What Causes Dark Circles Under The Eyes?
and how to reduce them in less than 60 seconds
Dark Circles Under Eyes: Causes & Treatments
Identifying Dark Circles
Most people have experienced dark circles under their eyes, but what are they? Dark circles are the areas under your eyes that appear darker than the rest of your face. They can vary in colour such as purple, black and brown depending on your skin tone. Some people are chronic sufferers and others get them from time to time due to lifestyle changes, stresses or occasional reactions.
A lot of people assume dark circles and puffiness around the eyes are solely caused by lack of sleep, but there are many factors that cause them to occur such as dehydration, genetics, allergies and ageing. Outside of a healthy, well rested lifestyle, there are certain things you can do to significantly reduce the signs of dark circles, lines, wrinkles, puffiness.
Causes Of Dark Circles Under Eyes
Like we mentioned above, not getting enough sleep is a common cause of dark circles, but there’s plenty of other causes too…
Age: The skin under your eyes is the thinnest on the body. As you age it becomes thinner still, leading the blood vessels there to become more noticeable.
Fatigue: If you’re not sleeping well, the skin under your eyes becomes pale and dull, making the blood vessels under your eyes become more visible.
Allergies: Seasonal allergies can cause congestion, poor circulation and dilated veins, leading to dark circles.
Medications: Some medications can cause dark circles, so speak to your GP if you think your medication could be the culprit.
Dehydration: When you’re dehydrated, the skin under your eyes can look dull and sunken, making dark circles appear more prominent.
Genetics: Dark circles can run in the family — so if your parents have dark circles, you may be more likely to have them too.
Anemia: Anemia (or iron deficiency) can mean your blood doesn’t receive enough oxygen and means that you look more pale, leading to dark circles.
Lifestyle: Drinking too much alcohol, smoking, and high amounts of stress will all contribute to dark circles.
How To Prevent Dark Circles Under Eyes
Preventing dark circles from forming in the first place is always a good idea. Here’s a few things you can do to keep those shadows at bay…
Sleep: The NHS states that a healthy adult needs around 7 to 9 hours of sleep, but this depends on factors such as age, health and personal circumstances. Ensure you try to get as much sleep as you need to help prevent dark under eye circles.
Diet: Eat a balanced diet. Foods rich in iron, and vitamins C and B12 can help, like leafy greens, citrus fruits, berries, and nuts. Also, drink plenty of water, which will reduce puffiness.
Sun protection: Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day, all year round. Find sensitive skin friendly formulas that can be safely applied around the eyes, and reapply every two hours, or more often if you're swimming or sweating.
Stress management: Avoid rubbing your eyes after a stressful day, and use a cold compress to help shrink dilated blood vessels, which reduces the look of dark circles.
Stop smoking: Smoking or second-hand smoke will always worsen dark circles (and your overall health).
Use a dedicated eye cream: Formulas that contain ingredients like plumping peptides, anti-inflammatory caffeine, glow-giving vitamin C, and hydrating hyaluronic acid will all help to lessen the look of dark circles.
Reduce eye strain: Hours spent in front of a computer can cause tired eyes and your under eye blood vessels to enlarge, making dark circles appear worse.
Treating underlying health conditions: Eczema, asthma and melasma are a few medical conditions that can exacerbate dark circles.
How To Reduce The Look Of Dark Circles
It’s easy to reduce the look of fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness and even dark circles with a few simple tricks in your daytime and night-time routine.
Daytime routine
1. Hydrate + Colour Correct
Hydration is absolutely key when reducing the signs of puffiness and dark circles, it is also crucial in priming the skin before makeup. Once you have used your daily moisturiser, use the Wunderlift Wrinkle Reducer which instantly lifts, firms and delivers a wrinkle-reducing finish in just 60 seconds. The universal shade blends seamlessly and easily adapts to every skin complexion. The treatment is formulated with Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamins A, C + E to tighten, colour correct and smooth fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles around the eye area.
2. Apply Concealer
Once you have hydrated and set the skin, it’s time to add concealer. The skin under the eyes is the thinnest and most delicate of the entire face, so less is more when it comes to applying concealer. Most people believe that more is better, but this is not the case. Apply the product to the inner corners of your eyes, just next to your nose and then gently blend the product with a finger, small brush, or damp blender outwards towards the outer corner of your eyes.
NIGHT-TIME ROUTINE
Dark circles, wrinkles and puffiness are a natural factor of ageing and certain life experiences like stress and lack of sleep, but by incorporating some specialist products and ingredients into your routine, you can significantly reduce the appearance of them.
1. Use a Retinol Eye Cream
Another way to reduce the signs of dark circles, puffiness and tired eyes is by applying a night time retinol eye cream. If you haven’t used retinol before, it’s important to build it up slowly by applying it once a week and over time build it up to three times a week but no more. Make sure to always wear SPF 50 on your face during the daytime as the skin can be very sensitive to this ingredient. We recommend the Wunderlift Night cream, specifically designed for the delicate eye area, Wunderlift Night helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and even out the skin. Slow-release 3% encapsulated Retinol Complex minimises irritation and promotes skin renewal, making it suitable for all but very sensitive skin types. Infused with Coleus Forskohlii, a natural alternative to caffeine which revitalises the under-eye area, brightening dark circles and reducing puffiness.
FAQs On Dark Circles Under Eyes
Can dark circles go away?
You can certainly fade your dark circles making the lifestyle changes we mentioned above, as well as using targeted skincare and makeup. If you’re doing all of these things and not seeing a difference, we recommend seeking out medical treatments.
Who is most prone to dark circles?
Dark circles can affect everyone, but you can be more predisposed to them if you have thinner skin, meaning dark circles will be more visible. Those with higher melanin levels also commonly experience them, due to being more prone to hyperpigmentation. Dark circles are also common amongst the elderly, and those with a family history.
What home remedies can help with dark circles?
We would always err on the side of caution with home remedies, but you can quickly and efficiently reduce the intensity of dark circles and puffiness by applying a cold spoon to the under eyes. How? The cold temperature helps to minimise the dilated blood vessels under the eyes which cause dark circles, as well as improving lymphatic drainage. Simply wash two teaspoons, pop them in the fridge overnight, and then gently press them under your eyes for a few minutes.
Dark circles, wrinkles and puffiness are a natural factor of ageing and certain life experiences like stress and lack of sleep, but by incorporating some specialist products and ingredients into your routine, you can significantly reduce the appearance of them.
Lets not forget that dark circles are an extremely common factor in our busy lives, with fatigue, stress, diet and health conditions all playing their role. But if you alter your lifestyle accordingly (yep, definitely stop smoking!) and apply dedicated skincare formulas and makeup know-how, it’s easy to reduce the look of them fairly quickly.
