Discoloration of skin under the eyes, also known as a dark circles, feels unattractive. But the good news is that the condition is not a serious skin problem. Some dermatologists believe those dark circles are genes-related. However, there are other reasons for dark circles such as long working hours – especially in front of a computer – sleeping on your side or stomach, stress, smoking and lack of sleep.
Some remedies, such as high-quality eye crèmes, natural remedies or dermatological procedures are of great help if you follow it on a regular basis. Do not sweep the dirt under the rug by covering it up with makeup. Makeup makes your eyes more irritated. Moreover, if you have a habit of rubbing your eyes, stop it. The skin under your eyes is very sensitive and by rubbing it you may damage the skin and irritate tiny capillaries under your eyes.
Here are a few simple and easy natural home remedies. Before starting any procedure, don’t forget to remove eyeliner and/or mascara.
- Cucumber – Freshly sliced cucumber benefits skin lightening and is considered a great toner and astringent to help reduce dark circle and puffiness. Also, it can provide instant cooling relief which causes the skin around the eyes to relax. Place one freshly sliced cucumber on each eyelid for 10-15 minutes, rinse your face with cool water. About 95% of cucumber is water and loaded with silica and antioxidants making it the best way to hydrate, reduce irritation and make the skin around the eyes firmer.
- Cold Tea Bags – Boil two tea bags (black or herbal) in water. Then cool them in fridge to add a cooling effect for the eyes. Lie down and place the tea bag on each closed eye for about 10 minutes. Rinse off with cold water and pat dry with clean towel.
- Raw Potato – Potato has natural bleaching properties that help make dark circles lighter and remove puffiness. You can do it in a couple of ways – slice a chilled potato about half an inch thick and place one slice on each eyelid for 10 minutes or you can also grate a small potato and then extract the juice. Take a cotton ball, dip it in the potato juice and gently apply it on the affected area under the eyes. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse off with cold water and pat dry with clean towel.
- Tomato – Tomatoes contain Lycopene a substance that decreases the appearance of dark circles under eye. Mix equivalent amounts of tomato juice with lemon juice (one tablespoon of each). Take a cotton ball, dip in mixture and gently apply on the affected area under the eyes (DO NOT get lemon juice in your eye). Let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse it off with cold water and pat dry with clean towel. A Word of Caution: During this treatment, avoid going outside, for some people combination of lemon juice and sunlight do not mix very well on the skin.
- Almond oil – It is natural moisturizer and anti-inflammatory. Put a drop or two of almond oil on the tip of your ring finger then rub your fingers together to warm the oil. Rub very gently on dark areas under your eyes in order to cover affected areas, then dab with the same finger until almond oil is absorbed. For the best result, do it before going to bed.