Many of us can relate to the struggle of going to work within the rush hour. We wake up, get dressed, and leave home before dawn. And since we face the same heavy traffic after work, we always get back home late, having no other choice but to sleep late because we still have to catch up with our hobbies or finish some chores.
As a consequence, our constant exhaustion shows on our faces, specifically on our eyes. Puffiness and darkness plague our under-eyes, making us appear older than our age, and possibly affecting our self-confidence.
That said, let’s discuss our options on getting rid of those pesky dark circles for good.
Caused of Dark Circles
Before getting onto our treatment options, let’s first find out why do we really have dark circles. You can still have them even if you aren’t sleep-deprived or stressed, meaning their cause can be any of the following:
- allergies
- allergic rhinitis
- heredity
- contact dermatitis
- eczema
- pigmentation irregularities
- sun exposure
- scratching or rubbing of the eyes
If heredity causes your dark circles, it’s unfortunately out of your control, but you can definitely still do something to reduce their appearances, and it shouldn’t cost you a lot! And if you suspect that you may have allergies or other medical conditions listed above, consult your doctor first before resorting to any treatment.
Natural and Inexpensive Ways to Treat Dark Circles
1. Sleep with Extra Pillows Under Your Head
Find a way to get enough sleep, even during weekdays. Maybe you should skip browsing social media, watching a TV or online drama, and other unnecessary activities that are making you lose hours of sleep. As you lie down, add extra pillows under your head to reduce the fluids pooling under your eyes that causes the puffiness.
2. Apply a Cold Compress
Dilated blood vessels could also be the culprit of your dark circles, so apply a cold compress over your eye to constrict the blood vessels and lighten your under-eyes.
3. Tea Bags
Don’t throw away your used caffeinated teabags yet, because you can put them over your eyes after cooling them in the fridge. Let them stay put over your eyes for 5 minutes, then rinse with cold water afterwards.
4. Remove Makeup Gently
The skin under our eyes is among the thinnest on our bodies, so be gentle every time you remove your makeup at the end of the day. Use a fragrance-free towelette, stroking gently on a single direction rather than rubbing back and forth.
5. Take an Antihistamine
If you suffer from allergies, take an antihistamine in the prescribed dosage, which should reduce your dark circles.
6. Moisturizing Products
Facial products such as highly-effective eye serum for dark circles should do the trick. You can also use a retinoid to stimulate the production of collagen, which gets depleted as we age. For a natural alternative, mix almond oil and vitamin E, and gently massage the mixture under your eyes before going to sleep. Wash the area with cold water after waking up in the morning.
Essential oils such as rose geranium, lavender, fennel, rosemary, and German chamomile also work great; just mix any of them with coconut oil, and gently massage the mixture on your dark circles. Don’t forget to sunscreen daily as well.
7. Ingest Vitamin C and Stay Hydrated
Ascorbic acid also helps in the production of collagen, so consume a lot vitamin-C-rich foods. And of course, don’t forget to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily!
8. Quit Vices
Alcohol dehydrates you while smoking damages your under-eye skin. By quitting cigarettes and/or at least reducing your alcohol intake, you brighten your eyes and improve your overall health.
Above all, live a healthy lifestyle to preserve not just your youthful glow, but the health of all your organs as well. If the problem persists, consult a dermatologist regularly.
