6 Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Dark Circles Under The Eyes

Dark circles around the eyes can make you look tired, sleep-deprived, depressed, or hungover. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, poor diet, facial structure, genes, aging, medications, and medical illnesses can all be blamed for this kind of discoloration.

Dark circles are usually harmless and temporary. In most cases, resting your eyes would suffice to fade the pigmentation.

However, some people may develop stubborn rings around their eyes that are too intensely pigmented to be camouflaged by makeup.

If you are one of them, you can try some home remedies and self-care measures to lighten your dark circles.

# Cucumbers

Cucumbers are water-logged plants that are renowned for their cooling and astringent properties, both of which can help lighten dark circles.

Moreover, cucumber is extremely mild and is therefore unlikely to cause any damage to the delicate skin around the eyes.

How to use: You can safely apply raw cucumber slices over your eyes to help fade the dark circles and bring down the puffiness around your eyes. For this topical therapy to deliver the desired results, refrigerate the slices for a few hours before applying.

# Caffeine and vitamin K

Caffeine, when used topically, can help diminish the visibility of dark circles by reducing fluid retention and melanin concentration in the under-eye area.

These effects are compounded when used along with vitamin K, which can help reduce hyperpigmentation and also promote skin repair after cosmetic surgery.

# Tea bags

One of the simplest therapies to lessen the prominence of dark circles is placing soaked tea bags over the eyes. Green tea is preferred for this purpose due to its high tannin and antioxidant content.

The caffeine in tea penetrates the skin to curb the fluid retention underneath it and its abundant reserve of antioxidants and tannins may help lighten the discoloration around the eyes.

How to use: Place damp tea bags over your closed eyes for a few minutes and then rinse your eyes thoroughly.

# Potato

The skin-lightening properties of potato are much talked about as a lot of general users have reported positive results after using it for their dark circles. However, this remedy remains unsupported by science.

How to use: Place potato slices over your eyes.

# Coconut oil

Another remedy for dark circles that enjoys considerable anecdotal success but has little to no scientific backing is coconut oil.

How to use: Gently massage 2–3 drops of coconut oil under your eye at bedtime, let it sit overnight, and then wash it off the next morning.

# Cold compress

If your dark circles are caused by dilated under-eye blood vessels, you can use cold therapy to constrict the vessels and reduce the pooling of blood in the area.

How to use:

- Take a clean, soft paper towel, soak it in cold water, and wring out the excess liquid. Then, hold the towel against the affected area for some time while keeping your eyes closed.
- You can use store-bought cold compresses as well.
- You can also simply place a chilled teaspoon or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a soft cloth over your closed eyes.