Liz Thompson
Dark under eye circles. Everyone has them at some point (allergy season!). But many battle dark circles all the time.
The skin around your eyes is thinner and more delicate than on other areas of the face. Much the same way as the body bruises, dark circles are the visible signs of leaky capillaries. Sounds gruesome, but it is just because of this thinner skin that it is more obvious.
Yes, allergies can cause dark under eye circles, as can late nights, eating too much sugar, not getting enough water, and heredity. While dark circles usually do not represent any major health concerns, it is a good idea to look further at what is causing the issue. So, what can you do about it?
Eating a balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and veg, plenty of H2O, and limited amounts of caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar, and salty foods is a great place to start. Meditation, or some other form of managing stress, will also see you through a great night’s sleep – beneficial in eliminating dark circles.
Once you are taking good care of your physical and mental health, have eliminated allergies or medications as a culprit, you may have to chalk up your under eye circles to heredity, darker skin tone, or deep set eyes. If you are one with chronic dark circles, you may want to invest in a good concealer. Even though my dark circles are faint, I feel that a swipe of concealer really brightens my eyes, and I rarely skip that step.
First, you want to make sure that you are adequately moisturizing the skin around your eyes. A good eye cream is both hydrating and non-greasy. I love The Answer Ideal Eyes Anti-aging Eye Cream and 100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream. Be sure you are keeping the moisturizer about an inch away from your actual eye so that it does not irritate.
If your eyes are super sensitive you may want to try an eye gel. These dry more quickly and are not quite as “mobile”.
In my opinion you can not go wrong with a pencil concealer. They are spot-on, easy to apply and blend, and stay put. My favorite pencil concealer has been discontinued, so I am recommending Vapour Organic Beauty Illusionist Concealer, which is the one I will purchase next also.
Remember: when choosing concealer always opt for a shade lighter than your natural skin tone. You want dark or red areas of the skin that you are covering to appear brighter, not covered. I promise you will not be sorry you did. Apply sparingly, blend gently with fingers, dust lightly with a transparent facial powder. That’s all there is to it.
Even if you don’t have dark circles, try this concealer trick under your eyes. You will be amazed at how much more awake and “polished” you look.
Image: Colton’s Photography at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.
