Under Eye Baggage Weighing You Down? Here’s How to Get Rid of Dark Circles

That’s the thing with dark circles and eyelids, we skim over them for months, sometimes even years, then BAM. We look like a tired, older version of ourselves overnight. While they can be down to genetics, most of the time they’re down to neglecting the eye area, but we’ll skip over the lecture since you wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t learnt the hard way. Now you know the importance of caring for the delicate and very underrated eye area, let’s talk remedies for dark circles. 

What Causes Dark Circles?

No Sleep: Dark circles aren’t just for the party animals who run on no sleep. While a lack of sleep does contribute to panda-like eyes, as our blood circulation becomes weaker and less oxygen reaches our skin allowing dark eye bags to shine through, other causes aren’t so obvious. 

Stress: When we’re stressed, our body prioritises sending blood to our main organs and away from our face, causing the same effect as little sleep. So, if you’re a stressed-out partygoer, you might want to RSVP no every now and then or you’re looking at double the trouble.

Not Applying Sunscreen to Your Eye Area: Hands up if you’re guilty of forgetting to apply sunscreen to your eye area! Exposing your under-eyes and eyelids to UV rays without any protection causes the skin to produce more melanin to absorb UV rays and redistribute them. All this extra melanin in the eye area will enhance the darkness as melanin is a colour pigment. 

Ageing: Oh, just another fun pro of ageing: dark under eyes. As we age, our body produces less collagen and hyaluronic acid which work to keep the skin plump and voluminous. Without the volume between your blood vessels and the surface of your skin, the skin will be thinner and dark eye bags will appear more prominent. 

Skincare Remedies to Get Rid of Dark Circles:

1. Don’t Forget to Apply Sunscreen to Your Eye Area   

Try: ISNTREE Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel SPF50+ PA++++ (50ml) - £12.50

To prevent melanin production from going out of whack, apply Isntree's Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel all over the face, not forgetting the eye area. This dark eye circle treatment  protects from sun damage whihc can intensify the appearance of dark circles and contains 8 types of Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate the under-eyes. With added Niacinamide, the cream will brighten your eyes and reduce fine lines for those days you didn’t get enough Zs. 

2. Add More Hyaluronic Acid to Your Skincare Routine 

Try: BENTON Fermentation Eye Cream - £21.50

For dark under eyes with thinning skin, BENTON Fermentation Eye Cream is a total dream as it’s rich in hyaluronic acid to naturally illuminate, plump, and hydrate the eye area without you getting all wide-eyed at the price. You’ll also discover lysate and galactomyces ferment filtrate to soften stubborn wrinkles, and ceramide and peptides to strengthen the skin barrier. Reasons not to smother it all over your eye area? Zero.

3. Use A Brightening Eye Cream 

Try: COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream (25ml) - £24

To brighten the eye area, COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream treatment lightens dark circles and eyelids, smooths out fine lines, and depuffs with 72% snail mucin, niacinamide, peptides, and adenosine. For bonus points, it also includes an extra dose of hyaluronic acid. 

Top Tip: If you’re using two eye creams, apply one in the morning and one at night instead of on top of each other to increase product absorption and avoid cancelling one another out. 

4. Apply An Eye Mask 2-3 Times A Week

Try: HEIMISH Bulgarian Rose Hydrogel Eye Patch (60 pcs) - £18

One of our favourite remedies for dark circles that comes with a little self-care. Infused with Bulgarian Rose Water, these eye patches hydrate and brighten the skin under the eyes, reducing the appearance of the darkened skin. Its also has soothing properties  from the added Centella Asiatica, which will calm redness and irritation. With Niacinamide working to restore youth and brighten the eye area, they’ll fix almost everything (if it could sort out your love life, it would do that too).

 5. Add Retinol To Your Routine

Try: SOME BY MI Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream (30ml) - £19.95

The stars in this cream are Retinol and Retinal, the most effective ingredients to reverse anti-ageing of the skin under eyes and make them looking young again. Together, this dynamic combo, will boost collagen to the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and making the skin nice and firm. On top of that, it also contains niacinamide, a brightening chemical, making those eye bags disappear. Your under eye baggage will no longer be weighing you down.