25 Tips on How to Get Rid of under Eye Dark Circles and Puffiness ...
By Sheila • 782 Comments
By Sheila • 782 Comments
How to get rid of under eye circles and puffiness was the question I used to ask myself every single morning. And finally, I decided I'd had enough and that it was time to fix this problem once and for all. I started with a bit of research on remedies for those unseeingly under eye dark circles and puffiness. Turns out, there are various ways to get rid of under eye dark circles and puffiness because there are different reasons why they occur in the first place. Read these 25 Tips on how to get rid of under eye circles and puffiness and see which tips will work for you.
It could be a symptom of an allergic reaction or kidney infection. If other symptoms are also present, such as fever, skin rash, or difficulty breathing, consult your doctor right away. If an allergy is involved, find out what foods you are allergic to and eliminate them from your diet. The most frequently occurred allergies are to modern foods such as commercial pasteurized milk from hormone-treated cows, processed grains, fruits and veggies with residual pesticides, and other products that people had never eaten until just several generations ago. Allergies can also be caused by commercial beauty products, such as under-eye creams or mascaras.
Check if your under-eye dark circles and puffiness are related to your monthly cycle. If the puffiness appears several days before your period, consider it a manifestation of PMS. Try to use natural diuretics, such as green tea, and eliminate salty foods and most carbohydrates from your menu about one week prior to your period. Such measures should drastically reduce hormonal-induced dark circles and puffiness under your eyes, which are caused by premenstrual water retention.
Just look at your Mom or Grandma to check if they have dark circles under their eyes, too. If yes, your under-eye puffiness is, most probably, a hereditary condition that runs in the family and there is really not much you can do about it. In such a case, just try to make peace with your looks and do not be fooled by commercial beauty tricks to sell you yet another “miraculous remedy”. Concealer works really well and is the best way to cover up your dark circles!
If your under eye dark circles are caused because of enlarged blood vessels, double up on pillows at night to stop blood from building up under your eyes. In the morning, apply a cold compress for about five minutes to constrict the blood vessels. This should make your dark circles less noticeable. What works fantastically is putting spoons in the freezer -- take them out in the morning, press under your eyes for 5 minutes - instant cold press!
Sometimes nasal congestion can dilate and darken the veins that run from your eyes to your nose, causing the blackish color. So deal with the congestion and your dark circles should automatically disappear! Remember, this could again be allergies, but in a different way. Once you kick the allergies out, you'll see them clear up!
At the end of the day, you are what you eat. The healthier you eat, the better your skin is going to look. For dark circles, you need a healthy dose of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K iron and folic acid. So gorge on citrus fruits, berries, green leafy veggies,nuts, whole grains, avocado, seafood, beef, cheese, green tea etc. and do away with processed and greasy foods.
This is one of the most common reasons behind under-eye dark circles and puffiness, especially considering how little time we seem to have for sleep and recuperation. Lack of sleep can make your skin appear paler, which allows blood vessels to be more visible through the skin, giving the appearance of bluish or dark circles. So make sure that you are getting in at least 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep!
There are plenty of natural remedies that you will find at home that you can use to get rid of dark circles. Cool cucumber slices, a cotton ball dipped in potato juice, crushed mint leaves, a teaspoon of tomato and lime juice, leaving castor oil overnight and last but not least cool teabags can really help relieve stressed out eyes. The type of tea doesn't matter, but just a cool tea bag can really make your puffiness and your dark circles disappear!
Water isn't called the elixir of life for nothing. Dehydration can cause the blood vessels under the eyes to become dilated and swollen thus causing dark circles. So make sure you drink enough water (8 glasses at least) and do not consume too many dietary salts as this can dehydrate you.
Yes, I'm talking about smoking and excessive drinking here. Smoking causes premature aging and the nicotine in it constricts blood vessels, resulting in poor circulation, which enhances the appearance of dark circles. Various components in alcohol inhibit cardiac function and decrease the flow of oxygen to the skin. Limit your intake of the two and I promise that you will see an improvement.
Iron deficiency may sometimes cause a bluish tinge below your eyes. Other symptoms include pale skin, shortness of breath, a racing heart beat, fatigue, dizziness etc. So if you have more than two of these symptoms, I suggest you get tested for anemia as soon as possible. You can also try to take some iron supplements and see what happens. There are all-natural supplements out there to take.
We all know how harsh the sun can be for our skin, especially for the sensitive skin below our eyes. So wear sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 to prevent weakening of the skin in this sensitive area caused by sun damage. Also, carry a pair of good, protective sunglasses. They look great and your eyes will thank you!
Believe it or not, exercising your facial muscles helps to tone and strengthen your face and reduce under eye dark circles and puffiness.Try palpating the area around your eyes lightly. Using the tips of your fingers, make fluttering motions with your fingers and lightly graze the area. This will rev up circulation and “smooth out” little creases.
I cannot begin to tell how much strain laptops and computers can cause to your eyes. Remember to place the screen so that it is slightly below your eye level. The distance between the screen and you should be at least 20 inches. Fit a non glare filter to reduce glare. Give your eyes a break every now and then. For every hour you sit at the computer, you should be taking at least a 5 minute eye break! For those of you who work with computers a lot, do not ignore any dryness or itching that you might have. Also, get regular eye check ups.
For quick camouflage or under eye dark circles, apply light eye cream or gel and let it sink in for a few minutes. Then pat on a creamy concealer that is one tone lighter than your skin tone. Top with a layer of loose powder, which helps prevent makeup from caking in creases. Never underestimate the power of makeup.
Last but most importantly, stop stressing out. The more you stress, the more it will manifest itself on your skin and the more you will stress and the more...you get the picture. It's a vicious circle and if you don't stop stressing, you'll never see the end!
Stress can be an underlying cause of under eye dark circles and puffiness. It can lead to lack of sleep, which is one of the major causes of dark circles. Stress can also cause your body to produce cortisol, a hormone that can lead to water retention and swelling. Cortisol can also decrease collagen production, leading to thinning of the skin under the eyes and making dark circles more noticeable.
In addition to lack of sleep, stress can cause a decrease in circulation, which can also lead to dark circles and puffiness. When circulation is low, the skin around the eyes can become pale, causing the dark circles to appear darker.
Stress can also cause your body to produce more histamine, which can lead to inflammation and swelling around the eyes. Allergies can also cause inflammation, which can worsen dark circles and puffiness.
To reduce the effects of stress on your skin, try to relax and get enough sleep. Exercise can also be a great way to reduce stress and improve circulation. Eating a healthy diet can help keep your skin healthy and reduce inflammation. Drinking plenty of water can also help flush out toxins and keep your skin hydrated.
Did you know that putting a wet paper towel in the freezer before you go to bed can make your eye bags and dark circles fade away? All you do is take it out of the freezer in the morning, wait just a few minutes for it to thaw, bend it and place it around your eyes/bridge of your nose. Two weeks of this treatment and one of our readers said that their bags and dark circles were gone! Give it a try!
Did you know that oil-based cosmetics can enhance the dark circles and truly inflame your eyes? Instead, use something that is a bit lighter and water-based! Water-based cosmetics are typically lighter, feel incredible on and they are ideal for someone that is looking to kick their eye bags and smooth out their skin.
Removing your makeup every single night might seem like a chore, but it's a must! When you let your makeup sit all night on your face and wash it in the morning, your pores are constantly getting clogged. When your pores get clogged, that can lead to deeper circles and more puffiness! So strip off that makeup every single night.
Soothing eye cream with aloe and Vitamin E is an ideal combination for someone that has under eye circles and bags. It'll cool your bags down, reduce the puffiness and even kick all of that darkness from under your eyes! Whenever you are looking for an eye cream, just make sure you read the ingredients and see if there is aloe and Vitamin E in there!
Inflammation signs are seen throughout the body in small whispers, with dark circles being one of them. When the body is overly acidic, through too many inflammatory foods and drinks, it suffers inflammation. This appears as digestive issues, joint pain, acne, dark circles, puffy eyes, low energy, headaches, and more. An acidic diet is rich in processed and refined grains, gluten of any form, sugar, dairy, eggs, all meat, and anything processed, including fast food. The best way to combat inflammation with your diet is to eat more alkaline. This can be done by eating more greens, green vegetables, root vegetables, vegetable juices and healing anti-inflammatory foods like cucumbers, parsley, cilantro, celery, kale, and mint. All of these are wonderful for increasing alkalinity. Generally, the more plant-based your diet is, the more alkaline you are. You'll see clearer skin, stronger and shinier hair, and reduced circles in just a week.
Most people don't consider how important their adrenal glands are for their overall health. Your adrenal glands are so important on a number of levels. They are endocrine glands that are capped directly on top of the kidneys, and they affect many things regarding your health that most people aren't aware of. For starters, the adrenal glands secrete corticosteroids, which help the body cope with stress. Our adrenal glands are hormone glands, so they are important for our energy, thyroid, and they affect everything from our appearance, to our joints, to our waistline. When they are out of balance, stress occurs, as does fatigue, joint pain, weight gain, and puffy circles under the eyes, along with dark circles. Dark circles are a sure fire way to tell you are stressing your adrenals. A bad diet, lack of water or hydrating fluids, a diet high in sugar, caffeine and processed foods, and lack of rest will all exhaust the adrenals. They have to work harder to do their job the more the body is stressed, so eliminating all foods that stress the body, reducing your hectic schedule and getting more rest, are the best ways to take care of your adrenals.
As noted, if you have an allergy to dairy, it could be a reason for your under eye circles, but even if you're not allergic by diagnostic tests, you could still be sensitive to dairy. Dairy is very hard for the body to process, even organic forms. For this matter, it should be noted that all forms of dairy, no matter how "healthy" they seem, end up creating acidic waste in the body, stimulating excess mucus production, and creating overall puffiness. Most people notice that just by cutting out dairy, they lose weight, have no more dark circles under their eyes and have better digestion.
Have you heard of dandelion tea? It is a magical elixir in my book! Dandelion tea is a natural diuretic, and helps to flush the body of all types of waste. It is known for cleansing the liver, which is key for helping with your dark circles. If the liver can't cleanse properly, wastes get backed up in the body. This shows up through acne, dark or puffy eyes, bloating, weight gain, inflammation and overall fatigue. To cleanse the liver naturally, try dandelion tea. It is very soothing to the body and a great way to beat bloat, and fight all the above issues. Try some with some lemons and stevia. It is very refreshing and calming to the body.
I've mentioned how important diet is, but I can't stress enough how much progress you'll see by eliminating the most acidic food of all - sugar. Sugar is NOT good for you. It is addictive, is the most inflammatory food you can eat, and is not a good source of energy. It exhausts the adrenals, causes your healthy bacteria to actually die in the intestines, and makes you crave unhealthy foods. Eat more naturally sweet foods like starchy veggies, fruits, and better yet, eat more leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables. Your body will become vibrant, beautiful and balanced before your eyes. Speaking of your eyes, they will look clearer than they have in years, and all your dark circles will be gone. If you think I'm crazy, I've experienced this first hand myself. I've never seen my skin look better or experienced a happier body than when I gave up sugar. Yes it was hard, but completely worth it and I would never look back, 10 years later.
Note:
Consult a physician before considering using any expensive or invasive treatments. Not all under eye dark circles are formed equally, and understanding and discussing the root causes of your dark circles with a qualified professional will ensure you don’t waste your money.
General Warnings:
Be careful about what type of teabags you use. If you have allergies, a tea bag like chamomile might swell your eyes. You can use any, but make sure that you know your allergies.
Do not apply ice or extremely cold water directly to the skin around the eyes for more than a couple of seconds.
Exercise caution when using a new cosmetic product or trying a home remedy. If the condition worsens, or if you exhibit other symptoms, discontinue use immediately and contact your primary care physician or dermatologist for severe or persisting symptoms.
My under eye dark circles were caused by 3 factors at once - dehydration, lack of sleep and anemia. So, in order to get rid of under eye dark circles and slight puffiness I had to address all three factors, and once I did, the dark circles were pretty much gone. I still use a light concealer, but not to camouflage the dark circles, but rather to lighten the under eye area which always gives a well rested, more youthful look. So, which of these reasons for getting under eye dark circles and puffiness sound like you? Have you tried any of these tips yet? Or, perhaps you have tried some of these tips on how to get rid of under eye circles and puffiness yourself? Please sure your experiences!