How to Get Rid of Black Circles Under Your Eyes

Co-authored by Christin Birckhead

Last Updated: March 15, 2024 Approved

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Dark circles under the eyes tend to age your appearance more than wrinkles or grey hair. However, you are not stuck with these features permanently; you can still reduce the appearance of dark circles under your eyes and in some cases remove them completely. See Step 1 and beyond for more information.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Natural Remedies

1. 1
   Use cucumber slices. Cucumber slices have long been used to reduce puffiness and refresh the appearance of skin around the eyes, providing a fast "pick-me-up" for tired and puffy eyes. Place a slice over each eye, extending over the darkened area. Do this daily, coupled with lying down for 10-15 minutes. Keep your eyes closed.

   • Keeping cucumber slices in the refrigerator before applying on your skin could be more beneficial in reducing dark circles due to the cooling properties of these items, which work in a method similar to a cold compress.
2. 2
   Apply cool tea bags or an ice cube wrapped in soft cloth to your eyes daily. The tannin in tea bags reduces swelling and discoloration. Lie down, preferably in the morning, and leave the cool and damp caffeinated tea bags over your eyes for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep your eyes closed. You can refrigerate them overnight so they will be ready in the morning.
3. 3
   Sleep with your head elevated. Prop up your head on a few pillows or use a wedge to elevate your head at night. This can help prevent circles underneath your eyes since it reduces fluid retention around your eyes.
4. 4
   Make a saline solution. Add 2 cups of water with a 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and/or a half teaspoon of baking soda in one of your nostrils. Have your head tilted to the side so that the water comes out the other nostril. It's best used when you're experiencing nasal congestion.
5. 5
   Use a potato. Place one uncooked potato into a liquidizer and liquidize the whole potato. Scoop out and place the pureed potato on your closed eyelids. Keep it there for 30 minutes while lying on your back, then wash it off with warm water. This method works well for some people.
6. 6
   Use a frozen spoon. Put a spoon in the freezer overnight. Take it out in morning and cover the circles (after splashing some water over your face) with it. Hold it there until the spoon is warm again.
7. 7
   Apply almond oil on the dark circles. The vitamin E from this oil helps neutralize dark circles under eyes and makes your periorbital skin look bright and young.

   • Applying almond oil can reduce dark circles gradually but you can speed up the process by applying it before sleep to let the Vitamin E work overnight on your skin.
8. 8
   Regularly undergo meditation and perform some exercise. Dark circles can be an outcome of the stress in your day-to-day life. Thus, getting rid of unwanted tension and stress can subsequently help you get rid of the dark circles.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Trying Cosmetic Solutions

1. 1
   Do a skin patch test. Before trying any cosmetics, do a skin patch test first. Some cosmetics may cause an allergic reaction, and make the dark circles under your eyes worse. Cease using anything that irritates your skin, causes rashes or makes your eyes sore or watery.
2. 2
   Apply an eye cream containing vitamin K and retinol. Dark circles may be caused by a deficiency of vitamin K. Regardless of the cause, however, skin creams containing these two ingredients reduce puffiness and discoloration significantly in many people. Long-term daily use seems to have the greatest effect.
3. 3
   Use a peach or orange-tinted concealer to balance out the blue or purple tones in your under-eye circles. Choose a peach or orange-tinted concealer that is 1 to 2 shades darker than your skin tone, and apply it in an upside-down triangle shape with your ring finger. Be sure to extend it towards the tops of your cheekbones. Gently pat on your foundation over it.

   • If you have fair skin, go for a light or medium peach-tinted concealer. If you have medium or dark skin, go for a dark peach or orange-tinted concealer.
   • If you don't wear foundation, choose a concealer that matches your skin tone, and pat it on top. This will conceal the peach/orange color. Wearing sunglasses when outside will also help protect the eyes from excess pigmentation.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Addressing the Cause

1. 1
   Get your beauty sleep. Get plenty of sleep nightly. It’s not completely clear why inadequate sleep results in dark circles under the eyes, but lack of sleep tends to cause the skin to become paler (thus increasing the appearance of darkness under the eyes), and reduces circulation. It’s also believed that too little time lying down is a cause in itself. Before going to bed at night, remove all eye makeup. If you don't, when you get older, you can look much more tired on a continuing basis.

   • Determine how much sleep you need. (It’s usually 7-9 hours per night, but varies for different people in various periods throughout their lives.) Try to get your target amount regularly for a couple of weeks to see if that helps.
   • Alcohol and drugs can negatively affect the quality of your sleep. For best results, abstain from these products or use them only in moderation.
   • Get adequate vitamins that assist sleep. A lack of sleep, coupled with poor vitamin absorption tends to reduce adrenal function. The less adrenal function you have, the less B6 you tend to absorb. The less B6 you absorb, the less your adrenal glands function and you end up in a vicious circle. Sleep, regular vitamins (where needed), good calcium/magnesium support in the form of eating a lot of greens (which are higher in calcium and magnesium than dairy products are) and a good mineral supplement restores adrenal function.
2. 2
   Treat your allergies. Allergies are a common cause of skin discoloration under the eyes. If an allergy is the root of your problem, treat the allergy or remove the allergen. Seasonal allergy problems such as hay fever can be effectively treated with over-the-counter and prescription medications.

   • For other allergies, the best course of action is usually avoidance. If your dark circles or puffiness are constant, you may have an undetected food allergy or an allergy to a chemical in your home or workplace. Talk to a dermatologist for help determining what you may be allergic to. People with allergies also tend again to be deficient in B6, folic acid, and B12 on occasion. Taking a multivitamin may also help.
   • Gluten intolerance. Another common allergy that causes dark circles is gluten intolerance, which is an allergy to wheat, barley, and rye in particular. More severely, you could have celiac disease. To test for celiac disease, have blood tests performed by your doctor. It's important to remember that you can be gluten intolerant, and not have celiac disease.
3. 3
   Fix nasal congestion. A blocked nose can result in dark circles under your eyes because the veins around your sinuses are darkened and dilated. Use a tool like a neti pot or an over-the-counter nasal spray to help you clear out your sinuses.

   • If you have a sinus infection, you may need antibiotics. Talk to your doctor about getting a prescription.
4. 4
   Eat well. Eat a healthy, balanced diet, take vitamins, and drink plenty of water. A whole host of cosmetic problems can be attributed to vitamin deficiencies. Dark circles and puffiness are often attributed to lack of vitamin K or inadequate antioxidants. Also, a deficiency in B12 (usually anemia-related) can result in dark circles.

   • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially cabbage, spinach, and other leafy green vegetables. Take a daily vitamin supplement if necessary. Get adequate fluids to improve circulation.
   • Reduce salt intake. Excess salt causes the body to retain water in unusual places, and this can result in puffiness under the eyes. Too much salt can also impair your circulation and cause the blood vessels under the skin to appear bluer.
5. 5
   Examine your smoking habit and decide to quit. Smoking causes vascular (blood vessel) problems that can not only threaten your life but also make your blood vessels appear more prominent and bluer.
6. 6
   Relaxing might help remove sources of stress and anxiety that are preventing you from sleeping, eating and resting properly. In turn, relaxing enough will help the skin beneath your eyes to improve as you feel less stressed and more at ease. Skin tends to reflect a whole host of emotional and physical ailments, so don't dismiss the need to relax lightly.
7. 7
   Accept what you can't change. There are some causes to under-eye circles you can't do much to reverse, unfortunately. These include:

   • Pigmentation irregularities. These can cause darker circles under the eyes.
   • Thinning from age. Aging thins the skin, making veins and vessels more obvious as your fat and collagen depletes over time.
   • Heredity. Establish whether or not this condition runs in your family, as under-eye dark circles are believed to frequently be hereditary. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about the conditions, but you should be prepared for minimal success when trying to get rid of them.
   • Your facial features. Dark circles may be as simple as shadows being thrown by your own features. There isn't much you can do to change this other than a careful use of cosmetics.
   • Hormones. Regular hormone changes, such as pregnancy and menstruation, can also cause dark circles.

Expert Q&A

• Question

  What causes dark circles under your eyes?

  Laura Martin

  Licensed Cosmetologist

  Expert Answer

  Trauma, dehydration, allergies, lack of sleep, and heredity can all cause dark circles. Often, there are multiple causes.
• Question

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

  Laura Martin

  Licensed Cosmetologist

  Expert Answer

  For a temporary fix, cold tea bags are great; they restrict blood vessels and sooth the skin. Sleeping with your head elevated can help with blood flow, preventing darkening overnight. Sunscreen will minimize pigmentation.
• Question

  How can I get rid of dark circles immediately?

  Laura Martin

  Licensed Cosmetologist

  Expert Answer

  Dark circles can be from a variety of factors, but sleeping more and staying hydrated will have an immediate effect. You can also apply a salmon-colored concealer in the same level as your skin to hide them.

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Tips

• You can also use rose water and vitamin E capsules and apply it.
• Have a healthy diet enriched with vitamins C, D, and E.
• When you use tea bags, be sure to use green or black tea bags. The caffeine in them makes them more effective at reducing puffiness.

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