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Why Dark Circles and Undereye Bags Occur | Everything You Need to Prevent and Hide Them

Why Dark Circles and Undereye Bags Occur | Everything You Need to Prevent and Hide Them

Undereye bags and dark circles do not discriminate. They can appear on anyone, no matter the person’s age, skin type, or family genes. The most well-rested and hydrated person in the world may still have to deal with undereye puffiness and dark circles, and it only gets worse as we get older and lose some of that precious fat in our faces that keeps us looking young. While this information may be pretty bleak for those dealing with this frustrating issue, the good news is that there are several ways to prevent, reduce, and even cover up dark circles and undereye bags.

Before we get into treating these pesky skin concerns, let’s discuss why they happen in the first place. Dark circles will make a person appear a lot more tired and even older than they really are, but sleep deprivation isn’t the only thing that contributes to them. The skin under our eyes is very thin, so it’s easy for dark tissue and blood vessels to show through, especially when we’re exhausted and dehydrated. Our blood vessels enlarge for a few other reasons, too, like allergies and straining our eyes to look at computer screens or our phones. People will darker skin are more susceptible to dark circles as they’re prone to hyperpigmentation around the eyes, and genetics and age factor in as well.

Puffiness and pesky undereye bags are a little harder to hide than dark circles, but a lot of the causes overlap. You may wake up with large undereye bags if you’re overtired, suffering from allergies, or if it just runs in the family. Puffiness occurs from fluid retention in the undereye area, so salty foods and smoking also contribute. Again, as we age we lose fat and collagen in our face, which will make the appearance of dark circles and undereye bags even worse.

So, some causes are totally out of our control but the good news is we can make some lifestyle changes in order to look refreshed and ready to take on the day, like staying hydrated and cutting down on the alcohol and late night ramen. If your dark circles and puffiness are so severe that makeup doesn’t do the job, there are a few procedures offered by medical professionals that could help. Injectable fillers can help a sunken undereye area look more even and healthy, and there’s even a lower eyelid surgery to remove excess skin. Of course, there’s always makeup and skincare products, which is what we’re here to talk about.

A good eye cream should provide long-lasting moisture while reducing the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, which is exactly what the Bye Bye Undereye Cream does. This product is full of effective ingredients, like collagen for firming the skin, vitamin C for anti-aging, and of course hyaluronic acid to help moisturize this sensitive area.

If you’re getting ready for a special occasion or just woke up with super puffy eyes, eye patches are the answer to your prayers. We love these patches by Peace Out because they don’t just moisturize the surface of your skin. Their unique bio-cellulose material penetrates the skin, allowing their de-puffing serum to be far more effective than patches from other brands. Pop these on before a holiday party and you’ll look revitalized and ready to celebrate.

Jade rollers were all the rage this year. Maybe you picked one up to tone and firm your skin or reduce fine lines…or maybe you just really love crystals. If you’re suffering from tired and puffy eyes, you need to pop a jade roller into your refrigerator immediately. Nothing feels better on swollen undereye bags than a cold jade roller, it’s such a relaxing and cooling experience and it’s actually effective in depuffing those bags.

Now that we’ve hopefully depuffed and brightened our undereye area, it’s time to really hide those dark circles. You could use an undereye primer, but adding too much product to this delicate area could cause your makeup to crease or just pile up in a bad way. If you’re applying an eye cream and already use a face primer, you’re all set. But before we get to concealer, there is one more step: color corrector. If you add concealer directly to your dark circles, it can look gray and ashy. To combat this, we look to the color wheel. The bluish-purple hue of your dark circles can be canceled out with an orange color corrector. For light, medium, or dark skin tones, you’ll want peach, orange, and red-orange color correctors, respectively. Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Color Correctors are lightweight but effective and come in a few different shades for different skin tones. Add a little and blend before putting on concealer, and you’ll notice a huge difference.

This concealer from Nars provides heavy-duty coverage that doesn’t crease or get cakey. After your color corrector, add some of this creamy concealer with your fingers and blend. It will totally hide all of your undereye issues, but still has a natural finish, which can be hard to find with some concealers.

Like many other skin concerns, water, rest, and healthy lifestyle choices may make a difference. But when you find yourself pulling an all-nighter, whether it be a night out with friends or a night in watching Friends with potato chips, at least now you’ll have these tips and tricks to hide those dark circles and puffiness in the morning.

by Clare Saxton
cover photo by Tom Newton for Into the Gloss
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