First published in Jeunessima Magazine 13
Many of us women have those dark circles under our eyes that let us look old and tired.
And we are all hoping for this miracle treatment that gives us instant youth and beauty.
Does that exist?
First, we need to know what is causing your under eye circles in order to understand how to reduce them. Genetics, age and allergies are the main reasons for dark circles as the skin under your eyes is very thin.
No real treatments have been found for any of those causes so far. This also means that, unfortunately, no one miracle treatment exists.
But there are many ways to minimize the appearance of dark circles and the puffiness.
The most effective ones are …
- Vitamin A (which affects the pigment of our skin and under the eye)
- Sleep well
- Stay hydrated
- Eat a healthy diet of nutrient-dense foods
- Moisturize your skin
- Avoid sugar
- Cool the area under your eyes for a quick pick-up. A cold spoon or an ice cube work best
- Stop rubbing your eyes
- and yes … Beauty products
What Causes Those Dark Under Eye Circles?
It is important to remember that even though dark under eye circles and puffiness can be hereditary, diet and lifestyle can play a huge part in how prominent they appear.
First of all, it all boils down to how well you take care of your body. Things like getting plenty of rest, taking vitamins, staying hydrated, and having a healthy diet can all help to reduce the appearance of those unwanted dark circles.
As you age, your skin gets thinner. The skin under your eyes is already dramatically thinner than the rest of your skin, so make sure to be super gentle with the skin under your eyes.
What makes that area look darker and puffier are the blood vessels underneath the skin.
To protect that part of your skin as much as possible, use sunscreen SPF30+ and moisturizers that have vitamin A and/or vitamin C in them to balance your skin's pigmentation.
And once you have done all that, use great make-up to let your eyes shine & your face glow.
Here Is My Makeup Routine for Reducing Under Eye Circles
A key point is to make sure your concealer is slightly lighter than your foundation for maximum effect.
Using a small flat brush, apply the concealer in a blotting motion:
- Start at the tear duct and blot it on all the way to the outer lash line
- Following your eye shape, pull the concealer down in a semi-circle like shape. You want to make sure you are blotting out the entire area of your dark circles
- Using your finger, make-up sponge or brush, blend the concealer in to your foundation under your eyes
- Use a setting powder to powder your face. I like to use clear powders that give a matte finish