Large, Saturn-like sunken rings around the eyes are not unusual; some of us are just more prone to dark circles and/or eye bags than others. Throw in lifestyle factors such as stress, lack of sleep and increased screen time (yep, the device you're reading this on could be making it all worse), and it's the perfect storm for puffy, blue under-eye bags. So what can be done?
If you're keen to figure out exactly how to get rid of dark circles, you'll need to start by addressing the underlying cause. Is it lack of sleep or cold hard genetics (more on that later)? And while eye creams can certainly help, they're too often held up as a fix-all solution when, in reality, their abilities can be somewhat limited where discolouration is concerned.
There are, however, plenty of ways to tackle eye bags. Ahead we explore exactly how to get rid of dark circles and the best way to keep them at bay in the first place.
What causes dark circles?
“Dark circles can be caused by multiple different factors,” explains Dr Maryam Zamani, Oculoplastic Surgeon, Aesthetic Doctor and creator of MZ Skin.
One of the main reasons dark circles show up under our eyes is a loss of volume, which happens naturally as we age and results in more pronounced tear troughs – the groove that sits in between the lower eye lid and the cheek.
Another is a genetic disposition to excess pigment. “There is some genetic component to dark circles,” explains Dr Zamani. “Some ethnicities, such as Asian and south east Asians, can have hereditary hyperpigmentation and some individuals have a family history of puffy lower eyelids from fat prolapse,” she explains.
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Alongside the cosmetic implications, dark circles can point to conditions regarding our health. They're one of the first signs that we're feeling run down or not getting enough of the essentials (sleep, water and nutrients, for example) as we need.
In our digital world, we’re also spending long days staring at a screen – whether laptop, phone or television – and that can exacerbate dark circles. The more screen time we rack up, the more likely we are to strain our eyes, says Dr Zamani. “Eyes tend to blink less when we're in front of a computer screen,” she explains. “This causes dryness and the blood vessels in the skin to dilate, creating a dark shadow around the eyes.”
Are dark circles and eye bags the same thing?
Although we often use the terms dark circles and eye bags interchangeably, they are slightly different, where the dark circles are characterised by the darkening of the under-eye skin while eye bags symbolise the swelling around the eyes. In a way they have the opposite look but caused by similar factors.
What is the best way to get rid of dark circles?
Yes, sure, dark circles under the eyes can be frustating and confidence crushing. However, they are not a dangerous condition, and should by no means define the way you view your appearance. Before we get into the knitty gritty on the best ways to get rid of them, it's important to remember that some of us are more pre-dispositioned for having them and none of these methods can guarantee complete eradication of dark circles.
Incorrect treatment might actually make them worse.
- Focus on getting good quality sleep
- Restore moisture to the area
- Invest in a retinol eye cream
- Introduce caffeine into your skincare
- Chill the area
- Check your diet for deficiencies
- You could consider filler
- Brighten the area with highlighter
- Get to grips with concealing and colour correcting
- Wear SPF around the eyes
- Sleep on your back
- Take anti-histamines
- Try the tea bag treatment
- Stay hydrated
- Embrace'em
1. Focus on getting good quality sleep
Start by working on your sleep routine where you can. This could include establishing an earlier and more regular bedtime and avoiding caffeine in the evenings. Sleeping on your back, with your head slightly elevated, will also help to prevent fluids from settling in your face and keeps the circulation moving freely around your body.
“Sleep and rest allows our body to detoxify and rejuvenate, and this is important for the periorbital area,” Dr Zamani adds. “Dark circles can be more prominent with lack of sleep because the skin has not had time to re-set and the blood vessels in the lower eyelid become more dilated.”
If it's good enough to help soldiers relax, we think it's worth a shot.
Blue light can also impact your sleep cycle and suppress melatonin, a natural hormone in the body, whose levels rise in the evening to help promote sleep. So keep your phone or tablet on night mode setting around the clock and try to create what environmental psychologist Lee Chambers calls a ‘digital sunset’ by “shutting down your devices at a set time each evening and storing them away.”
2. Restore moisture to the area
Not only will water flush out toxins like salt (which has been linked to causing eye bags), it also increases blood flow and plumps out dehydrated skin, which can appear more thin and fragile. “Hydrated skin is plump and therefore creates more volume, making dark circles less noticeable,” says Dr Zamani.
Another option is to look for hyaluronic acid, a molecule that can hold 1,000 times its weight in water, in the roll call of skincare ingredients on the back of your eye serum or cream. L'Oreal Paris 2.5% Hyaluronic Eye Serum feels cool to the touch, which will also take down puffiness. The Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Elastic Lifting Eye Serum contains different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid so its plumping effects can be felt from skin's surface, down to the deeper layers. Or for a five-day transformative bootcamp, try MZ Skin Brightening & Hydrating Eye Ampoules. There's a daytime or night-specific cocktail of ingredients to dab onto undereyes, including hyaluronic acid and moisture-locking ceramides.
3. Invest in a retinol eye cream
We all know retinol for its impressive anti-ageing abilities, but according to clinical facialist Kate Kerr, the gold standard ingredient can also be a godsend when it comes to treating dark circles.
“A retinol eye serum is necessary to help stabilise melanocytes (the pigment-forming cells in skin that contribute to dark circles) in order to prevent hyperpigmentation. It also thickens the dermis, improves texture, smooths lines and wrinkles and hides purple skin tones” she says. We recommend the Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye by Medik8.
4. Introduce caffeine into your skincare
Caffeine doesn't just help us to feel more awake, it can help us look more awake, too. When applied to skin, caffeine encourages vasoconstriction (the constricting of the blood vessels under our eyes), which can lead to a reduction in puffiness.
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5. Chill the area
Cold temperatures take down swelling and kickstart the circulation, which, in turn, dispels toxins that contribute to ashy-looking skin. “More nutrient-rich blood means toxins are flushed away and water retention is reduced, leaving skin looking plumper and more radiant within a matter of minutes," says Ada Ooi, facialist and founder of 001 Skincare.
Cryotherapy-inspired tools offer immediate relief and make light work of alleviating puffiness and dark circles. The 001 Skincare Cryopress Ice Facial Massager sustains a temperature of -8 to 2.5°C, so it’s always poised to deflate early morning eye puff, while Fraîcheur Paris Ice Globes come in a variety of colours and have the type of playful aesthetic that Instagram eats up.
6. Check your diet for deficiencies
A vitamin-rich skincare regime is always a good idea, but there are certain vitamins that can be beneficial to the skin around your eyes.
“I always recommend a serum that's rich in vitamin C for clients with dark circles,” says Kate. “It offers powerful antioxidant protection that fights free-radical damage caused by stress, which can result in hyperpigmentation,” she continues.
In terms of deficiencies in your diet, dark circles have been linked to a vitamin B12 deficiency. Try incorporating more oily fish, eggs and milk if you are lacking in this vitamin, or try a dietary supplement.
Want to know what the real benefits of vitamins are?
7. You could consider filler
If you've tried every at-home remedy but haven't felt a visible difference, it may be worth considering filler. It can be a safe and effective treatment when in the hands of a qualified and knowledgable professional.
“The fat pads under our eyes shrink over time leading to a loss of volume,” explains Kate. “This can create a hollow area that, in turn, casts a shadow under the eye. If this is the cause of your dark circles, the only way to treat it is with a little bit of filler injected under the eye.”
According to Kate, the filler lifts the skin and slightly diminishes the shadow-causing hollow. “Additionally, filler will help to hide any purple skin tone due to leaky blood vessels,” she adds.
8. Brighten the area with highlighter
According to MAC Senior Artist, Debbie Finnegan, a bit of brightening goes a long way when it comes to covering dark circles. “If you have subtle under eye discolouration and need just a touch of brightening, try adding a highlighter like MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter to your normal skin routine,” Debbie says.
“Apply a few dots starting from the inner corner of the eye right next to the tear duct; this is usually the deepest area and needs the most brightening,” she continues. “Pat the product in lightly using a ring finger or a flat brush, letting the product disappear approximately half way out from the lower eye.”
9. Get to grips with concealing and colour correcting
For those genetically pre-disposed to the blue bags, concealing and colour correcting is a reliable strategy.
Peach tones will counterbalance the blue-hue of under eye bags on light skin, yellow and bisque tones work best for medium skin and orange is best for dark skin. Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage Concealer and Bobbi Brown's Creamy Corrector are great for this, or Debbie suggests choosing a makeup palette that contains a range of shades.
“Choose a palette with cool and warm shades of concealer so you can address all skin concerns easily and effectively,” she says. We love MAC's Studio Fix Conceal & Correct Palette. “Apply the colour correcting shades first, and add a touch of concealer to mask it.”
While a makeup brush can provide precision, it's a good idea to ditch the bristles when it comes to concealing dark circles. “The warmth of fingertips helps to heat and melt the concealing product, helping it to blend seamlessly into the skin,” advises Debbie.
A setting powder helps to keep your bags concealed all day long without the need for touch-ups. We recommend pairing a Beautyblender with a light-reflecting powder like Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish.
10. Wear SPF around the eyes
The under eyes may not be the first place you think of for SPF but it's a must-do if you want to shield the delicate skin from UV rays and avoid hyperpigmentation. For ease, choose an eye cream that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide at an SPF30 or above, as both sunscreens are gentle enough for use around the eyes. Hello Sunday The One For Your Eyes Mineral Eye Cream SPF50 is a good option for both your dark circles and your wallet.
11. Sleep on your back
According to Healthline, when sleeping, your body can create fluid buildup which leads to puffiness around the eyes and swelling in the face. One way to work around this is to sleep lying on your back, slightly elevated as you can then discourage this pooling and therefore reduce the puffiness.
12. Take anti-histamines
If you think that your eye puffiness and bags may be a result of allergies, contact a doctor. It's worth considering that allergies can cause inflammation that leads to swelling under the eyes, so by taking antihistamines, they can help reduce those allergy symptoms which include eye puffiness.
13. Try the tea bag treatment
This very DIY method involves applying chilled tea bags, (particularly green tea and chamomile) on to your closed eyelids for 15 minutes as you lay down and rest. They can provide relief on dark circles due to their inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
14. Stay hydrated
Hydration is important for all functions of the body, specially skin. Being dehydrated could be the cause of your puffiness around the eyes, as when the body is dehydrated, it then counteracts this deficit by holding onto as much water as it can. This means that water can build up around the eye area which could be the cause of your eye bags. The best way to avoid this is to keep the body hydrated throughout the day.
15. Embrace'em
It's important to recognise that dark circles are a natural aspect of many of our appearances. Realistically, they don't always need fixing. It's as simple as that. The more you embrace them, the less of a bother they will appear to you. Meaning, the more radiant your soul will be, which will manifest onto your skin and ultimately make them appear less bothersome to everyone else that looks at them too. Win-win.
For more from Glamour UK Beauty Writer Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona
