If eyes are truly the window to your soul, then you would prefer them to be sparkling and bright. Unfortunately, dark circles and puffy eyes do just the opposite. Often, dark shadows under the eyes are caused by excess pigment, usually hereditary and common in olive skin-toned people, or because blood vessels show through skin, giving the area under eyes a bluish cast. Whether from lack of sleep or your genes, regular care, proper diet, and age-proof treatments and tips can help banish dark circles and puffy eyes - or at least reduce them.
Some causes of dark circles and puffy eyes:
- Hereditary (they can’t be permanently removed, but can be reduced)
- Lack of sleep
- Stress and aging
- Lack of vitamins and minerals in your diet
- Not drinking enough water
- Sinus problems; allergies, like hay fever
- Dark circles could mean a liver or kidney that isn’t functioning properly
Get Plenty of Rest: As most everyone can attest, inadequate sleep results in dark circles under the eyes. Too little sleep causes the under-eye skin to become paler and thinner, increasing the dark appearance under the eyes, and reduces circulation. Get on a regular sleep schedule (at least seven to nine hours a night) to help reduce dark circles. Puffy eyes are usually caused by fluid retention and are often more noticeable in the morning, since fluid builds up while you sleep. To aid drainage, sleep on your back with your head raised on pillows.
Eat a Healthy Diet: To stay healthy and function properly, your eyes and body need certain nutrients. Ensure that your diet is healthy and well-balanced, and rich in green veggies, like spinach, and Beta-carotene, vitamin A, C, and E. Reduce the amount of salty and spicy foods you eat because excess salt causes your body to retain water, resulting in puffiness under the eyes. Too much salt may also impair your circulation, causing blood vessels (like the ones under your eyes) to appear bluer.
Drink Plenty of Water: Staying hydrated keeps skin looking healthy, and helps to flush out any excess sodium (which causes fluid retention, causing puffiness) through the kidneys and improves circulation. Avoid caffeine and other diuretics that encourage dehydration.
Quit Smoking: Smoking causes blood vessels to appear more prominent and bluer beneath the eyes’ skin.
Protect Your Eyes from the Sun: As collagen, elastin, and fat decrease with age, eyelids begin to sag, and a lot of sun exposure just hastens this effect. The skin surrounding your eyes is thinner and less able to manufacture the firming tissue, collagen, so protect your eyes from too much sunlight.
Don’t Rub Your Eyes: Rubbing your eyes irritates the skin and can break tiny capillaries beneath the skin, causing puffiness and discoloration. Since itchy eyes can be brought on by allergies, take an antihistamine to reduce symptoms.
Moisturize the Eye Area: To improve the look of your eyes, moisturize the skin around them. Look for creams containing powerful moisturizers, such as glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and vitamin E. Dark circles are sometimes caused by a deficiency of vitamin K, so skin creams that contain vitamins K and E help to reduce puffiness and discoloration. And to improve dark shadows, use an eye cream with botanical skin lighteners like licorice and kojic acid.
To Rejuvenate Eyes:
Apply Cool Tea Bags, Cucumber Slices, or Ice Cubes: The tannin in tea bags has been shown to reduce swelling and discoloration, and cucumber slices have long been used to reduce puffiness and refresh skin around the eyes. Lie down, preferably in the morning, and place fresh cucumber slices; cool, damp caffeinated tea bags (you can refrigerate them overnight); or ice cubes wrapped in soft cloth over your closed eyes for about 10-15 minutes daily.
Mix a Paste: Mix turmeric powder with raw pineapple juice (not the canned version) until a paste forms. Gently spread the mixture under the eyes, allowing it to stay for 15-20 minutes, and rinse off with lukewarm water. Try this each night for a week to see visible results.
Apply Almond Oil: For serious dark circles, try using almond oil. Gently pat oil under eyes and around eyes in the mornings and evenings.
Using Make Up to Conceal: Use a yellow or peach-toned concealer to help camouflage and cancel out the blue, purple, and brownish colors of your under eye circles, and apply a highlighter to the inner corners of your eye and gently blend outwards. To open the eyes, shape your brows correctly and use mascara designed to lengthen and curl lashes, which makes eyes appear larger. Also, to keep your eyes looking bright and open, only apply mascara and eye liner near the top lashes. Avoid dark eye shadows, which can cast the lid in darkness, emphasizing dark circles. Instead, use a flesh-toned hue, and top it with a sheer gold shadow to help eyes shine.
