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How To

How to get rid of dark circles under your eyes

From the right diet and healthy sleep habits to targeted skincare and makeup tricks, skincare experts tell us their top tips to tackling under-eye shadows once and for all

What's the one thing women most frequently complain about when it comes to their complexion? Dark circles under their eyes—that universal beauty woe that can often be the result of a sleepless night, a long-haul flight or simply a stressful week, but sometimes, very unfairly, just seem to appear anyway.

With their connotations of tiredness, being stressed out and feeling exhausted, dark shadows under the eyes are never a good look. Scroll through Instagram and you won't find many models or wellness influencers sporting dark circles under their eyes (although whether their secret is clean living or just Insta-filter trickery, who knows?).

So why when you haven't even had a sleepless night do under-eye shadows occur in the first place? “Dark circles can be caused by both genetics and lifestyle choices,” says Dr Dennis Gross, a leading dermatologist and founder of his eponymous cult skincare brand. “The first cause is pigmentation, which basically means there is darkening of colour in the skin. This can be hereditary but may also be caused by sun damage.” The second cause of dark circles is dilated veins. “When veins under the eye dilate, they become bigger and darker. This happens as a result of exhaustion, seasonal allergies and dietary factors,” explains Dr Gross.

A pinch test can tell you what's causing yours. “If you pinch the skin and lift it off the surface and it stays brown, this means you have a pigment concern,” says Dr Gross. “If the colour looks better when you do this, you likely have an issue with dilated veins.”

So the question we all want answered is how can you reduce dark circles whatever the cause. We turn to the experts to find out what will get rid of under-eye shadows for good.

Does your diet need an overhaul?

“While there aren't any fast dietary fixes for dark circles, maintaining a nutritious anti-inflammatory diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats can bring about visible skin improvements all over the body—including the eye area,” says Paula Begoun, founder of Paula's Choice Skincare.

Particular culprits when it comes to causing dark shadows under your eyes are that nightly merlot and post-dinner espresso. “Small changes in your diet like consuming less red wine and caffeine can reduce the appearance of dark circles under the eyes,” says Dr Gross, so this may be a good, if not easy, place to start.

Are you getting enough sleep?

Although not getting enough sleep doesn't cause dark circles, it does exaggerate their appearance, says Begoun. “Take whatever steps you can to ensure a better night's sleep, with the number-one priority being to enable the ‘night mode' setting on your phone and tablet all day long. This minimises blue light, which is proven to disrupt our natural sleep cycle.”

How important is sunscreen?

More important than getting enough good quality sleep is to wear sun protection, warns Begoun. “Committing to daily sunscreen use and not getting a tan (whether from the sun or, worse, a tanning bed) is vital for reducing the appearance of dark circles,” she says.

A good idea is to use a broad-spectrum SPF concealer, such as Perricone MD No Makeup Concealer, which will simultaneously protect and cover under-eye circles.

How is your general health?

Smoking, being overweight and not getting enough exercise will all worsen under-eye shadows. If you smoke, Begoun's advice is clear: “Do whatever you can to quit,” she says. “Research has shown that smoking cigarettes and inhaling second-hand smoke worsens dark circles, as does being overweight and having high cholesterol or triglycerides—both of which can be reduced via dietary changes, medication and exercise. Essentially, anything you do to make yourself healthier will make some amount of difference in the appearance of dark circles.”

What about skincare?

Dr Gross recommends products containing potent Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to help diminish dark circles. “Both ingredients brighten the skin and replace the look of exhaustion with radiance and light,” he says. “Vitamin C helps build collagen, so there's separation between the vein and skin, and hyaluronic acid plumps the skin to decrease transparency.”

Two good products to try are Dr Dennis Gross C + Collagen Brighten & Firm Eye Cream, and Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Ageing Eye Gel.

Any good makeup tips?

When it comes to disguising under-eye shadows, “it's all about colour correction”, says Claire Mulleady, global senior makeup artist for M.A.C Cosmetics. The first step is to work out what colours you are trying to conceal. “It's common to see dark, blue/grey colours, which means you need the warmth of a peachy concealer to counteract the undertones,” says Mulleady. “If you see more pinky/red tones you need to neutralise them with a concealer that has more of a yellow base.”

And remember, less is more when you apply concealer. “Using just a thin veil of the right tone has much more of an impact than trying to eradicate dark circles completely with lots of coverage,” advises Mulleady.

What if concealer isn't working?

If dark circles are still noticeable even with a neutralising concealer, try this clever trick of the light. “Subtle light-reflective products, such as M.A.C Prep + Prime Highlighter Pen, can help to bounce the light out from under the eye and are especially good on the inner corner of the eye,” says Mulleady. “Just be sure to use a lightweight powder on top, so as not overemphasise the under-eye area.”

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