Girl, it’s not just about which concealer you use and how expensive it is. Your dark under eye circles are caused by things you are doing – whether knowingly or unknowingly. But worry not! We give you a full round-up of some easy-peasy lifestyle tweaks, some handy makeup tips and DIY eye masks to see visible changes in a very short time. Yes, you got that right – no more panda eyes!
I. Tweak your lifestyle!
Dark circles are the earliest signs of ageing amongst us women. A few tweaks in everyday life can go a long way towards reducing them.
1. Start off by getting enough sleep and maintaining a body clock for your general well-being. When you feel tired, go to sleep! Don’t stay up later than your body is telling you to – you will guarantee yourself some “panda” style in the morning.
2. Make sure you don’t rub your eyes too much. This can break your capillaries, causing bruising under the skin – this results in those bluish overtones around the eye area.
3. Finally, keep yourself healthy. Have a glass of tomato juice with mint leaves from time to time to detox your system and keep yourself energized. You WILL see a difference.
II. Set up and follow an eye care regime
Yes, you probably have a beauty regime already. But make sure you’re doing enough for your eyes too! It’s not enough to just be worrying about pimples, you know.
1. Under eye circles are sometimes accompanied by puffiness. Reduce your salt intake and apply a cooling eye roller like Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller (Rs 1,256) or Vichy Aqualia Thermal Roll-On Eyes (Rs 1,350). These are instant eye soothers, thanks to menthol or caffeine, and reduce puffiness too.
2. To address discolouration and lines, you can try Lancôme Genifique Yeux Eye Illuminating Youth Activating Concentrate (Rs 5,319). It has a unique yeast called ferment filtrate that has proven to be great for hydration and improves the eye contour. Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solutions (Rs 3,373) has ingredients like activated Vitamin C and peony extracts to reduce discoloration.
3. Invest in a few all-rounders for eye care, such as Clinique All About Eyes Cream (Rs 2,699), Inglot Cream Concealer (Rs 700), Lakme Absolute White Intense Concealer (Rs 425) and Burt’s Bees Radiance Eye Cream (Rs 1,309).
III. The smart way to conceal
There are different undertones to a concealer that help you seal the deal, quicker and better. A yellow base means your product is great to even out the skin. Not only that, you also want a concealer that’s non-comedogenic and allows your stressed skin in the under eye area to heal.
1. A pinkish/ orange based concealer is the one to be dabbed on the dark spots – even the pimple that’s sprouted up. They are the most effective when it comes to colour-correcting the bluish undertones of dark under eye circles. The L’Oreal True Match Concealer (Rs 875) is a smooth and oil-free option – AND it comes in three shades for you to choose from.
2. Most makeup artists now suggest you use a creamy concealer so that you hydrate the eye area and then conceal the discoloration. The Bourjois Bio Detox Organic Anti Puffiness Concealer (Rs 764) not only helps improve your colour but also soothe the puffiness.
3. Apply the concealer in a dot method in the shape of a triangle under the eye area to get the maximum and most effective coverage. You can first apply your concealer, then apply your foundation, and then re-apply the concealer on spots you feel need a bit more love.
IV. Go natural with these DIY fixes!
You don’t need to be super-creative to try these eye masks because all you need are 15 minutes and some kitchen ingredients.
1. You know caffeine works because it’s used in many eye creams and serums, so why not do something on your own? Make your own coffee eye mask by using the leftover coffee grounds (from your morning mojo), combining that with half a teaspoon of coconut oil. Apply under the eye area (and keep it on till you have finished your coffee!). Wash it off after 15 minutes.
2. Another way to reduce dark circles is a parsley eye mask. Crush a few strands of fresh parsley, add a teaspoon of unflavoured yoghurt and apply with a cotton pad. Rinse off after 15 minutes.
Images: Shutterstock
MUST-READ: The 5-Step Guide to Covering Up Those Under Eye Circles Like a Pro