What causes dark circles under eyes besides lack of sleep

A retinol cream containing retinoids helps rebuild the skin’s outer layer of collagen, thickening it in the process. You can spend significant money on creams like Crème de La Mer, or you can get a high-strength prescription from your dermatologist. However, many top dermatologists[7] claim that some drugstore brands work just as well when minimizing dark under-eye circles.

You’ve already learned that sleeping on your stomach causes fluid and blood to pool around your eyes, and sleeping on your back could help reduce this occurrence. Bonus points if you add an extra pillow to further encourage the fluid to stay away. Just be careful that you don’t throw your spine and neck out of alignment.

View Our Guide: Top Rated Pillows for Back Sleepers

Sometimes, the darkness is above and on the skin, rather than causing darkness from below. A lightening product containing Vitamin C, licorice extract, and kojic acid can help alleviate some of the darkness because they inhibit melanin production[8], which is known to cause darker skin. We also suggest wearing sunscreen designed for the face to prevent further sun damage and pigmentation.

Allergic reactions often lead to individuals overly-rubbing their eyes in search of relief. Unfortunately, this doesn’t help when you’re trying to avoid puffy peepers and under-eye circles. An over-the-counter antihistamine[9] may do the trick to prevent the incessant itching.

A lot of us are beyond exhausted when it’s time for bed, and we can’t be bothered with an elaborate routine. So when it comes to removing makeup, we may just rub it off with whatever remover we’ve got handy without a second thought.

If you can afford the time, treat the delicate skin around your eyes with extra care. Use a soft cotton pad and rub very gently. Coconut oil tends to feel smooth and allows makeup to come off with ease. Also, when you’re taking off your makeup, don’t rub back and forth. Instead, wipe gently in one direction to prevent excess friction and pressure.

This piece of advice works wonders for a variety of beauty ailments. They don’t call it “beauty sleep” for nothing. The sweet spot is often between seven and nine hours. Making sleep a top priority could be the difference between tired and rejuvenated skin.

Drinking caffeine may be bad for under-eye circles, but putting it on your skin could help. Caffeine’s diuretic properties allow it to naturally draw fluid away from the face. For best results, steep two tea bags in warm water for a few minutes. Then allow them to chill in the refrigerator for about five to ten minutes. Finally, lay back and place one bag over each eyelid. Rest and relax for another five minutes or so.

It may seem like a scene from a movie, but cucumber slices are known to help hydrate skin due to their vitamin K content, alleviating dark circles and puffiness. The cool temperature, the vitamin K, and the caffeic acid work as natural anti-inflammatories.

Salt causes the body to retain water. If you’ve ever felt dehydrated after a night out of drinking, one of the biggest mistakes is drinking only water or avoiding foods with salt— we need salt to help us retain water.

We all retain water differently, but the region under the eyes is a common area to store it.

Essential oils have been hailed as miracles for just about whatever ails us, and for good reason. Depending on the exact result you’re after, you may prefer one type of essential oil over another. Here are the ones we recommend for dark circles and puffiness:

• Rose geranium essential oil: it reduces water retention, eliminating puffy pockets
• Fennel essential oil: it tightens the skin, reducing bags
• Lavender essential oil: not only is it calming, but it’s also a natural diuretic
• Rosemary essential oil: like cucumbers, rosemary also contains caffeic acid

Don’t apply the undiluted oils directly to the skin around your eyes. Instead, dilute the oils with a carrier oil like almond oil, aloe vera, or witch hazel. Depending on the concentration you purchase, the label should provide dilution ratios.

More liquid may seem counterintuitive, but when we’re dehydrated, the body adapts by retaining water, especially around the eyes. Therefore, to reduce the amount of excess fluid in the body, drink plenty of water.

The “eight glasses of water a day” rule is outdated. So, don’t worry, you don’t have to be chugging water all day. Experts today[10] recommend about 11.5 cups of fluids a day for most grown females and 15.5 cups for most grown males.

Vitamin C is necessary for collagen production, which is one key factor to maintaining healthy skin. By eating foods that are plentiful sources of this nutrient, you can help prevent puffiness and unwanted circles before they’re a problem.

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, pineapples, and limes are obvious choices, but a lot of other foods are great sources, too. Vitamin C heavy-hitters include kale, cauliflower, berries, broccoli, mango, tomatoes, and papaya, to name a few.

Alcohol dehydrates your body and dilates the blood vessels. As you might guess, this is not an attractive combination. However, parring down your beer, wine, or liquor consumption may help.

Supplements containing collagen can help stimulate collagen production, though some nutritionists argue that the body doesn’t convert it to usable collagen. To ensure you get the full benefit, try taking supplements that allow your body to create its own collagen, like Vitamin C, amino acids, and copper.

An iron deficiency can lead to dark circles because it causes the hemoglobin in the blood to break down, resulting in a lack of oxygen and the appearance of dark bruises under the eyes. An iron supplement could help, similarly to consuming grass-fed or pasture-raised beef and poultry.

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, then Vitamin B-12 supplements should be just as effective. Other recommended foods include beans, spinach, peas, apricots, and raisins.

Eating tomatoes for their Vitamin C content is helpful, but you can also put them on your skin. Mix equal parts tomato juice with lemon juice and soak some cotton pads with it. Then place them over your eyelids for about 10 minutes. If this doesn’t sound enjoyable, you might try it as a beverage with a few mint leaves.

Milk has been known to be calming and soothing to the skin, but we suggest skipping the milk and opting for an ice pack instead. It’s cleaner and won’t curdle, yet it has the same cooling and soothing effect.

Rosewater may be an old wive’s tale, but it’s been known to work.

If you habitually suffer from puffy eyes, grab some cotton balls and soak them in rose water[11]. Place the cotton over your eyelids and relax for fifteen minutes. For best results, do this once a day for 30 days.