Home Remedies for Dark Circles

Most people will notice dark circles under their eyes at some point of their life. Men and women alike suffer from this very common condition. We get dark circles for a few different reasons and they typically get worse with age.

One reason dark circles appear under your eyes is because blood and fluid collects in the thin pockets of skin. This may happen over night, as we lay horizontally, or it may gradually appear as we get older and lose fat in those skin pockets.

Another reason dark circles appear under your eyes is from genetics. Common among some ethnic groups, a brownish dark circle may appear under your eye. Sun exposure may make the dark circles even more noticeable.

Depending on the severity of the dark circles, you may want to consult with your Aesthetician about professionally treating them. There are also some over the counter products and easy home remedies that can help decrease the appearance of dark circles.

If you want to purchase an over the counter product for treating your dark circles, look for topical creams with stimulating ingredients like caffeine. Caffeine can constrict blood vessels and temporarily reduce the fluid collection in that area. You can also try a cream containing skin brighteners like citrus. This may help if your issue is hereditary and not the swelling. Always read the labels and only use products that are recommended for the very sensitive skin around the eye.

Before you purchase anything over the counter, I recommend trying some of the home remedies that have been used for generations to reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes.   There is no guarantee that these will work, but they are so low cost and low risk, they are worth a try.

One very effective home remedy for dark circles is cucumber. Thin slices of cool cucumber can feel very soothing and cool the under eye area. Leave them on for 5 – 10 minutes, allowing the cucumber to make contact with the skin under the eye. You will likely notice at least a slight reduction in the dark circles.

Another home remedy is tea bags. Placing a moist, squeezed out, tea bag on the skin under your eye will reduce swelling and dark circles. The caffeine in tea will constrict vessels that allow the area to be puffy and reduce the dark color. Herbal tea bags will not work, as they typically do not contain caffeine.

As always, be very careful to not get anything into your eye, even the cucumber juice and tea. If you are still not getting relief from those dark circles, consult our Aesthetician for more advice.