Dark circles under eyes. Whether they come from your genetics, skin tone, or just a bad night’s (or bad year’s) sleep, these unwanted half-moons can give you serious I woke up like this vibes in the worst way possible.
Luckily, you don’t have to deal with noticeable dark circles under your eyes or simply try to cover them up with concealer. Here are some eye products that are some of the best under-eye dark circle treatments and tricks that can help you ditch the raccoon-chic look for good.
Understanding Dark Circles and Other Eye Concerns
To effectively treat your dark circles under the eyes, or infraorbital dark circles, you first have to understand the etiology and management options – and other common eye conditions – in the first place.
Usually, people have three common complaint types about their eye area: purple color (aka dark circles), puffy eyelids, and expression lines or wrinkles. And it’s important to distinguish between the three concerns and nail down your specific issue.
What Causes Dark Circles Under Eyes
Genetics and Hereditary Factors: some of us are just predisposed to dark circles, and they’ll continue to get worse as we age (bummer).
Lifestyle and Sleep Habits: Sleep deprivation can cause shadows and dull pale skin, making darker blood vessels and tissues more visible, which can be one of the reasons for dark circles under eyes. Though most people attribute dark circles to fatigue or lack of sleep, there are actually other factors that can contribute to this condition.
Thin and Aging Skin: As you age, the skin beneath your eyes thins and loses collagen, leading to periorbital hyperpigmentation and emphasizing circles or lines.
Allergies and Nasal Congestion: When you have an allergic reaction – known to cause itchy, watery eyes – your body releases histamine. These histamines cause your blood vessels to dilate. This dilation can lead to increased darkness around the eyes, exacerbating the appearance of undereye circles.
Too Much Alcohol or Dehydration: Overindulging in too much alcohol or not drinking enough water leads to a sunken appearance and exacerbates under-eye circles.
Eye strain: Straining eyes from too much screen time can cause blood vessels to expand, contributing to darken the under-eye area, causing a blue or purple hue, which is one of the common causes of dark circles under the eyes. Though most people attribute dark circles to fatigue or lack of sleep, there are various factors that can contribute to this condition.
Sun Exposure and Pigmentation: Excessive sun exposure is one of the many reasons for dark circles under the eyes. The relationship between the dark spot under the eye and prolonged exposure to harmful UV rays results from damage to the collagen and elastin fibers in the skin.
To protect your under-eye area, try our Chase the Sun Face Moisturizer with SPF 30. Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, and Aloe Vera effortlessly blend to create a multitasking marvel, forming the ultimate hydration elixir that deeply nourishes the skin at all levels, turning back the effects of aging.
How to Get Rid of Dark Circles?
When searching for the best treatment for under-eye circles, take a holistic approach that combines skincare, health habits, and home remedies.
That's why we recommend:
For hydration and nourishment, apply All In Eye Cream: With a boost of hyaluronic acid and peptides that brighten and hydrate the skin beneath your eyes, this powerful pair works together to fade away those pesky dark circles, leaving you with a refreshed and revitalized look.
Protect your skin from free radicals with our Pep Rally Face Serum: Say hello to our Pep Rally Face Serum, packed with antioxidants to boost your natural glow while tackling those annoying free radicals and giving dark circles a run for their money.
Make Sleep a Priority: Getting those Zzz's, keeping stress in check, and staying hydrated keep your skin chill and help fade away those pesky dark circles.
Antioxidants: Chillin' with a diet packed full of antioxidants like vitamins C and E can boost your skin game and give your under-eye area a brighter vibe. Antioxidants combat free radicals, strengthening skin layers and fighting environmental damage caused by lifestyle factors such as diet and stress.
Chill out with cold compresses: Use cold tea bags to soothe irritation and reduce puffy eyelids caused by swelling. It's a quick fix that gets your circulation movin', giving those dark circles a run for their money.
Protect: Slather on sunscreen magic, just like our buddy Chase The Sun SPF 30 Face Moisturizer. It's your shield against UV tricks that mess with your skin's groove, keeping that even tone jammin' on.
Maintain skincare routine: Consistency is key to long-lasting vibes. Implement these moves into your daily routine and watch your under-eye zone shine with revitalized energy.
Advanced Care Options: For medical-grade solutions, consider injectable fillers, laser therapy, or chemical peels for stubborn pigmentation or sagging lower eyelids. These other treatments can specifically target wrinkles or periorbital hyperpigmentation faster than at-home care.
Puffiness
Eye puffiness or bags under the eyes can occur throughout your life – but it typically worsens as you age. It’s caused by:
- Fluid retention, especially upon waking or after a salty meal
- Lack of sleep
- Allergies
- Smoking
- Heredity factors
How to Get Rid of Eye Bags?
Tackle those bags with our dark under-eye treatment. When you're ready to reduce and ditch dark rings under your eyes try these smart moves:
- Nightly Routine: Slather on hydrating eye cream, the All-Nighter Routine.
- Vitamin C Serum: Amp with Vitamin C serum for that extra boost.
- Gentle Massage: Give a gentle massage to your under-eye to stimulate blood flow.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink water for your skin to do a happy dance.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Embrace a wholesome life – sleep, eat, zen.
- Cold Compress: Ease skin puffiness with a cool compress.
- UV Protection: Shades on, sunscreen up for UV defense.
- Consistency Matters: Stick with it, and be the consistency champ for top results.
Expression lines
Finally, there are expression lines, fine lines, and crow’s feet. These are a natural result of aging, although external factors like smoking, pollution, sun damage, or free radical damage can certainly make them appear more quickly and more dramatically.
Now, despite what many eye cream marketers tell you, no one ingredient effectively tackles all three concerns.
How to Get Rid of Under Eye Lines?
Unlock the secret to tackling under-eye lines in just a few steps. Begin with a robust anti-aging routine that paves the way for smoother skin. Elevate your skincare journey with our transformative Minis X 3. This set is designed to invigorate and brighten the often-dull black under eyes. Integrate daily applications for profound hydration and a plumped appearance.
Skincare Routine for the Eye Area
Take your skincare routine up a notch by adopting a step-by-step nightly eye care routine. Here's how to get rid of eye bags and dark circles under your eyes by cleansing, treating, and moisturizing the delicate skin around your eyes:
- Cleansing: First things first, remove any makeup or dirt from the skin under your eyes with our gentle Down to Earth Swirled Mud Gel Cleanser or Bright Side Cream Cleanser. Using a cotton pad or soft cloth, apply the cleanser and be sure to avoid harsh rubbing or tugging on the delicate skin.
- Treating: After cleansing, it's time to apply a treatment product. Our All In Eye Cream reduces the appearance of fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness with powerful ingredients such as vitamin C and hyaluronic acid. With the use of under-eye cream, gently tap the product around your eye area with your ring finger, taking care not to pull or stretch the skin. Read more on the benefits of choosing the best eye cream for dark circles to complement your routine.
- Moisturizing: Finish off your eye care routine with a lightweight moisturizer like our Up The Anti Aging Cream, which is formulated with peptides to increase collagen, niacinamide to increase elastin, and hyaluronic acid to help lock in moisture. Gently tap it around your eye area with your ring finger until it's fully absorbed.
Remember, consistency is key when it comes to eye care. Make sure to cleanse, treat, and moisturize your eye area daily to maintain the skin under your eyes.
Knowing What Works For Dark Circles
To treat dark circles, you want ingredients and practices that can minimize their appearance by hydrating, plumping, and brightening the under eyes.
Let’s take a closer look at each of those categories and the ingredients that work within them:
Hydrating Ingredients
First, to treat dark circles, you want to look for ingredients that will deliver deep moisture and seal that moisture for real, skin-plumping hydration. That includes hyaluronic acid, squalane, and cocoa butter.
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan (that’s a mouthful!) – a powerful substance found naturally in your skin. It acts as a humectant, drawing moisture from its surrounding environment. And it’s extremely effective: just one gram (0.03oz) of hyaluronic acid can hold up to six liters of water, and it’s capable of binding 1,800 times its own weight in water – whoa! For your delicate eye area, that means effective, non-comedogenic hydration in the deepest layers of the skin. Exactly the best treatment for dark circles that you need.
For under eye dark circle treatment, the Best Week Ever Routine exemplifies this with its hyaluronic acid-infused products, delivering the ultimate care for those stubborn dark circles. Another gem, the Soulmate Brightening Treatment, showcases hyaluronic acid's brilliance, providing a moisture-rich path to a luminous complexion.
Squalane
Squalane is the stabilized version of squalene, an oil found in sebum (as well as in olives, rice bran, sugarcane, and shark liver – Eight Saints uses sustainably sourced squalane from olive oil).
This oil plays a huge role in your natural ability to moisturize your skin and is particularly effective at preventing transdermal moisture loss. Why must you apply it to your skin if your body already produces it? Young, healthy skin produces sebum with 10-13% squalene. That percentage begins to decline in your 20s. It can get down to 5% (or lower) once you hit your 50s, which causes dry skin and exacerbates signs of aging.
For dark circles under eyes, squalane can help moisturize and keep that moisture in, thereby decreasing the appearance of lines and revealing supple, healthier undereye skin.
Cocoa Butter
With a melting point near body temperature, this naturally derived dark circles treatment ingredient helps to retain moisture by providing a permeable barrier on the skin. This both seals moisture in and protects sensitive skin from airborne pollutants.
We’ve done our homework, and we only use ingredients that work. You can find all three hydrating ingredients in All In Eye Cream here.
Brightening Ingredients
As we mentioned, dark circles under the eyes can be caused by thinner skin and increased pigment due to skin tone or sun exposure.
While hydration can largely address the thin skin, it doesn’t do much for the pigmentation besides helping to improve overall skin health. To visibly brighten skin, then, you also need skin brightening products with topical lightening agents and antioxidants like:
Vitamin C
This MVP is a potent antioxidant that reduces signs of aging, repairs damaged skin, accelerates collagen synthesis, and corrects hyperpigmentation.
Specifically, by fighting free radicals and photo-damage, vitamin C effectively brightens skin tone by reducing dark spots or hyperpigmentation, including black rings around the eyes.
You'll find it in Eight Saints products like Seeking C Face Serum as Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP). This is the most stable form of vitamin C – it will never oxidize or decrease effectiveness with time. It easily penetrates the skin, unlike ascorbic acid (a popular version many brands use), which is not easily absorbed.
MSM
MSM is a natural compound found in all living things. Formed organically from carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, the “glue” in our bodies holds together our amino acid chains (the base of our body tissue).
It’s known for inhibiting collagen breakdown, reducing inflammation, and making the cell wall more permeable, helping vital nutrients flow through. When it comes to eye cream, specifically, these properties give MSM the ability to help brighten the dull skin around the eyes while correcting hyperpigmentation, including brown spots under the eyes.
Our Cloud Whip Face Cream is your gateway to skin nirvana. Brimming with hyaluronic acid, it’s a moisture magnet that quenches your skin's thirst, providing a plump and radiant appearance. This dreamy concoction redefines hydration, sealing in moisture and banishing those pesky black rings under eyes, along with any signs of dryness. With each application, your skin indulges in a luxurious dose of nourishment, making those stubborn dark circles a distant memory.
Green Tea
Used topically, green tea has been shown to decrease inflammation, reduce the number of sunburn cells, and protect cells from UV damage. If that’s not enough, the catechins and polyphenols in green tea have also been known to fight free radical damage and protect against the five most common environmental toxins (pesticide, smoking, mycotoxin, polychlorinated biphenyls, and arsenic), thereby toning the skin and reducing signs of aging – win!
You can find green tea antioxidants in the No Plans Clay Mask, too!
Raspberry Seed Oil
Treat dark circles with raspberry seed oil can absorb UV rays effectively, while also being rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids—beneficial for both your body and skin.(If you’re interested, you can find out about other superfruits in skincare here).
Vitamin E
Vitamin E (or tocopherol) is a natural component of healthy skin. While it’s often overshadowed by trendy newcomer ingredients, this powerful (yet gentle!) antioxidant is great for all-around skincare. It can effectively defend the skin by neutralizing free radicals caused by pollution and other environmental stressors. This strengthens, tightens, and firms skin over time – oh, and it adds moisture too!
Our High Society Face Oil amplifies the virtues of Vitamin E to remarkable heights. For dark circles around eyes, this exceptional oil brings you the best of both worlds – the potent antioxidant protection of Vitamin E and the luxurious nourishment of a face oil.
Gently yet effectively, it shields your skin from the relentless assault of free radicals, while infusing a rejuvenating dose of moisture.
Sunscreen
Photodamage is the number one cause of physical aging on the skin – so a dark spot under eye and wrinkles around the eyes are going to continue to pop up if you don’t invest in some SPF.
Our Chase The Sun SPF 30 Face Moisturizer is your armor against the relentless march of photodamage, the chief culprit behind the signs of aging. Don't wait to invest in your skin's protection. Shield your skin from the sun's harmful rays to prevent the emergence of dark circles around your eyes with this moisturizer.
Plumping Ingredients
Moisturizers
These ingredients certainly have some overlap with the “hydrating” ingredients – a moisturized face is a more plump face, after all – but there are some differentiating points here as well.
Of course, the most overlap is with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and cocoa butter. These will help fill fine lines and decrease the visibility of dark circles under the eyes as they hydrate the skin.
Discover the magic of All The Serums. They work harmoniously to smooth fine lines and act as the perfect dark under-eye treatment by drenching your skin with rejuvenating moisture. Embrace the enchanting Daydreamer Natural Face Moisturizer for the ultimate revitalization. Its carefully crafted formula hydrates and rejuvenates, smoothing the appearance of those dark circles. Let your daydreams turn into glowing reality.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are crucial for under-eye dark circle treatment and combat oxidative stress, which is huge. Stress and the free radicals it produces to break down collagen and get in the way of the skin’s natural repair process. That triggers inflammation, fine lines, and loose skin. By scavenging free radicals, antioxidants prevent this damage and allow your skin to heal and recuperate.
Experience the superhero impact with the Complete Anti Aging Routine: With this, you're armed for total transformation. Black rings around eyes, be darned! Packed with antioxidants that fight off signs of aging for embracing your journey to youthful skin.
Peptides
Peptides are proteins found naturally in the skin that communicate with cells to trigger collagen production. Our skin primarily comprises collagen, which breaks down as we age. When topical skin care peptides are applied, they signal your body to produce new collagen.
This minimizes wrinkles and plumps skin. All In and Night Shift gel moisturizer contains the anti-aging peptide Matrixyl 30000, composed of 2 proteins that trigger the formation of several important skin components, including elastin and collagen.
Final Tips - How to Treat Dark Circles Under Eyes
The reality is that you could have the best, most effective skincare in the world, but it just won’t be effective if the rest of your habits sabotage your efforts. If you want to tackle those dark circles, we recommend that you also:
- Get more sleep: The cheapest, most effective way to treat dark circles is to ensure that you have a regular sleep routine and get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
- Consider antihistamines: Many people have darkness around their their eyes due to their allergies and may not even know it! An antihistamine can help address this common concern right off the bat.
- Hydrate: If you’re dehydrated, your skin won’t be properly moisturized no matter how much hyaluronic acid you apply. A good rule of thumb is drinking half your weight in ounces of water daily. If you weigh 140 pounds, for example, you should drink about 70 ounces of water daily.
- Apply something cooling: Applying something cool can help constrict swollen under-eye vessels, temporarily reducing any black under-eye. You can try cucumber, a gel eye mask, or – our favorite – some cold green tea bags. The caffeine in the tea will get your circulation flowing, while the cool temperature will provide an extra anti-inflammatory kick.
Incorporate these skincare application tips, and you’ll look bright-eyed in no time! Bye-bye, dark circles!
When to See a Dermatologist
If dark circles remain even after making habitual changes or adding skincare solutions, it might indicate a medical problem. See a dermatologist for persistent puffiness, limited results from skincare, or issues isolated to just one eye.
Knowing when to seek professional help from a dermatologist is important for maintaining the skin under your eyes. Here are some signs that it may be time to schedule a visit for dark circle under-eye treatment:
- Persistent puffiness or swelling: If you experience persistent puffiness or swelling under your eyes, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition. A dermatologist can help diagnose and treat the issue.
- Dark circles under eyes that don't improve with lifestyle changes: If you’ve made lifestyle changes such as getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, but your dark circles persist, it's worth seeing a dermatologist to determine if there's an underlying issue like allergies or a medical condition.
- Fine lines and wrinkles: If fine lines and wrinkles persist after changing your skincare routine, a dermatologist can evaluate the severity of the issue and recommend appropriate treatments, such as prescription topical creams or cosmetic procedures.
- Skin irritation or dryness: If the skin under your eyes is constantly dry or irritated after changing your skincare routine, it's important to see a dermatologist to rule out any underlying conditions, such as eczema or dermatitis.
- Skin growths or lesions: If you notice any new or unusual growths or lesions on the skin under your eyes, it's important to see a dermatologist for evaluation and possible biopsy to rule out skin cancer.
By seeking professional help from a dermatologist when necessary, you can ensure that the skin under your eyes is healthy.
Eight Saints Skincare: A Natural Dark Eye Circle Treatment
At Eight Saints Skincare, our philosophy revolves around harnessing the inherent elements that compose your skin, supporting its resilience as it matures. Unlike fleeting fads and trendy innovations, our ingredient choices are rooted in extensive scientific research and validated by rigorous clinical trials.
Eight Saints supports sustainability initiatives for a greener future while providing effective solutions for dark circle under-eye treatment and other skincare issues. Immerse yourself in their world of plant-based ingredients, unlocking the power of nature for the best treatment for dark circles.
Ethics matter, and Eight Saints proudly embraces a cruelty-free philosophy. We are unwavering in our commitment to avoiding harmful toxins and contentious synthetics, and we adamantly stand against animal testing throughout our supply chain. We also offer some of the best skincare gifts for friends or family, all wrapped in a commitment to greener, healthier skin.
We focus on formulas backed by science and craft products that tackle cosmetic reasons behind under-eye concerns. Explore our solutions for under-eye circles and other management options today!