The Best Natural Remedies for Dark Under-eye Circles

Many of us suffer from under-eye circles and they can be really annoying. Those dark, purplish patches under our eyes can make us look tired and old which is why many people try to hide or get rid of them. There are lots of different ways that you can hide dark circles under your eyes, including with concealer and other makeup products, but what about getting rid of them totally?

We've been taking a look at the ways you can rid yourself of dark under-eye circles. We've gathered our research here and we've taken a look at a bunch of natural ways to reduce the appearance of dark circles.

To find out more about reducing the appearance of dark circles in a natural way, take a look below where we'll offer you a few tips and tricks for at-home remedies.

What causes dark circles under the eyes?

So, what actually causes those dark circles under your eyes?

Most of the time, those dark circles are caused by lack of sleep or fatigue, or they are caused by the natural aging process. As we age, our skin becomes thinner and we lose collagen meaning the blood vessels underneath the eyes are more visible, leading to the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. The natural aging process may also cause a hollowing of the area under the eye, making the skin there appear even darker.

While fatigue, lack of sleep, and age are all common factors in the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, there are other factors that can cause them. These include:

• Allergies, as well as hayfever
• Eczema and contact dermatitis
• Your genes
• Pigmentation irregularities in the skin
• Scratching or rubbing at your eyes
• Sun exposure

How can I get rid of dark circles?

Now that we know how these dark circles under the eyes can occur, let's take a look at a few natural ways you can reduce their appearance. Below, we have listed a few different ways you can do this while at home or with a few simple ingredients.

Get more sleep

We've already discussed how sleep can affect the dark circles under your eyes and so getting enough sleep is key to reducing the appearance of dark circles. Getting between 7 - 9 hours of sleep each night is essential for your mental and physical health, and it can help with those dark circles!

If you have trouble sleeping, there are a whole bunch of different remedies you can try out. You could try sipping on a calming cup of chamomile tea before bed to calm the body, you could diffuse lavender oil or a sleep oil blend to relax, or you could take a magnesium supplement to ensure it isn't a magnesium deficiency causing your lack of sleep.

If you continue to struggle to sleep, speak with a doctor to find out if there could be a possibility of a sleep disorder, like insomnia, and get the required treatment.

Adjust your sleeping position

Sleeping with more pillows under your head can allow you to sleep in an elevated position which will help protect you from fluids pooling under your eyes. Though possibly not good for your back, this remedy may help to reduce puffiness in the short term.

Use a cold compress to constrict blood vessels

Using a cold flannel or beaded eye mask and pressing it to the space under your eyes can help to reduce puffiness and the appearance of dark circles. This is because the coldness of the compress will cause the blood vessels to constrict, reducing their appearance under your skin. Dilated blood vessels are commonly thought to be a major factor in the appearance of dark under-eye circles.

You could try wearing a cold eye mask in the morning before applying makeup to reduce the look of the dark circles underneath your eyes for the day ahead.

Reduce sun exposure

Reducing sun exposure may be a great way to reduce dark circles under your eyes because the sun can trigger irregular pigmentation in your skin, which is thought to be a cause of dark circles under your eyes. Limit your sun exposure, always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, and try to cover up as much as possible to remove dark circles from under your eyes.

Moisturise

Moisturisation is key to a good skincare routine and by adding moisture under your eyes, you can help to tighten the skin, improve skin texture, and increase skin health - all of which can help to reduce dark circles under the eyes.

You can use both face creams and eye creams dedicated to the thin skin under the eyes. Look out for products containing vitamin E, caffeine, and aloe vera. You could also apply a pure aloe vera gel underneath your eyes for a more concentrated dose.

Use cucumber

As you've probably seen in the movies, covering your eyes with cold pieces of cucumber is considered a good at-home remedy for dark circles under the eyes. This cucumber helps to cool and reduce the puffiness underneath the eye in the same way a cold compress would but it also has the added benefit of vitamin K. Cucumber has lots of vitamin K which is a great vitamin for reducing the dark circles under your eyes.

Almond oil and vitamin E

Another popular natural remedy for dark circles under the eyes is to mix equal parts almond oil and vitamin E and rub this mixture underneath the eyes before bed. It is thought that the mix of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories in both these oils can work to reduce the dark circles underneath your eyes, helping to lighten them.

Teabags

Teabags are a great at-home remedy for under-eye circles. Simply brew and then chill the soaked tea bag and place it over the eyes. It is thought that tea bags are effective in reducing puffiness as well as the appearance of dark circles due to the number of antioxidants within the tea.

Any kind of tea can be used, including green tea bags, black tea bags, rooibos, chamomile and calendula herbal tea bags, and white tea bags. When choosing a teabag for an under-eye compress, try to choose organic options to ensure that you're not transferring harmful chemicals into your skin too!

Other therapies

While there are many at-home remedies for treating dark circles under the eyes, some people may turn to more medical style procedures. We have given a brief overview of treatment options that may be offered to you if you speak with someone in the field of clinical and aesthetic dermatology regarding the dark circles under your eyes.

Therapies include:

• Laser therapy - This treatment option helps to effectively vaporise damaged cells and can induce the growth of more collagen which is great for those with thinning skin.
• Chemical peels - Usually using AHAs or BHAs like glycolic acid, a chemical peel can remove damaged cells and the top layer of skin to lighten pigmentation in the skin which can cause dark circles under the eyes.
• Fillers - These can help to restore volume loss under the eyes, helping those whose dark circles come from hollowed under eyes.

When to seek medical help for dark circles under the eyes

Though these dark circles are never usually a cause for concerns and just an annoying skin problem that many people have, sometimes they can be reflective of something worse. In most cases, dark circles are not a cause for concern but if the dark circles appear under only one eye then you should speak with a doctor.

Our favourite products for dark circles under the eyes

Using natural products on your skin is one of the best choices you can make to keep your skin healthy and glowing. As such, we have a few favourite natural under eye creams that are perfect for reducing the look of dark circles. Check them all out below.

• Acure Brightening Under Eye Hydrogels - these single-use eye masks are perfect for brightening the skin under the eyes and helping to reduce the look of dark circles. They contain caffeine which is known to help reduce puffiness.
• Weleda Eye Cream - this cream is perfect for aging skin and induces new cell growth with a special formula for under-eye skin.
• Natural Instinct Dark Circle and Wrinkle Correction Creme - this cream does what it says on the box, it treats dark circles under the eyes and helps to brighten and reduce puffiness in the area with a mix of aloe vera and coffee.
• Dr Organic Hemp Oil Intensive Eye Serum - this extremely hydrating under-eye serum is perfect for moisturising and strengthening the skin under the eyes. It is a great formula for those with dry and sensitive skin too.
• 24K Goddess Intensive Treatment Eye Mask - this eye mask combines aloe vera and hyaluronic acid for an intensively moisturising formula that can reduce puffiness and remove dark circles from under the eyes.

Conclusion

Dark circles under the eyes are not usually a cause for concern but can be very irritating. You can usually cover them up with concealer but getting rid of them totally seems like the best option really! Removing dark circles from under the eyes can be done naturally. Ways to do this include getting more sleep, using moisturisers that contain aloe vera and caffeine, reducing sun exposure and using a cold compress on the area.

There are some more medical style treatments for dark circles but the at-home remedies have been tried and tested and work for most people. If you try out one of these home remedies, be sure to do so with care and do not continue to use it if you suffer any irritation or allergic reaction.

To find out more about the eye creams we offer to combat dark circles, check out our skincare range today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I remove dark circles at home fast?

There are a few at-home remedies that can help you to reduce the appearance of the dark circles under your eyes which may work relatively quickly. These include the use of aloe vera, or moisturisers containing caffeine. You can also use teabags, a cold compress, or cucumbers to reduce puffiness under the eyes, and you could try getting more sleep. Unfortunately, the fastest way to remove dark circles under the eyes is to undergo a more medical style treatment, like a chemical peel.

How can I remove dark circles permanently?

Dark circles can be reduced with a few different methods. You could try avoiding the sun and wearing a broad spectrum SPF and you could try moisturising with creams containing aloe vera, caffeine and vitamin E. You could also try getting more sleep and using a cold compress underneath your eyes. Some people may not be able to totally remove the dark circles under their eyes as they can be hereditary.

Can dark circles be removed?

It may be possible to totally remove dark circles through treatments like chemical peels, laser treatment and fillers though success can be achieved at reducing the look of dark circles through a few different at-home remedies. These remedies include the use of intensive moisturisers, aloe vera gel, and tea bags, or you could use a cold compress or cucumbers too. You can also try getting more sleep to help with dark circles caused by fatigue and reduce sun exposure if dark circles are caused by the pigmentation of the skin.

Can aloe vera remove dark circles?

Aloe vera is widely considered a good natural remedy for the treatment of dark circles under the eyes. This is because aloe vera is an anti-inflammatory and can work to cool the area under the eyes, reducing puffiness and helping to reduce the appearance of dark under-eye circles. You could use a moisturiser that contains aloe vera or you could try using a pure aloe vera gel to treat the circles under your eyes.