How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under The Eyes

Dark circles under the eyes are one of the more frustrating aspects of trying to achieve a bright, even complexion. Covering them up with makeup takes a delicate dance of heavily pigmented concealers. And if one more person asks if you’re tired after a restful 8 hours of sleep, it’s back to the drawing board. Good thing you’re here! There are several actions you can take to improve the look of this form of hyperpigmentation (and other factors) without having to pile on the orange color corrector. We’ll go over what causes dark circles under eyes, what actions to take, plus give the scoop on the best eye creams that will take care of this sensitive area.

What Dark Circles The Under Eyes Are… And What They’re Not

Anyone young and not-so-young can be affected by dark circles under the eyes. That’s because they are defined by a few characteristics and have several widely varying causes.

What dark circles are:

• The hyperpigmentation that appears much darker than the rest of the skin
• Blood vessels that show through thinning or dehydrated skin

What dark circles aren’t:

• Puffy eyes or eye bags – However, either of these may create deep shadows that get mistaken for hyperpigmentation. Many eye creams will address several eye-area issues for well-rounded, overall benefits, so keep reading.

What causes dark circles under the eyes?

• Genetics
• Thinning skin due to aging
• Lack of sleep
• Too much sun exposure
• Lots of eye rubbing
• Smoking
• Medical conditions – Several medical reasons can cause dark circles under the eyes or worsen what’s already there, including allergies, anemia (specifically, low iron levels), and thyroid issues. Talk to your doctor if you think this can be the case.

What’s A Tired-Looking Person To Do?

Once you better understand what’s causing the dark circles under your eyes, it’s time to take action. Options include making simple lifestyle changes, visiting the dermatologist for more intense treatments, or getting noticeable results by regularly using the best eye creams for dark circles. Here are some of our favorite options:

Powerful Antioxidant Protection – Antioxidants protect the skin from cell-damaging oxidation, and Peter Thomas Roth’s Potent-C Power Eye Cream is loaded with them. It has three types – 10% Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and the little-known ferulic acid, which works on its own and boosts the efficacy of its friends. Vitamin C and ferulic acid also tackle dark circles the eyes by diminishing hyperpigmentation.

You can achieve brighter eyes with continued use, plus there’s caffeine, moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, and PTR’s patented Phyco’derm blend that offer fast results (goodbye, puffiness!). Dot a tiny dab of this cream below the eye area twice a day after cleansing. Dry to oily skin types are welcome.

The Instant Fix – Sometimes, a person needs to hit the reset button. REN’s Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift gives your eyes a quick boost of moisture and firmness with its dreamy, rose-scented formula.

This gel-like serum wakes up dark circles under the eyes by diffusing the light that brings them to attention. And it takes care of hyperpigmentation with a unique extract from the tuberose white flower. If you’re looking for a simple, vegan formula that works, this one is for you.

A Handy Applicator – Soothe your stressed-out eyes with the Cellex-C Under Eye Toning Gel. Use the roller applicator to smooth away dullness (and get extra cooling benefits by storing it in the fridge).

Azulene calms sensitive, irritated skin, and plant extracts from eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, and peppermint wake up and nourish. This handy eye gel is great for travel, so pop one in your carry-on and have everyone wondering how you look so refreshed after that long red-eye flight.

Target Puffiness – Puffy eyes are caused by many reasons, and if one is from working your eyes to the bone, try an eye cream that focuses on soothing and hydrating. Eliminating puffiness can reduce the shadow effect that creates or worsens the look of dark circles under the eyes.

ELEMIS’ Peptide4 Eye Recovery Cream has a nourishing blend of coconut and jojoba oil, as well as several botanicals like daisy and night-scented stock. Peptides boost collagen production to address sagginess by firming the skin. This is essential eye care if you need to spend lots of time in front of screens.

All About Moisture – Perricone MD’s Smoothing & Brightening Under-Eye Cream doesn’t just supply incredible moisture; it takes care of delicate skin with the power of omega fatty acids. Flaxseed, macadamia, sunflower seed, and shea butter supply this essential ingredient to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier and calm inflammation.

Hydrated, strengthened, and protected skin helps dark circles under the eyes caused by thinning skin. This creamy balm also improves wrinkles and fine lines, so pat this onto problem areas if you seek effective anti-aging results as well.

The Overachiever – If you’re unsure which skincare benefits you need the most to improve dark circles under the eyes, go for something that takes care of everything, like REVISION Skincare’s Teamine Eye Complex. Caffeine from green tea stimulates blood flow to decrease pooling, vitamin C lightens hyperpigmentation, and natural elements deflect light for instant improvement.

And get ready because it doesn’t just brighten your eyes. Collagen-boosting peptides strengthen skin, several emollients hydrate from within, and antioxidants protect all that hard work. Many of the ingredients mentioned above, like collagen and moisturizing squalane, also improve tone and signs of aging. If you’re looking to target several concerns around the eyes, hit it with everything this cream has to offer.

Complementary Ways to Improve Dark Circles Under The Eyes

Consider these lifestyle tips if you want to maximize the benefits of using an eye cream.

• Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep. Yes, every night.
• Refrigerate eye creams, so the coolness depuffs eyes during application
• Elevate your head while sleeping to prevent pooling around the eyes
• Protect those sockets from the sun with UV-blocking sunglasses
• Stop smoking

Since we’re talking skincare, dermatologists may offer several treatments for dark circles under the eyes, ranging from prescription creams to surgery.

But consider the much less invasive and inexpensive ways to brighten up your eyes first, and see why so many people trust having eye creams as part of their beauty routine. And if you enjoyed reading this blog, you’ll have an educational blast perusing our Beauty Resource Center, where there’s always the latest on your favorite full-body beauty products. Head over there now!