How to Get Rid of Dark Circles

Nobody is immune to dark circles. The pesky reminders that we’ve not been adopting healthy sleeping patterns can sneak up on us at a moment’s notice. You wake up one day and they’re there, hanging below your eyes; thin, sallow and puffy. 

Luckily, with a bit of TLC, they can be revitalised in no time. RMUK’s top tips to get rid of dark circles will leave you feeling like your fiercest self again. It’s simple, really.

What causes dark circles?

Dark circles can be caused by a number of things. Most notably, they’re universally recognised as a sign of fatigue, stress and sleep deprivation, although they can also appear as the result of a poor diet, loss of collagen, dehydration, allergies, natural pigmentation and inflamed blood vessels around the eyes, to name only a few.

How to get rid of dark circles

Balance your diet

Fast food and meat heavy proteins might leave you feeling full, but they lack vital vitamins and antioxidants that are essential to maintaining healthy skin and circulation. They can also lead to bodily fatigue and lack of sleep, both of which contribute to the appearance of dark circles. 

To correct this, try filling your diet with vitamin rich fruits - pay special attention to vitamin C - vegetables packed with antioxidants, lean protein (including nuts, eggs and non-meat options) and healthy fats. This should help boost your skin’s health and decrease the sallowness around eyes.

Consume less alcohol

Alcohol causes the blood vessels around your eyes to swell and leads to sporadic sleeping patterns, dehydration and stress. By cutting alcohol from your diet, or simply limiting the amount you consume, you will be firmly on your way to correcting the appearance of dark circles.

Sleep tight

By far, the most commonly understood reason for having dark circles under your eyes is sleep deprivation. To improve your sleeping habits, try using blue light filters on your phone, tablet or laptop or cutting out screen use before bedtime altogether. Blue light disrupts your sleep by encouraging activity in your brain, so reducing your exposure to it can do wonders for your sleep. 

You could also: 

• Introduce a fixed sleeping schedule that ensures you get 8 hours of deep sleep every night 
• Establish a regular exercise programme 
• Elevate your head when you sleep 
• Avoid taking daytime naps
  

Hydrate

Lack of water in the system can leave your eyes looking dull and sunken. The NHS recommends drinking 6-8 cups of water everyday which will not only plumpen the skin around your eyes, but lead to increased brain function, productivity and energy.

Invest in eye cream

Eye creams that are infused with retinol are renowned for reducing the signs of ageing, including sallow skin around the eyes. This method is highly recommended by dermatologists who also recommend investing in moisturising creams that are packed with vitamin A. You will look your best once again by introducing these products into your daily routine.

Wear sun cream

Overexposure to the sun can lead to hyperpigmentation, and the thin skin surrounding the eyes is especially susceptible to this. Although some people are genetically predisposed to hyperpigmentation, those who aren’t can avoid darkening around the eyes by applying plenty of sun cream to the area, even over the colder months.

Use the power of cold

Using ice globes and cold compresses reduces puffiness under the eyes by shrinking the blood vessels. This can also be achieved using a cooling eye gel that can be purchased from most large pharmaceutical and beauty companies. 

The power of cold will become your most trusted companion when it comes to reducing the appearance of dark and swollen eyes.

Wear the right prescription glasses

It is now widely recognised that eye strain caused by wearing the wrong prescription as well as staring at a screen can be responsible for causing dark circles around the eyes. 

Opticians recommend having your eyes checked every 2 years, but if you’re burdened with dark circles that aren’t budging, it might be worth booking an appointment sooner to make sure you’re equipped with the correct prescription.

How to cover dark circles

Although there is no quick fix for dark circles, they can sometimes appear at times when it isn’t convenient and drive down our self esteem. But, if you’ve got a corrective make-up routine in your armoury, you’ll be able to cover those pesky patches without a problem. 

1. Reduce inflammation using an ice globe, cold compress or cooling gel. 
2. Apply eye cream & moisturiser to hydrate the skin and allow it to heal beneath your make up 
3. Blend a thin layer of foundation over your full face 
4. Use corrective concealer to balance the bruised colour of the dark circles with your skin tone. 
5. Set with powder to remove the need for touch ups and keep your bags hidden all day

Covering dark circles is a convenient quick-fix, but the cause of them is usually unhealthy day-to-day habits that can harm your overall health. That’s why we recommend using this method to cover circles whilst utilising long-term remedies for dark eyes so that you can remove them for good.

RMUK have your back. With pampering spa treatments galore, we have the tools, remedies and experience to nourish your skin back to its youthful self. If you believe in the power of self care, then book an appointment today at our beauty salon in Leeds city centre. 

Our eye treatments, facials and massages aim to restore your skin and body to its natural state of calm, leaving dark circles under tired eyes in the past.

0113 243 6842      |      info@rm-uk.com      |     57 Great George St, Leeds, LS1 3BB