Dark Under-Eye Circles - Is Covering-Up Your Best Option?

I haven’t yet met anyone who considers dark under-eye circles and puffy skin attractive or even cute. Unfortunately, as we age, our skin, which is what other people see, also ages. That means it becomes drier, more prone to wrinkles and sagging, and the undesirable emergence of “raccoon eyes,” or dark under-eye circles.

The good news is that aging skin can be renewed and rejuvenated by practicing daily good skin care, and by living a healthy lifestyle. More specifically, there are also natural skin care techniques that can be used to minimize the effects of aging on your skin. And because of advances in scientific research regarding skin care and longevity, a number of skin care products have emerged that may help some women and men cover-up, if not minimize the appearance of dark under-eye circles without having to resort to surgical procedures.

Click here for FREE dark under-eye circles skin care product sample.

Before you spend a penny, you should get into the habit of eating a healthy diet, supplementing with the right vitamins and natural supplements, exercising regularly, drinking lots of pure water, and making sure you get plenty of sleep. This is all common sense, and we’ve heard it before, but if you are serious about attaining beautiful, younger-looking, better skin, and getting rid of those sad-looking dark under-eye circles, you will practice the fundamentals of good skin care on a daily basis and make them part of your lifelong plan for being a healthy and happy person.

Make a commitment to getting rid of those puffy shadows under your eyes and educate yourself about some of the more specific actions you can take to make your face and body look and feel younger.

One action you can take right away is to reduce the amount of salt you consume. That doesn’t mean to stop sprinkling salt on your fries. That’s just the tip of the iceberg! It means to avoid foods that are high in sodium. Check the ingredients labels of foods or drinks you typically buy and consume. You may be surprised to see how much sodium, or salt, iced teas, sports drinks, lemonade, fast foods, processed meats, cheeses, frozen meals, canned soups, and sauces contain.

Why would you want to reduce sodium in your diet? Because sodium causes your body to retain water, which over time leads to weight gain. And weight gain is not something you want when you are trying to look and feel younger. Extra weight will also make your face look puffy and increase the effect of dark under-eye circles.

The same could be said of sugars. Often, many foods that are high in sodium are also high in sugars, which also lead to weight gain and a diminishment in your health and appearance.

There are a number of natural approaches people have used to remove or minimize dark under-eye circles. Before you place or apply any substance, natural or synthetic, on your skin, make sure you are not allergic to it.

Tea bags and slices of fresh cut cucumbers or potatoes placed on the puffy skin can help reduce swelling and dark under-eye circles for some people.

Some skin care products contain horse chestnut, which helps promote micro-circulation. Hesperidin is also used for strengthening capillaries under the eyes and for reducing blood pooling in that area. Another popular ingredient is aloe, which helps soothe and hydrate skin. Other ingredients sometimes used to reduce swelling and inflammation include caffeine, green tea, white tea, and licorice.

Vitamin K stimulates blood flow and will aid in repairing any broken capillary walls under the eyes. Vitamins A, C, and E provide antioxidant power to neutralize free radicals, which cause damage to skin. Look for products that promote the synthesis of collagen, a prominent protein that helps to firm tissue around the eyes and will help reduce dark under-eye circles. Be aware of products that contain collagen as an ingredient that is applied topically; they are ineffective, as collagen molecules are too large to penetrate the skin.

Click here to read more about how collagen synthesis can make your skin look and feel younger and eliminate those dark under-eye circles.

Cosmetic techniques include using a peach or salmon colored concealer to reduce the darkness under the eyes. To conceal puffiness, use a nylon concealer brush to apply a concealer a few shades darker than your foundation.

Not all dark under-eye circles can be treated topically. Some conditions may require more extreme measures to ensure longer lasting results. Some professionals inject wrinkle fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm to fill, redistribute, and even out the fat pads that exist under the eyes.  Botox is another option used to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in younger looking skin.

These approaches are not permanent, however, and are quite expensive. The effects last approximately nine months after which the procedure must be repeated. The cost for each procedure can range from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on where the procedure is performed and by whom.

Not all so-called professionals are going to give you the results you are expecting. The last thing you want or need is for someone to take your hard-earned money and to leave your skin looking terrible. If you are going to go this route to rid yourself of these dark under-eye circles, make sure you do some comparison shopping for the best professional available.