If you’ve been hiding your dark circles under your glasses or covering them with a ton of concealer every time you step out, you’re not alone. We’ve been there, and done that too (more times than we admit, actually.) Whether it’s from stressful workdays, long hours of staring at your screen, or telling yourself ‘just one more episode’; dark circles & tired eyes are a problem we’ve all dealt with, whatever the reason.
But what are the causes that lead to dark circles?
- Excessive screen time
- Poor diet
- Lack of sleep
- Hyperpigmentation
- Genetics
- Aging
- Sun damage
- Dehydration
These are identified as some of the key reasons behind those under-eye bags that you can’t seem to get rid of.
Dark circles are a universal problem but the causes may (or may not) be the same for everyone. And while there may be many causes, so are the remedies.
So if your search history is filled with things like ‘ways to reduce dark circles’ or ‘how to heal dark circles’, keep reading to find the best remedies.
Topical Remedies from Within Beauty:
1. Build an Eye Care Routine:
Include products like eye serums, eye creams, or under-eye patches in your skincare routine, to give your under eyes the TLC it needs. Look for products with ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and seaweed extract in your eye care products.
These ingredients are proven to help reduce puffiness & the appearance of dark circles.
We recommend adding a combination of Within Beauty’s Bright & Tight Under Eye Barrier Repair Gel and Under Eye Moisture Sealing Patches.
Packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, seaweed extract, quinoa seed extract, and ceramide complex; this eye care duo doesn’t just work on reducing dark circles & puffiness, but it also works to restore your skin barrier health.
2. SPF for the Under Eyes
Sun damage being a cause of dark circles isn’t talked about enough. Just applying eye cream & sleeping enough to keep dark circles at bay isn’t enough; you need to ensure that your undereyes are sun-protected as well.
Exposure to UV rays can lead to the appearance of signs of aging around the delicate eye area. Use an undereye cream in your AM routine and for the last step of your routine, layer with an SPF 50 sunscreen.
The Within Beauty Sunny Side Up Barrier Protect Hydrating Sunscreen also contains vitamin E which works to reduce pigmentation & ceramides that help protect the skin barrier from the adverse effects of sun damage.
Apply & re-apply your sunscreen every 3-4 hours, and spread it evenly across your eye area as well.
Home Remedies to try along with an eye care routine:
1.Cold compress:
Cold spoons or chilled cucumber slices - you name it, it's been tried, tested, and is still being used by every mom. A simple yet effective remedy that has been passed down to us from our mothers, the cold compress method helps reduce puffiness.
You can even use chilled aloe vera gel to soothe the eye area and reduce puffiness & appearance of dark circles.
2. Almond oil & vitamin E:
Massage a small amount of almond oil around the eye area for 2-3 minutes every night before you hit the sack. You can use almond oil independently or a mixture of almond oil & vitamin E capsules.
Pop a vitamin E capsule into a small amount of almond oil & mix it well. Gently massage this mixture around the eye area to reduce pigmentation.
P.S. - The Within Beauty Sunny Side Up Barrier Protect Hydrating Sunscreen contains vitamin E that helps reduce pigmentation. Use this sunscreen around the eye area in your morning routine to protect the sensitive skin from sun damage.
3. Green Tea Bags:
Another home remedy that’s been tried, tested, and loved for its effectiveness. Green tea contains caffeine which helps reduce puffiness & inflammation around the eyes.
To make the best use of your green tea bags, soak them in water and leave them to chill in the refrigerator. Place the cold green tea bags under your eyes for 15 minutes. Repeat this process daily to get the best results.
4. Coffee Eye Mask:
Whether it’s finding a way to stay up late to meet your deadlines or a way to get rid of the dark circles caused by those late nights - coffee is the answer to both. Create a simple DIY coffee mask with everyday kitchen essentials to get rid of those puffy dark circles.
Mix coffee and honey with a few drops of rose water to create a paste. Apply this paste under your eyes and leave it on for 15 minutes. Use this coffee eye mask regularly for visibly brighter eyes.
Between tried & tested DIY hacks to topical remedies from Within Beauty, all we know is that your stubborn under-eye circles don’t stand a chance! But just putting these remedies to use isn’t enough, unless you make some changes (and additions) to your everyday routine.
Here are a few lifestyle changes that will back up these remedies to heal dark circles.
- Quality sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep (or should we say beauty sleep) is the most effective way to keep dark circles & puffiness at bay. Make sure you get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to wake up feeling refreshed, with eyes that don’t look & feel dull & tired.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Hydrating the sensitive skin under your eyes is one, but keeping your body hydrated with an ample amount of water is just as important.
Dehydration can show up on your face in the form of dark circles and tired eyes. So if you’re not drinking enough water, set a reminder for yourself every half an hour, or get yourself one of those fancy bottles to act as your hydration motivation.
- Reduced screen time
In today’s day and age, where we practically live in front of our screens, reducing screen time can seem like a task.
Engage yourself in hobbies or activities that don’t involve staring at a screen. Indulge in activities like yoga & meditation to help you achieve this. This will also help reduce your stress levels.
- A balanced diet
Your diet has more consequences on your overall appearance than you may believe. Incorporating vitamins (mostly vitamin C & vitamin K) and mineral-rich foods into your diet can help with the same.
