Are you tired of looking tired? Learn more about dark circles and the best preventitive below…
What Causes Dark Circles?
- Genetics – in some cases dark circles are hereditary.
- Age – as you get older the skin around your eyes becomes thinner and starts to lose fat and collagen which in turn affects the skin’s elasticity. As a result, dark blood vessels become more visible and cause the area below your eye to darken.
- Fatigue – not enough sleep or even oversleeping can cause your skin to look dull and pale allowing dark tissues and blood vessels beneath the skin to show through.
- Eye strain – staring at a tv or computer screen can cause the blood vessels around your eyes to enlarge and the skin can darken.
- Dehydration – not drinking enough water can cause the skin beneath your eyes to look dull and sunken.
- Sun overexposure – your body can produce an excess of melanin, the pigment that provides your skin with colour. Too much sun can cause pigmentation and the skin around your eyes to darken.
What Skincare Ingredients Can Help With Dark Circles?
- Peptides – palmitoyl oligopeptide and palitoyl tetrapeptide in particular will help to tighten the skin tissues and assist with preventing capillary leakage.
- Vitamin K – if dark circles are caused by broken blood vessels, regular application of vitamin K can help to reduce the flow of blood to the skin.
- Retinol – also known as vitamin A, retinol is a good ingredient to reduce under-eye pigmentation that also increases collagen and rebuilds thin skin in the eye area.
- Hydroxysuccinimide – prevents pigment from forming in the skin’s tissues.
- Chrysin – a flavone from passion flower that promotes the production of natural enzymes which can break down pigments.
- Caffeine and kojic acid – both ingredients will help to constrict blood vessels and therefore are great for treating under-eye circles.
- Vitamin C – encourages the production of collagen, brightens your under eye and improves mild pigmentation.
What Else Can I Do To Get Rid Of Dark Circles?
- A cold compress – can help swelling and shrink dilated blood vessels. Wrap a few ice cubes in a clean washcloth and apply it to the skin under your eyes for 20 minutes.
- Get extra sleep – seven to eight hours a night will help to prevent dark circles from appearing.
- When sleeping elevate your head to avoid fluid pooling under your eyes.
- Conceal with makeup – although this won’t technically eradicate dark circles, clever concealing can camouflage dark circles. If your dark circles have green undertones, balance them with a reddish or peach toned concealer. If they are more purple or blue in appearance try a yellow-toned concealer. For pinkish-red dark circles try a concealer with green undertones.
