If you have dark circles under your eyes, several factors might be to blame. Poor circulation--which can be caused by stress, overindulgence of caffeine or alcohol or not getting enough sleep--is the most common culprit, but hyper-pigmentation, too much time in the sun, and allergies can also cause dark circles under the eyes. Age plays a role, too--as skin gets older, it also gets thinner, allowing bluish veins to show through under your eyes.
Opt for Eye Cream
Your regular facial moisturizer won't do much to combat under-eye circles--you'll need a cream designed for your eyes to see an improvement, Heidi Waldorf, M.D., a New York City-based dermatologist, explains in Good Housekeeping magazine. The higher concentration of emollients in eye creams gives them the power to plump up thinning skin, and their creamy consistency adheres better to the delicate skin under your eyes, Waldorf explains.
Choose Proven Pigment Reducers
Look for eye creams that contain pigment-lightening ingredients. For minor dark circles, Real Simple magazine recommends looking for an eye cream that contains vitamin K. If your dark circles are more noticeable, Waldorf recommends in Good Housekeeping that you look for an eye cream with natural botanical skin lighteners, such as licorice or kojic acid. Dark circles caused by sun damage respond well to eye creams that contain alpha hydroxy acids, according to Real Simple. If your under-eye circles are very dark and obvious, Real Simple suggests asking your dermatologist about creams with hydroquinone, a prescription-strength lightening agent.
Be Concealer Savvy
Caking on concealer will only draw more attention to dark circles. Instead, makeup artist and Terry de Gunzburg, founder of By Terry cosmetics, recommends in Allure magazine that you attack dark circles with surgical precision and just a tiny dab of concealer. De Gunzburg says to start at the inner corner of your eye, where circles are usually the darkest, and apply concealer with a small brush. If you have dark circles and wrinkles, de Gunzburg suggests mixing your concealer with a wrinkle-reducing moisturizer that contains peptides and hyaluronic acid.
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