Banish Undereye Circles! Part 1

Under eye circles. My arch nemesis. Not only do I have darkness under my eyes, but my entire eye area is dark! What's a girl to do? 


What causes dark circles? Most of us know that lack of sleep causes under eye circles.  Age, genetics, allergies, and diet also play a role. It is also thought that dark circles may be caused by leaking capillaries in the eye area. This is a normal occurrence in which a capillary leaks a blood cell, the body breaks it down, and in doing that, creates a blackish blue appearance to the skin. The process is similar to what happens when we get a bruise. Because the skin around our eyes is so thin, the darkness is more noticeable and lasts much longer.




To help prevent under eye circles get your beauty sleep, drink your recommended amount of water each day, and eat a balanced diet.
 There are natural remedies that may improve the appearance of your under eyes.


To perk up tired, puffy eyes place cooled cucumber slices over your eyes for 10 minutes.













Or use cooled tea bags. The tannin in tea bags reduces discoloration and inflammation. Use brewed, cooled teabags (refrigerate to make them cold.) and place on the eyes for 10 minutes. 
 Lastly, you could also try using an uncooked potato. Puree the potato and take the puree and carefully apply to your eye area. Leave on for 30 minutes.





There are several skincare products on the market for under eye circles. One of my favorites the the Garnier anti dark circle roller. You can get it tinted or not. The tinted version doesn't do much to cover serious dark circles, but does brighten and lighted the eye area. It has a cooling effect on the skin and feels great. 

Another product I like it the Mary Kay soothing eye gel. This also has a cooling effect on the skin. This sooths tired eyes and reduces puffiness. 

Using a moisturizing eye cream will improve the appearance of your eye area as well. Which cream you use depends on your needs and your budget. I have enjoyed the Mary Kay firming eye cream as well as the Lacura moisturizing eye cream(found at Aldi's).

If you still have persistent under eye circles there is always concealer! In part two I will share tips and tricks for applying concealer and concealer recommendations. Stay tuned! :)