Goodbye, tired eyes! Treating dark circles

Eye area darkness may be caused by multiple factors. These include melanin banding patterns (naturally occurring genetic hyperpigmentation), hemoglobin deposition in the under eye, and sun damage.  What appears to be dark circles under your eyes may just be shadows cast by puffy eyelids, hollows, or sun exposure. Sun exposure prompts your body to produce more melanin, and hollows develop as a normal part of aging because the skin under our eyes is the thinnest on the face making capillaries more visible. When there is a decrease in blood flow to this part of the eye area, it decreases the hemoglobin transport of oxygen to the tissue, creating the look of dark circles.

Best Ingredients for Dark Circles

Vitamin C

An all-over skin brightener that can lighten dark circles.

Niacinamide

Can lighten dark circles and brightens the shadowed under-eye area.

Alpha Arbutin

Softens the look of dark circles due to sun damage

Azelaic Acid

Lightens dark circles and smooths fine lines

Retinol

Stimulates the production of collagen, making the skin less thin and improving dark circles. 

Sunblock

To protect and avoid dark circles pat sunblock in the area every day. Repeating application every 3 hours when outside

Best Tips to Repair and Prevent Under-Eye Circles

TIP 1

Gently wash and exfoliate the skin around the eyes before applying eye creams and apply the product before the application of any other products. Eye creams soften these lines and must be bioavailable to the muscle, so the product must deliver these topicals deeply into the skin without any occlusive products blocking them.

TIP 2

Under-eye darkness occurs when blood passes through the fine capillaries in the under-eye area and tends to accumulate in that area.  Look for products formulated with skin brightening ingredients that penetrate the skin helping to lighten the area.

TIP 3

To help with under-eye darkness try an effleurage movement. Start at the inner eye area and massage outward in small circular motions.  By doing this you will feel heat signaling the flow of blood to the area.      

TIP 4

Use an antioxidant in conjunction with a skin lightener to help with collagen and elastin damage over time. Many topicals contain antioxidants in combination with collagen and elastin initiators.