“Dark circles” refers to having darker skin under your eyes. While this is usually due to the lack of sleep, it can also be due to aging, heredity, stress or your diet. While they are not any cause for medical concern, they can make you look older and exhausted.
The obvious cure for dark circles would be to get more sleep. However, this is not always a viable option for people. Luckily for you, we have a few simple tips that you can follow to get rid of them entirely!
#1: Invest in a good eye cream
If you suffer from constant dark circles, eye cream may be your best hope at getting rid of them. When browsing different eye creams, be sure to check the ingredient labels. The most important ingredient in any eye cream is niacinamide, a form of the vitamin B3. In fact, you can even apply niacinamide cream to your under eyes to reduce the appearance of dark circles. It also works for reducing wrinkles and fine lines.
The next most important ingredient is bisabolol. This compound is found naturally in chamomile plants and has been historically used for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is now used to reduce puffiness of the eyes.
Another important ingredient that your eye cream should contain is Vitamin K. Vitamin K promotes blood circulation and will thus help to reduce the appearance of veins under your eyes. It will also reduce dark circles and puffiness.
Our favorite eye cream is Neocutis Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream. Available for $54.99 on Amazon, this eye cream is well worth the price – it’s made with bisabolol and caffeine. As mentioned above, bisabolol reduces puffiness. Caffeine, on the other hand, alleviates dark circles under the eyes by shrinking blood vessels.
Another favorite eye cream of ours is Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Eye Serum. It’s only $17.88 on Amazon, and it works like a charm. Simply apply it to your under eyes twice a day – morning and night – and you will see results in 2 weeks.
#2: Almond Oil
If you prefer to take the natural route, almond oil is great for dark circles. Simply dab a tiny drop of it under each eye and gently rub it into the skin every night before you go to bed. You will notice changes within 2 weeks.
Almond oil is full of Vitamin K, which helps circulate blood flow under your eyes. This thus reduces the appearance of dark circles. To get the best results, use cold pressed organic almond oil as this retains the most nutrients. Our favorite is Beauty Aura 100% Pure Sweet Almond Oil, available on Amazon for $10.99 a bottle.
#3: Lemon Juice
Another natural alternative, lemon juice is well known for its skin bleaching and lightening properties. Simply dip a cotton ball into lemon juice and lightly dab at your under eye circles. Leave it on for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off with cold water. Do this at least once a day.
You have to be very careful when using this method, though, as lemon juice can sting quite a bit if it gets into your eyes. If you feel a burning sensation, stop immediately and rinse your eyes thoroughly.
Another method of using lemon juice is to mix one tablespoon of it with two tablespoons of pureed tomato, a pinch of flour and a little turmeric powder. Make sure you mix these ingredients together thoroughly, then apply it to your under eye circles for 15 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water and gently pat your skin dry.
#4: Eat healthily!
Your dark circles could be brought upon by an unhealthy diet. Eat your fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of water. Vegetables such as cabbage and spinach are loaded with antioxidants and can help reduce dark circles. You should also cut down on your salt intake – high levels of salt in the body can cause poor blood circulation, making the blood vessels under your eyes more prominent.
Dark circles can be attributed to a lack of Vitamin K and Vitamin B12, so take extra vitamins if necessary.
#5: Relax
Dark circles can be brought upon due to stress. If this is the case, then all the creams and natural remedies in the world will not be able to truly cure it. All you need is a good relaxing session where you can just close your eyes and not worry about anything for a little while.
Allow yourself to take breaks from life and just relax. Your dark circles will improve.
Each person is different and thus, each tip may not work for everyone out there. You may have to experiment a little until you find the strategy that works best for your dark circles. We wish you the best of luck!