solve your dark under eye circle problems, just know that you have multiple options and that, in the end, you can say bye bye to those pesky dark patches with a few simple steps.
