If you’re tired of hearing, “You look tired,” you’ve come to the right place! Under-eye puffiness and dark circles are some of the most common beauty complaints that can leave even the most well-rested of us looking well less than refreshed! But don’t worry, with a few lifestyle tweaks and some smart skincare tips and products, you can refresh and brighten your eyes in no time!
Keep reading to discover what’s really behind those shadows and bags of yours and how to best treat them!
Why are you getting dark circles under your eyes?
Dark circles can actually be caused by a number of factors and sometimes, it’s not just one thing that’s causing those dark circles under your eyes! Here’s what might be behind those shadows of yours!
Genetics
If your parents have dark under-eyes, chances are you may too. Some people simply have thinner skin or more visible blood vessels in that area!
Thin skin & loss of collagen
Unfortunately, as we age, the skin under the eyes gets thinner and more translucent, making the blood vessels underneath more noticeable.
Lack of sleep
We all know the importance of sleep, it’s essential for overall skin, health and well-being and lack of sleep can also cause the skin around our delicate peepers to look pale, allowing dark blood vessels to show through more easily. While you can’t help genetics and increasing loss of collagen can be tricky, you can help your eyes look less…dark! But making sure you get ample amounts of beauty sleep. And yes I know for some of us that’s a luxury we could only dream of, but ensuring you get 7-8 hours a night can make a huge difference when you can.
Allergies
Allergic reactions can dilate blood vessels and lead to dark circles. Eek.
Pigmentation
In some cases, excess melanin (hyperpigmentation) can darken the under-eye area, particularly in certain skin tones.
How does your diet affect dark circles?
You might not realise it, but what you eat can have a real impact on the appearance of dark circles! If you don’t have enough iron in your diet you can reduce oxygen flow to your tissues, making dark circles more pronounced.
Too much salt in your diet can lead to fluid retention, which may contribute to puffiness and make shadows under your eyes look worse. Dehydration can cause the skin under your eyes to look dull and sunken and lack of vitamins (especially C and K) can affect skin health and blood vessel strength, making circles more visible.
So by getting a balanced diet rich in leafy greens, citrus fruits, and plenty of water can help support brighter, healthier eyes!
Why are you getting puffy eyes?
Puffy eyes are usually caused by fluid retention, which can be triggered by a number of things including;
Sleeping flat
Fluid can pool under your eyes overnight!
Salty foods
High sodium levels encourage the body to hold onto water.
Lack of sleep or oversleeping
Both can lead to puffiness.
Crying
The salt in tears can contribute to swelling.
Genetics
As with dark circles, some people are more prone to puffiness simply due to their inherited facial structure or skin type. And as we age, the tissues and muscles supporting our eyelids weaken, making puffiness more noticeable.
How to reduce puffiness and dark circles
Unfortunately, puffiness and dark circles often go hand-in-hand and they can amplify each other! But all is not lost! There are a number of things you can do to treat both your dark circles and puffy eyes!
Prioritise sleep
Aim for 7–9 hours of quality slumber each night.
Elevate your head
Sleeping slightly propped up can prevent fluid from pooling around your eyes. Maybe not the comfiest of positions but it works!
Cool compresses
Chilled spoons, cucumber slices, or cooled (used) green tea bags can all help constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling. Simply place them on your eyes for about 5-10 minutes, and you’ll notice an immediate difference in the appearance of dark circles and puffiness too.
Gentle massage
Light tapping or rolling (with clean fingers or a jade roller) can help encourage lymphatic drainage.
Hydrate and eat a balanced diet
Drink plenty of water, reduce excess salt, and load up on iron-rich and vitamin-packed foods.
Sun protection
Daily SPF around the eyes can help prevent pigmentation from getting worse.
Targeted skincare
Look for eye creams with ingredients like caffeine (to reduce puffiness), vitamin C (to brighten), hyaluronic acid (to hydrate), and peptides (to firm).
Our top product recommendations to treat dark circles and puffy eyes
Vie Collection Chrono Eyes Puffiness-Dark Circles Wrinkle Cream
When I’m tired, which let's face it is ALL. OF. THE. TIME. Right now, unbeknownst to me (thank you, kids, for the heads up!) I’m a shocker for rubbing my eyes! The thing is I’m already in the know that doing so can cause tiny blood vessels to break resulting in dark circles under my eyes, and yup I suffer most mornings from said dark circles and under eye bags. Ergh.
My solution? Vie Collection’s Chrono Eyes Puffiness-Dark Circles Wrinkles Cream. Yes a mouthful to say, but a product that does exactly what it says. It’s a beautifully fine cream enriched with moisturising ingredients to nourish the eye area while reversing puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles! Seriously!
“This is a wonderful eye cream, it gives immediate gratification thanks to a pearlescent finish that instantly brightens the eye area and it has definitely calmed my puffiness, lightened my dark circles, and even smoothed my wrinkles! It’s truly a fabulous eye cream that is well worth the price tag.” – Lisa M (BC customer)
If you prefer the feeling of a cooling eye gel to soothe and depuff your peepers, this product is the one for you. Another personal favourite of mine, it’s formulated with Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and Ginkgo Biloba to cool tired eyes effectively decongesting and de-puffing them in one swift application. It’s outstanding!
“I had a problem with puffy old looking eyes and was hoping that this gel would do the job as I was hating the way my eyes looked and I'll tell you, this gel worked INSTANTLY on me! It's a very good de-puffer for sure!” – Suzette, (BC Customer)
Lumafirm Eye Contour Lift & Glow
A favourite of the BC experts, this beautifully light cutting edge and high-performance cream is enriched with advanced cosmetic ingredients including Diacetyl Boldine, Kombucha, marine collagen, hyaluronic acid, and Vitamin C to effectively target the delicate eye area to visibly lift, firm, and illuminate tired, ageing eyes, delivering both instant and long-term results!
“I have tried many eye creams, and this is the best by far. It truly gives a slight lift to my eyelid area, minimizes the dark circles and tightens the skin under my eyes”. – Lisa A (BC Customer)
Contour Smoothing and Reviving Eye Mask
This rich, refreshing mask awakens eyes with anti-fatigue ingredients to bring instant relief to over-tired eyes. The creamy formula gently reduces dark circles and puffiness around the delicate eye area.
“This product is great, not only does it refresh and get rid of the puffiness but also helps lighten dark circles. I would recommend this product to anyone.” – Clayton (BC Customer)
And for a little makeup concealing…
This anti-aging concealer actually helps to gradually improve skin's texture while concealing those obvious under eye dark circles. Its moisturising formula provides continuous hydration as well as a natural longwearing finish meaning it lasts for hours without seeping into fine lines and wrinkles!
“This concealer is perfection. It goes on smooth, doesn't crease, and covers dark circles completely. The concealer lasts forever because you don't need to use a lot to get full coverage.” – Marwa Yates (BC Customer)
