How to Get Rid of Under Eye Bags and Dark Circles

When people talk to you, they look at your face (hence the importance of good skin!). But more often than not, they are looking at your eyes – which makes dark circles and under eye bags a very visible and frustrating problem. Today’s post is a list of the most effective solutions to undereye bags and dark circles.

First, lets look at the causes:

Dark circles and bags generally come from a combination of the following factors: genetics, sun damage, allergies, aging, diet, and of course – a lack of sleep!

Undereye problems develop when the layer of fat underneath your eyes actually thickens over time, giving the illusion of dark circles. In addition, years of sun damage cause microscopic blood vessels to loose their stability below your eyes, creating undereye bags and loose skin. Other factors exacerbate the problem, such as a diet high in sodium and carbohydrates, a lack of sleep and a lack of vitamins D, C and K.

Here are the solutions that work best to alleviate the problem:

Diet Tips:

• Limit your intake of sodium. Sodium is known to make the body retain water, thereby causing eye puffiness and bags under eyes. (note – frozen meals tend to be very high in sodium, avoid them!)
• Increase your water consumption to help circulation and the removal of toxins.
• Eat carrots. They are rich in beta carotene – excellent for skin and eyes.
• Eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C, which can strengthen your blood vessels and clear up your skin. Foods high in Vitamin C include: broccoli, kale, tomatoes, cabbage, red, yellow and orange peppers, potatoes, papaya, mangos, grapefruit, lemons and kiwi.

Topical Treatments:

• Do a tea bag/cucumber treatment on the eyes. Both tea bags and cucumbers reduce inflammation and decrease swelling. Tea bags are especially good to use for dark swollen circles because there is tannin inside of the tea that helps with eliminating the puffiness. I recommend using chamomile or green tea. Here’s what to do: Steep 2 tea bags in 1/2 cup hot water for 15-30 minutes.  Then put in freezer for 20 minutes. Remove and apply to eye area.
• Use a Eye Q Gel/ Gold Serum combo. Eye Q Gel will shrink blood vessels that are close to the surface and minimize darkness. Gold Serum will infuse essential vitamins and anti-oxidants into the area, which will restore stability and strength to the skin and reduce bags and sagging. Bonus tip: For increased effectiveness, keep your Eye Q Gel in the refrigerator – cooling the product will help reduce puffiness.
• Get a good concealer. I’ve tried many, many brands and my favorite is Cinema Secrets.

These tips do work – but if you don’t get enough sleep, even if you use all these methods, your eyes will still be swollen and dark. So make sure to get your beauty sleep!

Do you have other tips that work for you? If so, please share them in the comments section below.