Dark circles be gone.....

Hands up those who feel that dark circles under their eyes are the bane of their beauty existence!  It's something that comes up constantly in my conversations with women when they are sharing their beauty woes. "What is the best way to cover my dark circles?" is the war cry.  It got me thinking though - yes, it's great to have the skills to cover them but how do they get there in the first place?  I went on the hunt to see what the facts are.

First of all - what exactly are they?  They are a collection of blood vessels close to the skins surface that create a bluish tint which makes this area appear darker.

It seems like with many things in life getting rid of dark circles could be a complicated process. In reviewing a few sources of information, I bring you a snapshot of the most common causes:

Genetics - yes, you can blame it on your family!  It seems that this is a fairly common cause of dark circles and probably one that you can't do much about internally.  A good lightweight concealer will be your best friend.   

Lack of Sleep - yes, this would have to be here, whilst it's not high on the list as I thought, it is definitely contributing factor.  A lack of sleep can make the skin look paler which means that the blood vessels in this area stand out more.

Thinning Skin - aging is a common cause of dark circles as the skin becomes thinner and allows the blood vessels to become more noticeable.  Sun damage it would seem can expedite the process, another great reason to use SPF30+

Allergies and Hayfever - as if sneezing and feeling dreadful is already not bad enough, you have to battle bags too.  Not fair.... really!

Other causes listed are dehydration, fluid retention, iron deficiency or of course giving your eye a nasty bump.

So what can you do for them then?  Well... topical treatments range from applying a small amount of a light weight concealer under the eye (My pick is SLA - Anti dark circles) to using eye creams that are designed to hydrate and constrict the blood vessels (My pick - Algolgoie Eye Contour Cream) and Sunblock (My Pick Fleur De Mer Tinted 30+ Sunblock).

However, don't forget - drink plenty of water, keep your caffeine consumption to a minimum and get good quality regular sleep!  Ahhhh.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Take care,