I've been wanting to write this post for about two years now. It's one of the most asked questions when I'm talking about an eye cream. Before you go looking for a 'miracle' cream first you should understand all of the possible causes of dark circles. We all have them to some degree. Well most of us. There are a lucky few of you that dark circles aren't a problem for.
Dark Circles can be caused by: Allergies or allergic rhinitis, dermatitis (atopic or exzema & contact), fatigue, heredity, dehydration or irritation, pigmentation irregularities (affects Asian or African ancestry more), sun exposure (causes melanin production), thinning skin and loss of collagen, or shadow play from the hollows under your eyes from the normal aging process. Fatigue is the number one cause of dark under eye circles. I don't think anyone is surprised by that. Heredity or genetics can also be a big factor in your eye circles. Allergies or dermatitis are more short term and probably more treatable than the other causes. Aging causes thinning skin and the loss of collagen and fat makes the blood vessels under the eyes more prominent.
There's also different colors of dark circles-Purple, blue, brown/red or shadowed. Each has it's own cause so it might help you figure out which way to treat it by knowing which kind you have. You likely have several causes and not just one.
- Purple is usually pigmentation or a family hereditary trait. More common in medium to deep skin tones. Treat it with retinol, vitamin C, lightening agents, peels or laser treatments at a professionals office. Use of sunscreen to prevent more pigmentation.
- Blue is usually lack of sleep or stress caused. Allergies also go here if they affect your eyes or cause nose blowing. Treat this type with sleep, stress relief techniques, treat your allergies, and relieve congestion cause by allergies by increasing circulation (caffeine) plus gentle massage to help drain the area. Cold compresses also help.
- Brown or red is most related to aging or genetics (think fair skin). These are the ones caused by thinning skin & loss of collagen or if you're fair skinned your skin has a more translucent quality. Either way this makes the natural blood vessels more obvious. Treat it with retinol, peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin K, vitamin C and niacinamide to increase collagen production & skin thickness/volume in the area. Fillers or lasers that can shrink blood vessels provide a longer lasting solution.
- Shadowed ones are caused by aging or weight loss. Fat pad loss under the eyes causes a hollow appearance and thus the shadow. There is no topical for this. Fillers can help plump the area back up again.
So will a topical eye cream make all your dark circle problems go away? Usually not. It's unrealistic to think a topical can really fixed the dilated blood vessels, volume loss and excess pigmentation. They do give mild to moderate results and they can help lessen the circles. Now eye creams are key in keeping the eye area hydrated and healthy. So they are hugely beneficial for lots of reasons. Dehydration and irritation do make dark circles worse. Don't forget how important daily SPF is as well.
So while the thought that a topical cream can't fix your dark circles is slightly depressing just remember eye creams have lots of benefits. Just don't expect them to be miracle workers. None of them are, not matter how expensive they are and what they claim. Having a realistic expectation when starting a new cream is key to looking at how it helps your overall eye appearance. Look for the powerhouse ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, caffeine (can be in the form of coffee extract or something similar like tea), niacinimide, peptides, hyaluronic acid, cucumber, aloe & vitamin K.
Vitamin K is interesting. It's part of the coagulation process (it's actually the antidote for a certain anticoagulant medication aka blood thinner). The theory is that it helps blood that might be pooled under the eye area. There's not a ton of research on it though for this purpose. It's possible it helps with purple discoloration as well. Bruising is caused by blood under the skin so it would make sense. Most of these ingredients work better in synergy. I don't think you should focus on just one ingredient. As there are so many different causes of dark circles a multi-focused treatment will be the most beneficial. All of these ingredients are also helpful and preventing and treating fine lines, firmness and puffiness which are the other major eye issues.