How To Get Rid Of Dark Circles Around Your Eyes | Face Yoga

It doesn’t matter how well you look after your skin, moisturize, or exfoliate, under-eye bags and dark circles are unavoidable signs of aging. That’s just life.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn what causes dark circles and make a few simple lifestyle changes to reduce and remove unwanted dark circles completely.

Read on to discover what causes dark eye bags, and how to say goodbye to them for good.

Have you been noticing dark bags under your eyes that won’t fade no matter what you do to treat them? Dark eye bags and circles can make you look more tired and older than you really are. True to their name, dark circles may appear as shades of black, born, and even purple depending on your skin. And while dark circles affect women of all ages and ethnicities, it’s nice to know there are ways to reduce their appearance without surgery or fillers. We’ve rounded up 5 of the most effective remedies for treating eye bags that won’t cost you an arm and a leg and won’t send you to the local plastic surgeon for a consultation. Read on for a list of effective solutions to treat dark circles around your eyes.

What Causes Dark Circles Under the Eyes?

Before you can start reducing your unwanted dark circles, it helps to know what causes them in the first place. Often viewed as a sign of stress or an overworked lifestyle (sound familiar?) there is actually a range of factors that contribute to dark circles from age to genetics and even straining your eyes too much. One of the most common causes of dark circles in the morning is due to hyperpigmentation, which can be caused by environmental factors like the sun, smoking, or lack of sleep. Dark circles may also be the result of seasonal allergies and nasal congestion which leads to poor circulation to the eyes and eyelids. In turn, this leads to dilated veins that are darker and more prominent. Finally, a loss of collagen (which is natural with each year you age) causes the skin to appear sunken and gaunter, which exacerbates dark circles and can leave you looking fatigued, aged, and worn out. But enough about what causes dark circles, let’s talk about how to get rid of dark circles. More specifically, the following 5 effective treatment options to reduce dark circles in as little as a week.

Dark Circle Fix #1 – Get More Sleep to Reduce Fluid Buildup

Are you getting your recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night? If you’re running a busy household, juggling work and kids, or just feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world right now (we don’t blame you), then it can be tough to catch enough zzz’s. However, recent studies show that sleep deprivation has a connection to dark circles, with people who only slept for 4 hours a night showing darker circles under their eyes than those who managed to sleep for 8 hours. When your body doesn’t get enough sleep you may also notice fluid buildup around the eyes, causing the appearance of shadows. The solution? Set a scheduled bedtime and try to get in the habit of going to bed at (roughly) the same time. Avoid using technology in the 30 minutes before bed too, as exposure to electromagnetic radiation can reduce levels of the hormone melatonin, which is connected to your body’s sleep-wake cycle.

Dark Circle Fix #2 – Wear Sunscreen Every Day to Prevent Eye Bags

That’s right, even when it’s not hot and sunny out, you should be applying sunscreen to protect your skin. UV rays (the harmful rays emitted by the sun) reach earth even when there’s a total cloud cover, so don’t assume your skin is safe just because there’s no sun visible in the sky. For the best results, look for a sunscreen (or moisturizing product) with UV and UVB protection, applied all the way to your lash line. If you’ve got a make-up routine that you don’t want to interfere with, look for an under-eye concealer that also contains a broad spectrum SPF for a combo of make-up and sun protection.

Dark Circle Fix #3 – Dab Cucumber Juice and Lemon Juice Under Your Eyes

This mixture may sound like a refreshing drink on a hot day, but we’re not talking about drinking it. You’ve seen cucumbers used as a cold press a thousand times in film and on TV, so we’re not going to leave you with a well-trodden tip (though it can be an effective remedy for dark eye bags). To try a more advanced and innovative approach, mix equal parts cucumber juice and lemon juice then *gently* dab the mixture under your eyes using a cotton ball (the keyword here is ‘gently’). You don’t want to end up with lemon juice in the eye, so make sure you’ve got a place that’s quiet and uninterrupted by kids, pets, and big kids (aka ‘husbands’). Leave this natural mixture on your skin for 15 minutes then rinse off with warm water to promote radiant eyes.

Dark Circle Fix #4 – Apply Tea Bags to Fight Inflammation

Everyone knows a nice, hot cup of tea can do wonders after a long and stressful day, but the humble teabag has more potential than you may know. Tea contains caffeine and antioxidants, both of which help to:

• Shrink blood vessels
• Reduce eye puffiness
• Stimulate circulation

To enjoy these benefits, take a spare teabag and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Once the teabag has cooled down, apply it underneath your eyes and on unwanted dark circles. You’ll want to leave the cold tea bag to sit for 30 minutes, so find a comfortable place to sit and relax. This creative tactic to get rid of dark circles is so effective because the tea’s caffeine constricts the blood vessels and capillaries under your eyes, which tightens your skin and helps smooth your appearance.

Dark Circle Fix #5 – Facial Exercises to Reduce Dark Circles

Face Yoga is a combination of facial exercises, controlled relaxation, and pressure messages that help to target problem areas of your face. While it may seem impossible to “work out” your eyes, there are 57 muscles in your face and neck that make up your appearance. If you’re overworking these muscles, or constantly contorting your skin through stress or frustration, then wrinkles, lines, and dark circles can appear. By “working out” the muscles of your face you can improve their fitness and tone, which helps lift the outer layer of skin. As dark eye bags can be caused by collagen-depleted and loose skin, tightening the skin helps to reverse the effects of aging and lighten dark circles to the point they’re not even visible.

Isn’t It Time You Said Goodbye to Your Dark Circles for Good?

Have you ever wondered how to make dark circles go away? The best remedy for eye bags is to treat the cause, not the symptoms. That makes cucumber juice and cold-press tea bags a valuable form of relief to make eyes less dark, but using facial exercises to boost circulation, stimulate collagen production, and bring nutrients to the skin can help you to make dark circles go away quicker (and stay away). If you’re ready to leave eye swelling and irritation behind, complete our fun, the quick quiz below to unlock your custom Face Yoga program today.