Are dark eye circles leaving you feeling more ghoulish than glamorous?
Darkness around the eyes is a very common beauty complaint. Many factors can contribute but luckily there are about just as many ways to combat this common issue, as there are causes.
What Causes Dark Circles Around the Eyes?
When you see a bluish hue around the eye, what you are actually seeing is oxygenated blood that has pooled or seeped out of blood vessels and is visible through the extremely thin skin around the orbital area of the eye.
Many factors contribute to this problem. Some are beyond your control, while other contributing factors can be tackled.
Heredity - it is common that if everyone else in your family has dark circles then chances are you will too. These can be bluish if you are fair skinned and the tissue is more transparent, or a darkened pigmentation if you are from Asian, Middle Eastern or African decent.
Lifestyle - Bad habits like smoking, lack of exercise, fatigue and over exposure to the sun can lead to dark circles.
Nasal Congestion and Allergies - When your body releases histamine this causes inflammation and swelling in the sinuses reducing blood flow. Rubbing your eyes can also aggravate issues.
Aging - this natural process contributes to the loss of collagen. As we age we loose the fat in the eye area, which hides the blood from being visible.
How do you Alleviate Dark Circles?
At night sleep with your head propped up rather than lying completely flat or face down to prevent this blood from building up and pooling in the eye area.
In the morning apply a cool compress or a frozen eye mask for five minutes.
There are many vitamins and minerals you want to incorporate into your diet through fruits and vegetables and into your skin care to help the health of the eye area.
Caffeine - an instant eye pick-me-up. Caffeine constricts blood vessels and can boost circulation.
Hydrators - keeping this delicate tissue moisturized will improve the appearance of the skin. Ingredients like Hyaluronic acid plump the tissue.
Retinols - Vitamin A can thicken the skin tissue to conceal.
Vitamin C - brightens the skin and can lessen the appearance of sallow skin. Vitamin C is also involved in the production of collagen.
Vitamin K - reduces inflammation and is used in bruise treatments.
Iron - Blood is rich in iron but can be affected by menstrual cycle, pregnancy or anemia. Low iron can lead to paleness in the skin.
Blog Written by askderm's in house Esthetician Chantal MoniqueChantal Monique is a NYS licensed Esthetician and Makeup Artist. She has 7 years experience in skin care and makeup artistry. Her specialties include makeup application and facial treatments, which were featured on ABC's Wife Swap. Chantal also has a background in the Fine Arts. With the unique combination of her education as well as the desire to help people feel beautiful, Chantal provides expert skin care knowledge for our customers as well as the must have ingredients and trending looks. With an ever growing portfolio and clientele askderm is excited to be teamed up with Chantal for future blogs, informational videos and skin care tips!