Easy steps to diminishing dark circles
Dark circles under the eyes are a fact of life. They can appear seemingly out of the blue and give you the much dreaded “panda look”. There are, of course, excellent concealers on the beauty shelves and these will help to reduce those annoying shadowy spheres but application requires time and patience. You’ll need to blend the concealer like there’s no tomorrow otherwise you’ll end up with the equally dreaded ‘reverse panda look’ – basically white circles under the eyes.
Dark circles are caused by a variety of irritants, which are mainly linked to lifestyle (although it is also known to be a genetic problem for some). Excessive coffee intake and alcohol consumption won’t do you any favours in the Dark Circle Department (or your overall health but that’s another story!)
Often, dark circles disappear when you’ve had enough rest but sometimes you need a quick fix. For instance, what do you do when you’ve been out all night but need to look like you’ve rested for 8 solid hours? It might be that a swanky new club has opened in town but you’re scheduled to meet your boyfriend’s mum for brunch the next day. I do realise that you should give the all-night party a miss but sometimes a girl needs to have her cake and eat it too!
One of the more effective remedies for under-eye circles is to cut a potato into two, thin slices and place them on your eyes for 10 minutes. The juices are said to contain a skin-lightening enzyme. It’s best to do this regularly – like twice a week – to ensure long-term lightening.
Sometimes, it really isn’t your party-loving ways that cause those dratted circles. It could be that you’re mildly allergic to something which will cause you to rub your eyes and bruise the fragile capillaries under them. Consult your doctor who will prescribe eye drops that will help fight those allergies and lighten the skin shade under your eyes.
Try not to leave the house without some form of sun-protection for your skin and the delicate skin around them. Sun damage can result in darkening. Do a little perusing down the pharmacy aisle and find an eye-friendly sunscreen that will not make your eyes sting.
