Published: September 15, 2024
Although dark circles under the eyes aren’t usually a cause for medical concern, the way in which they can make a person look significantly older, as well as constantly exhausted, means that most people want them gone ASAP. This can be tricky – there are a variety of factors that contribute to dark circles. If you don’t know what has caused yours, you’ll need to try a variety of methods if you’re hoping for an eye area that looks bright and perky once again.
Where do you start? Right here. Read on as CBGärdN shares 11 tips that actually work when it comes to lightening and fading the appearance of dark circles.
1) Reconfigure Your Sleeping Habits
You’re probably aware that dark circles are commonly linked to a lack of sleep. Not only does this cause fluid to build up under the eyes, which creates dark, shadow-casting bags, but it also leaves the eye area looking paler. This means that the blood vessels underneath the eyes, which lie in close proximity to the skin’s surface, become more visible, resulting in dark circles.
There are a few ways in which you can adjust your sleeping habits to eliminate the appearance of dark circles. The first is to make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. Aim for eight hours and if you’re struggling to achieve this, address the source of the problem.
Sleeping on your back with your head elevated by extra pillows can help too. This prevents fluid from pooling up under your eyes.
An overnight face mask can also help to give your eye area a plumper and fuller finish. This means that the underlying blood vessels wouldn’t be quite so visible. The CB Midnight Melting Mask is perfect for this!
2) Seek Out Ingredients That Lighten the Look of Discolored Skin
Sometimes, dark circles are caused by hyperpigmentation. This is usually down to excess sun exposure, which triggers the skin to produce more melanin. Excess melanin clusters up in certain areas, making the skin in those spots look darker.
The good news is that there are plenty of ingredients out there that have been proven to lighten the look of hyperpigmentation. The bad news? Many aren’t suitable for the eye area. The skin here is much thinner and more fragile – harsh chemicals or acids will only lead to further damage.
Although this narrows down your options, there are still some fantastic ingredients that you can try. Licorice root extract, vitamin C, green tea extract, and peptides are all revered for how they fade the appearance of discoloration. You’ll find all of those ingredients in the CBGärdN CB Eye Serum Concentrate. It also contains several hydrating ingredients, which, as you’re about to find out, is also key when caring for the eye area.
3) Keep Your Skin Fully Hydrated
We’ve already talked about how a lack of sleep can leave the skin looking paler, meaning that blood vessels show through more noticeably. Well, dehydration does this too. Even if your skin is lacking just a small amount of moisture, it can make those blood vessels more noticeable.
To counter this, in addition to ensuring that you’re drinking enough water each day, make sure that your skincare routine contain plenty of hydrating products. Ideally, hydration should be applied in layers. The eye serum that we shared above will help with this, but try combining this with a hydrating eye cream for even better results. The CB ProLift Eye Firming Cream would be a great choice! It’s loaded with antioxidants too, which are great for brightening the complexion.
4) Chill Your Eye Area
You’re probably familiar with the DIY method of using cold compresses or chilled tea bags to reduce the look of puffiness under the eyes. Does this work with dark circles too? In a way. If your dark circles are caused by shadows casted by eye bags, then smoothing away the appearance of those bags will, in turn, get rid of those visible circles.
If you don’t have 15 minutes to spare in the mornings to lie back with tea bags over your eyes, one way to get around this is by storing some of your skincare products in the fridge. Serums and creams take to this particularly well. This way, your skin will still be able to benefit from the cold temperatures, but in a much more convenient way!
5) Gently Exfoliate the Skin Under Your Eyes
Another technique that can be very effective if your dark circles have been caused by the appearance of hyperpigmentation is exfoliation. Each time you exfoliate, you’ll be encouraging your skin to shed some of those discolored cells. Over time, this will speed up the rate at which those visibly discolored cells start to fade.
However, again, let’s not forget how delicate the skin around the eyes is. It won’t be able to handle many of the potent acids that are often found in facial exfoliators. When it comes to your eye area, you need to keep things gentle with products like the CB Microexfoliant Peel. It will softly slough away dead skin cells while also providing a dose of hydration and antioxidants!
6) Look for Products That Counter the Appearance of Aging
One common cause of dark circles that we haven’t yet touched upon is aging. As you grow older, your skin gets thinner. This means that the blood vessels under your skin show through more. With the skin around your eyes already being thinner than the skin elsewhere on your face, that darkening effect is particularly noticeable here.
Fortunately, there are so many products out there that can help to counter the appearance of aging. The CB Replenishing Serum, for example, is packed with peptides that will leave your skin looking thicker and plumper. Antioxidants will help with this too. Vitamin C is known for being one of the best, so find yourself a good vitamin C serum as well.
7) Don’t Allow the Sun to Make Your Dark Circles Worse
If you’ve already attempted some of the above tips but still haven’t noticed an improvement, this could be because your skin is continuing to be damaged by the sun. As we mentioned above, the sun causes discoloration, and the fragile skin around the eyes is particularly susceptible.
Protecting your eye area from the sun is essential if you’re hoping to see any changes in your complexion. Sure, wearing sunscreen year-round can feel like a chore, but find yourself a good SPF moisturizer, like the CB Multi-Active Moisturizer With SPF 30, and sun protection will soon become second nature.
8) Take Control of Your Allergies
If you’re prone to allergies, this could be the reason behind your dark circles. Just like sun exposure, you need to stop the problem at its root before attempting to rectify your complexion.
How do allergies cause dark circles? When your skin experiences an allergic reaction, your body releases histamines. This can cause puffy and red eyes, with the puffiness leading to dark circles. Plus, if you’re rubbing or itching at your eyes often, you could end up with broken blood vessels, swelling, and hyperpigmentation.
Speak to your doctor about addressing your allergies so that your skin doesn’t continue to suffer.
9) Cut Back on Your Sodium, Sugar, Alcohol, and Tobacco Intake
You’re likely aware of how your diet can affect your skin. However, did you know that it can have a direct impact on the appearance of dark circles?
The biggest culprits are salt and sugar. Salt encourages your body to retain water. This can lead to swelling and puffiness under the eyes. Sugar damages the skin, promoting thinning.
Alcohol and tobacco should also be avoided. Both cause circulation to turn sluggish. This, in turn, leaves the skin looking duller and darker.
10) Learn How to De-Stress
Whenever you feel stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. If stress is a big part of your life, then this means that you’ll have a large amount of cortisol running through your body.
What’s the issue with this? Cortisol isn’t friends with your skin. Instead, it causes a number of problems, with inflammation being one. With the skin around the eyes being more fragile, inflammation can quickly cause this area to look puffy and darker. Stress can also exacerbate everything from psoriasis to allergies, making the root cause of your dark circles a bigger problem.
The solution is to find ways to lower your stress levels whenever you feel them start to rise. Whether this involves doing some breathing exercises, going for a jog, walking your dog, or writing in a journal, find what works for you so that you have a go-to whenever stress threatens to take over.
11) Consider a Professional Treatment
If your dark circles are particularly severe, it may be time to consider a professional treatment. There are quite a few out there that could help, such as:
- Fillers – these counter the loss of volume that occurs with aging. This leaves the skin looking fuller, making underlying blood vessels less visible.
- Chemical peels – we’ve already discussed how exfoliation can help with the appearance of dark circles. A chemical peel essentially takes this to the next level.
- Laser treatments – there are a few laser treatments that could help with the look of dark circles, depending on the underlying cause.
- PRP injections – these leave the skin feeling thicker and stronger.
- Prescription creams – these skincare products target the appearance of dark circles caused by hyperpigmentation. They work on lightening the look of discoloration. Because they contain a high concentration of potent ingredients that could potentially damage the skin, they require a prescription.
Saying Goodbye to the Appearance of Dark Circles
When it comes to skin concerns like dark circles, it’s important not to give up if, at first, you don’t succeed. There could be multiple factors causing your dark circles, meaning that you’ll need to tackle this from multiple angles. Try to implement as many of the tips above as possible and you should start to see a difference in your eye area in no time!
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