How to Reduce the Visibility of Dark Circles Without Makeup
Dark circles, though not a serious health condition can make a person look tired, unhealthy, exhausted, and older. Though most of us done wear too much makeup every day, a good concealer is recommended, because it can cover up the under-eye bags perfectly and make one look fresh and flawless.
Why Do We Get Eye Circles
To be honest, even if you’ve spent your life diligently treating your skin as carefully as you possibly can, we’re all going to show signs of aging sooner or later – and that includes under-eye bags and dark circles.
Over time, the skin naturally loses collagen and grows thinner, so regardless of what kind of skin you have or what good habits you maintain, veins will inevitably start to show through the thin skin around your eyes. As we already know, exposure to the sun speeds up the process of collagen breaking down, so your best weapon against under-eye circles is disciplined and consistent sunblock application habits from a young age. (Wearing sunglasses while out in the sun helps, too – less squinting = fewer crow’s feet!)
The best habits, however, can’t change your genes! Genetics is the biggest determinant of what kind of skin we will have and what we’ll look like as we age. Those of us that have inherited fair or thin skin tends to show under circles more easily than others due to the fact that when our blood pools in the capillaries under our eyes, it’s simply more obvious through lighter skin.
Unfortunately, as more and more blood accumulates there, your delicate capillaries begin to stretch and strain under the weight, leading to more leaking and blood pooling – and ultimately even darker under-eye circles.
Yet for others, dark under-eye circles and under-eye bags aren’t caused by aging, sunbathing, or genetics. Sometimes it’s a simple matter of allergies. Year-round allergies like those to dust or mold, or seasonal allergies many of us experience in the spring trigger the release of histamines, which cause an inflammatory response. That means our blood vessels become inflamed and swell – including those under our eyes.
A Few Ways by Which You Can Hide or Conceal Your Dark Circles Without Using Makeup
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- Prop Your Head up While Sleeping: Keep your head slightly elevated while sleeping by using double pillows. This will reduce the amount of fluid that accumulates underneath the eyes.
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- Shake Yourself: If you do not have time for a regular exercise routine, try to get yourself moving by doing some pushups or jumping jacks in the morning. This will help to increase your heart rate and in turn circulation. A few dance steps may also serve the same purpose. An increase in energy levels will help to reduce the under-eye bags and circles.
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- Use An Egg White Mask: Dab a thin layer of raw egg white around your eyes. Rinse off with warm water once it dries (about 15 minutes). An egg-white mask helps to tighten the skin around the eyes.
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- Use Tea Compresses: Immerse two caffeinated tea bags in warm water. Squeeze out the excess water and place them in the refrigerator. Once chilled, place one bag over each eye and maintain for up to 15 minutes. This treatment helps to reduce puffiness, dark circles, and bags as well.
- Apply Caffeinated Cream: Eye cream with caffeine works very well to reduce puffiness and diminish discoloration. It works by constricting blood vessels. A chilled eye cream provides an added advantage.
Home Remedies To Get Rid of Dark Circles
Some home remedies to get rid of dark circles naturally include
Almond Oil
Almond oil is very beneficial for the delicate skin around the eyes. Apply a little almond oil over the dark circles before going to bed at night. Gently massage it into the skin. Wash it off the next morning with cold water. This routine can be repeated till the dark circles disappear.
Cucumber
Cucumbers have a soothing and refreshing effect. They also have mild astringent properties and make the skin lighter. Place chilled cucumber slices on the eyes for about 10 minutes. Wash with water. Repeat two times a day for about a week or more.
Cold Compress
In the morning or evening – or better yet, in the morning AND the evening – apply a cold compress for about 10 minutes. If you have a mask you can keep in your fridge and pull out twice a day, that’s the easiest way to try this dark circle-reducing method. Just make sure to keep it clean and give it a good soapy scrub a few times a week!
Raw Potato
Raw potato has natural bleaching agents. It helps to lighten dark circles and get rid of puffiness around the eyes. Place cotton balls soaked in potato juice or thick potato slices over closed eyelids for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water. Repeat once or twice daily.
Cucumber Juice + Lemon Juice
If cucumber slices don’t work for you, try mixing equal parts cucumber and lemon juice and then use a cotton ball to apply to your under-eye circles. (DO NOT get lemon juice in your eye!) Leave the solution on your skin for 15 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
Rose Water
It has a soothing effect on tired eyes. It also works as a good skin toner due to its mild astringent properties. Place cotton balls soaked in pure rose water on closed eyes. Leave for about 15 minutes. Follow this twice daily for a few weeks.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are high in lycopene, a substance that’s excellent for your cardiovascular health, vision, and your skin. Lycopene can help create softer, more supple skin, as well as decrease the appearance of dark under-eye circles.
To gain the medical benefits of the lycopene found in tomatoes, mix equal parts tomato juice with lemon juice and then use a cotton ball or makeup remover pad to apply it to your under-eye area. (Again, PLEASE do not get lemon juice in your eyes.) Leave the solution for 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water, twice daily.
A tasty concoction of tomato juice, lemon juice, and mint leaves to drink daily will also help improve your overall health as well as your skin.
Cold tea bags
If you don’t have a cold compress or mask to use, substitute with tea bags. Many teas like green tea have the added benefit of antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe strained capillaries in your under-eye area.
To use cold tea bags as a compress, soak a tea bag in clean water and then place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then, place the tea bags on your eyes. Leave for 10 minutes or so twice daily before removing and rinsing the area with warm water.
Eat More Dark Chocolate
Here’s your excuse to indulge: Flavanol-rich foods like dark chocolate protect against the harmful effects of UV radiation, thereby slowing down the aging process caused by too much time in the sun – a delightful little fact after hearing for so long that chocolate is bad for our skin!
Eat More Salmon
Omega 3’s can be found in foods like salmon and walnuts. These fatty acids improve blood flow to the skin, moving blood out and away from your eyes instead of allowing it to pool there and cause dark under-eye circles.
Curb Salt Consumption + Drink More Water
If you remember studying osmosis in high school biology, then you’ll recall that water in your body moves from places with the most water to those with the least. The parts of your body that are low in sodium (salt) contain more water, while the parts of your body with more sodium contain less water.
When your body doesn’t have enough water but too much salt, you can look and feel puffy and bloated. The skin around your eyes is especially thin and vulnerable to dehydration. When you eat a salty meal but don’t drink enough water, your body will literally “look” dehydrated – i.e., red, puffy eyes. So if you plan to enjoy a salty meal, counter the effects with plenty of water.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains vitamin C which helps to lighten skin. Apply fresh lemon juice to the eyes for 10 minutes using a cotton ball. Rinse off with water. In case of a burning sensation, discontinue use.
Coconut Oil
Massaging with coconut oil helps to lighten dark circles. Coconut oil also acts as a moisturizer to prevent wrinkles and fine lines under the eyes. Massage extra-virgin coconut oil on the under-eye area, leave for a few hours, and then wash off. Repeat two to three times daily.
Tea Bags
Put used leftover tea bags in the refrigerator to cool. Place these bags over closed eyes. This will help to reduce swelling and discoloration.
Cold Milk
Dairy products like milk are a great source of vitamin A, which contains retinoids that are great for keeping skin looking bright and young.
To gain the benefits of milk’s vitamin A, soak a cotton makeup remover pad in a bowl of cold milk for a while. Use the pad to apply the milk to your under-eye bags and let it sit for about 10 minutes, twice daily. Rinse with warm water.
Turmeric
As yet another powerful, natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, turmeric minimizes dark circles. Mix some turmeric powder with pineapple juice to create a thick paste. Apply this mixture to your under-eye circles and leave for about 10 minutes before using a soft, warm, and damp cloth to gently remove the paste. Practice this routine once a day.
Orange Juice
Since orange juice is high in both vitamin A and C content, it can help remove dark circles from under your eyes. Add a few drops of glycerin to orange juice and then soak a cotton makeup remover pad to apply to your under-eye skin. You’ll reap the benefits of orange’s vitamins as well as the natural glow glycerin gives to your skin.
Aloe Vera
is an effective moisturizer and has anti-inflammatory properties. Clean the under-eye area with moist cotton and apply massage aloe Vera pulp under the eyes for 10 minutes. You don’t need to rinse it unless you find it sticky.
almond oil
One teaspoon of almond oil with a few drops of lemon juice is a magic potion. Retinol, vitamin E, and vitamin K are all these things in almonds the delicate skin under your eyes is smooth without irritating it. Massage the mixture around your eyes for 2 minutes. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C can increase trusted Source collagen production. Increasing collagen production under the eyes can reduce blood stasis, which may cause discoloration. Blood stasis refers to blood that pools in blood vessels.
People may notice an improved appearance of dark circles under their eyes when using beauty products with high concentrations of vitamin C.
Get 8 hours of sleep
Nothing keeps under-eye bags away like a full 8 hours of sleep. Get a good night’s rest – every night – and enjoy reduced under-eye circles.
Sleep on your back
Since sleeping on your side or stomach allows gravity to work its magic, meaning fluid can collect under your eyes, try sleeping on your back with an extra pillow under your head.
Consider laser therapy
Laser therapy can help with dark circles if the cause is excessive melanin production — darker pigmentation — from genetics or sun exposure in the skin O’Keefe says.
Laser therapy involves applying a low level of light beams to the skin to improve collagen production in skin cells and reduce pigmentation. It should be done in a medical spa after a consultation with a dermatologist. Side effects can include swelling or irritation for a few days following treatment.
Ask your dermatologist about fillers
Fillers add volume under the eyes to reduce the appearance of shadows or under-eye hollowing, O’Keefe says.
The process involves small injections of fluid — typically hyaluronic acid — under the eyes to lift the surface of the skin. This puts space between the skin and underlying blood vessels to reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. This is done in a medical office with local anesthesia.
Exercise + Meditation
Regular exercise enhances circulation, bringing blood flow to the skin to transform an aging, dull complexion into brighter, younger-looking skin – including the sensitive skin around your eyes. Moreover, the daily release of endorphins into your bloodstream keeps away depression and anxiety, keeping you happier, calmer, and more balanced.
Meditation – whether it’s a mindfulness exercise after a yoga practice or the peace of mind you find on a long, quiet run or swim – also keeps stress (and the wrinkles and fine lines caused by stress) at bay.