Four ways to make dark circles less noticeable without make-up - and the skincare products to use
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Dark circles beneath the eyes affect people of all ages and can have various causes, from genetics to lifestyle factors. Here’s some skincare products you can try to address them, with no clinic visits required.
Dark circles are one of the most common skin concerns, and there is no single fix that works for everyone.
But, before reaching for another concealer, experts say there are ways to make the area look less noticeable without make-up or a syringe.
According to aesthetic practitioner Dr David Jack, the first step is understanding what is actually causing the darkness under the eyes. “Dark circles are slightly misleading because they are not really one condition,” he says.
“What we perceive as darkness underneath the eyes can come from increased melanin in the skin, visible blood vessels through very thin eyelid skin, changes in the underlying anatomy that create shadow or sometimes a mixture of all three.”
That means the colour and appearance of the area can offer clues. Brown-toned circles are more likely to be linked to pigmentation, while blue, purple or reddish tones can suggest a greater vascular component. If the darkness changes depending on the direction of the light, facial structure and shadow may be playing a part.
Keep reading for the four expert-approved ways you can reduce your dark circles, and the skincare products you can use.
1. Match your eye cream to the cause
Not every dark circle needs the same ingredients.
“For pigmentation, I tend to look for ingredients that regulate melanin production and improve overall skin quality,” says Jack. “Vitamin c, niacinamide, azelaic acid and carefully formulated retinoids can all be useful, although the eye area is particularly prone to irritation so stronger is certainly not always better.”
Because the skin under the eyes is so thin, protecting the skin barrier matters as well as using active ingredients.
Senior aesthetician Nadia Aminian, from the Taktouk Clinic, says: “hydration is key to help with the skin texture when someone has dark circles.
“The more dehydrated the skin is the worse everything looks, so I always look for ceramides and hyaluronic acid in an eye cream to help alongside an active ingredient to treat the dark circles.”
Jack adds that retinoids may be especially useful for thin-looking skin, or for older people, because they can improve collagen production and skin quality over time, potentially making the under-eye area appear less translucent.
Here are three options you can try:
- Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream, £15 at Boots.
- Dr Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum, £19.99, Boots
- Prequel AM/PM Modern Moisturizer, £20, Space NK
2. Use caffeine for a short-term morning lift
Caffeine can also have a visible effect around the eyes, at least temporarily.
“Caffeine constricts the blood vessels under the eyes increasing the circulation around the eyes,” Aminian explains. “It can also help with puffiness and oedema, hence why the eye creams [or] gels that include this are recommended in the morning.”
But she says the effect is not permanent. “Personally I believe this is a temporary fix,” Aminian says. However, that short-term fix is still very useful and better than no fix at all.
Try The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream, £8 was £12 on Amazon at the time of writing.
3. Try something cold
A cold compress or chilled eye mask may help reduce puffiness without any complicated skincare routine.
Jack says, “cold causes vasoconstriction and can reduce swelling, so a cold compress or chilled eye mask can be quite effective on mornings when the eyes look particularly puffy”.
Aminian also says cold compresses, eye masks and facial massage “can make the eyes look brighter, fresher and de-puff them quite instantly”.
However, Jack warns against overly vigorous massage, however. “I would be cautious about vigorous massage because eyelid skin is extraordinarily thin and repeated rubbing can cause irritation and potentially worsen post-inflammatory pigmentation,” he says.
Try Patchology Serve Chilled On Ice Firming Eye Gels, £4 at Boots.
4. Think of sunglasses and sunscreen as part of skincare
Sunscreen may not be the first thing that comes to mind when trying to tackle dark circles, but UV exposure can make pigmentation more noticeable.
“UV exposure stimulates melanogenesis, so somebody with a pigmentary component to their dark circles may notice them becoming darker following sun exposure,” explains Jack.
UV rays can also speed up collagen breakdown and skin ageing over time, which may make vascular and structural causes more apparent.
The eye contour can be easy to miss when applying sunscreen, but Jack says sunglasses are a simple way to help.
“Sunglasses are particularly useful because they provide physical UV protection and also reduce squinting. I would therefore consider daily broad-spectrum SPF and sunglasses part of the ‘treatment’ rather than simply general skincare advice.”
Try Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF50+, £15.50 at Boots.
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