Dark circles under eyes
 

How do you get rid of dark circles under your eyes?

Everyday I wake up and it looks like I have two black eyes. :(

I use a Clean & Clear product that I don't remember the name of. It's in the same aisle as their face washes though. It's in a little light blue stick form.

Well, there are three types of undereye circles that I'm aware of -- some you can get rid of , some you can't --

First -- most common -- smudgy black circles under the eye from leftover mascara/eye makeup. Even if you take your makeup off before bed (which of course we're all doing) sometimes the solution doesn't get all the coloring agents and they mix with oil on the skin under your eyes and give you raccoon-eyes. Best bet is to try extra makeup remover and face wash first thing in the morning.

Second -- fairly common -- bruised-looking undereyes from sleep deprivation. There are a couple of ways to fix this. One, obviously, is to get more sleep. There are also a number of specialty creams from cosmetic companies that can (with fairly good success, I hear) strengthen the skin or blood vessels or something, make the skin more reflective, I'm not sure -- this helps actually treat the tired skin and make the under-eye circles reduce or go away altogether.

Third -- not as common -- genetic/chronic undereye circles. Yes, I have these, and boy is it fun. Basically, the skin under your eyes is just so thin/delicate that the blood vessels show through and give you a bruised look. You can try the creams mentioned above, but I've never found them to work. Also, if you have fairly deep-set eyes, the shadow from your brow bone will make the already permanennt circles look darker. (If, during the winter, you can ever see any of the veins in your face, especially thinner areas like right under your cheekbone near the hairline, this is probably your problem.)

The best way to deal with chronic circles that aren't caused by sleep deprivation is to find a nice light-reflecting concealer (i like Lancome stuff, myself) and blend it well under and around the eye. It's a little higher-maintenance, but it does work. Or you can just give up and expect that some days people are going to ask you if you're sick, tired, or goth. :rolleyes:

Hope that helps -- sorry for the length.

Greekgrrl

I am suffering from number two. :(

Thanks ladies! :)

If it's number 2....it sounds kinda gay for a guy...but I put cucumber slices on my eyes if they start to have bags from sleep deprivation.

Cucumbers and Preparation H work for swollen undereye bags. For circles I use L'Oreal Feel Naturale in a soft ivory. I have very fair skin so you might need to use a different shade.

I'm as white as a ghost, lol.

I've had them all my life! (I mean that literally. There are pictures of me as a kid with these circles!) It's genetic. My dad had them too! I've learned to live with them. When I get dressed up, I wear a good concealer...I'm so used to them!

As the local Lancome Counter Manager. . . . Greekgrrl said it perfectly. There are creams out there that will help 'brighten' dark circles (Vitabolic Eye for one). This would work for both genetic and sleep deprived circles. Another trick is to put the concealer on OVER your foundation - but you need to make sure that the concealer matches the foundation VERY WELL or you will have the reverse raccoon effect (white circles). Lancome also has a waterproof concealer that will stay on better than most others on the market. I usually end up with the residual mascara and sleep deprived circles and the concealer (as well as my glasses) hide them well. :) I am also VERY anxious to try out the new mascara Lancome is introducing next month called MagiCils. It is supposed to come off with just warm water (basically disolve in the water - no raccoon eyes, no damaged lashes, no eye make-up remover, etc). It also comes in some GREAT colours (fushia, black, turquoise, violet, and aubergine. . .).

Sarah

I have bad allergies so my circles flare up whenever I'm sniffly. Yeah really cute. Here's what I do:
wash your face really well and then slather on moisturizer (the formula depends on what type skin ya got) let the lotion set in and then apply a good bit of concealer as close to your natural color but still lighter than it is. Then put on base, concentrating around under your eyes and your eyelids. Try not to wear eye shades like bright blue or purple or green. Brown is kinda boring but it does help look "natural". Golden is nice too. If you have blue eyes maybe try a light blue shade instead. Don't put too much (if any) liner on your bottom lid. Just a bit on the top. And don't over do mascara. Good luck w/ it. I know it sucks!

There is a great product from Mary Kay for the dark circle syndrome :) It's their facial highlighter. It's pretty good :)