Home Remedies for Dark Circles

Dark Circles Due to Pigmentation

One of the most common types of dark circles is caused due to pigmentation. This can be a result of excessive melanin production, sun exposure, iron deficiency, and many other underlying skin conditions.

This type of dark circle is commonly identified due to its blue-black or brown colour and can be treated by most natural remedies for dark circles available in the country.

Dark Circles Due to Structure

Another type of dark circle is due to the face structure. In this case, a person with a hooded or hollow eye area often witnesses the appearance of dark circles due to the shadow created between the eyelid and the under-eye surface.

They appear as mild yet visible grey-black discolouration, like a shadow. Some of the primary reasons behind this discolouration are the excess exposure of the blood vessels and the tissues under the eye.

Dark Circles Due to Vascular Issues

At times, dark circles can happen due to reasons including low oxygen supply, improper sleep, and age. All these issues can cause blood vessel congestion. This results in bluish-purple dark circles under the eye that are very prominent, making them easily noticeable.

Dark Circles Due to Lifestyle

Many lifestyle choices also cause dark circles. The list includes dehydration, high-stress levels, improper diet, lack of nutrition, etc. These dark circles can be treated with proper efforts towards improving your overall lifestyle and choosing the right foods.

One of the most effective ways to treat dark circles is the utilisation of natural ingredients that are readily available. This allows you to benefit from dark circle treatment without spending too much of your time and money on deceiving products in the market.

Let us look at some of the best home remedies for dark circles below.

Home Remedies for Dark Circles: Kitchen Secrets

Cucumber Slices

Using cucumber slices frequently can help reduce dark circles significantly. This is because cucumbers are 96% water, making it an excellent trick for quick hydration. Additionally, cucumbers are also anti-inflammatory, which helps depuff the eyes and reduce under-eye darkness.

To use cucumbers, cut this vegetable into thin slices and apply one slice on each of the eyes. Sit back and relax for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also use cucumber juice and add it to a cotton pad to repeat the same process.

Grated Potato for Dark Circles

Similar to cucumbers, potatoes provide the same benefits of good hydration and reduced inflammation when placed on the eyelids. Potatoes are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, providing the eye region with ample resources to rejuvenate.

To use a potato, you can cut them into thin slices and place them on your eyes for 10-15 minutes. You can also grate it, collect the juice and apply the grated potato and the juice on the eyes with the help of a cotton pad.

Tomatoes

This particular kitchen secret is popular for its ability to gently exfoliate the skin, help reduce pigmentation, and fade any scars. Tomatoes are readily available in any kitchen and help reduce the discolouration caused by dark circles.

To get the best results from this home remedy, mix a small amount of tomato juice or puree with a few drops of lemon juice and then apply this mixture to the affected area under the eyes.

Green Tea Bags

One of the less popular uses of tea bags is the dark circle treatment. After using your green tea bag for a warm cup, instead of throwing away the tea bag, you can put it in the refrigerator and let it cool down.

Once it is done, you can apply the cold green tea bags to your eyes and rest for 10 to 12 minutes. Green tea contains some percentage of caffeine that helps constrict the blood vessels under the eye surface and increases blood circulation in the area.

Cold Milk

Raw milk is a natural cleanser. Using cold milk of your choice for depuffing the eyes and reducing the appearance of dark circles is an effective remedy as milk contains lactic acid. This is an important agent for lightening the pigmentation under the eyes.

Additionally, milk offers good hydration to the skin around the eyes, making them look fresh. To use cold milk for dark circles, dip a cotton ball or pad in cold milk, leave it for a minute, apply it on your eyes for 10 minutes and then wash it off with room temperature water.

Orange Juice

Oranges are rich in vitamins C and A, which provide hydration and increase collagen production. Both these ingredients together can help improve the skin elasticity of the facial skin and help reduce dark circles with time.

To apply orange juice, squeeze out 2 to 3 tablespoons of orange juice and soak it up in a cotton pad before applying it on your eyes for 10 minutes. Once done, wash the eyes with warm water.

Cold Steel Spoons

A fun way to depuff the eyes and reduce the dark circles is by applying cold steel tablespoons on your eyes for 10 minutes a day. This process is very straightforward and can bring along numerous benefits.

It increases the blood circulation around the eyes and cools down any inflammation or allergic reaction, minimising the appearance of dark circles.

Papaya

This powerful fruit is packed with vitamins A and C and magnesium. Together, these elements help fight signs of ageing and gently exfoliate the skin to get rid of unwanted pigmentation on the facial skin, including under the eyes, for a clean look.

To use papaya on your eyes, mash a slice of papaya and apply it under the eyes evenly for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, while rinsing, move the papaya mash in a circular motion to exfoliate the area gently.

Other Masks

You can mix many different kitchen ingredients to make a thick paste or mask to treat dark circles. Some of them include the following-

Mix 2 tablespoons of orange peel with 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of yoghurt and a pinch of turmeric to apply it all over the face, especially the eyes.

Make a liquid paste using 1 tablespoon of milk and a pinch of turmeric and apply it directly to the affected area.

Combine aloe vera gel and grated cucumber and apply it under the eyes for instant rejuvenation, hydration and glow.

Home Remedies for Dark Circles: From the Nature’s Lap

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil helps reduce inflammation and calms the under-eye area. Additionally, it helps lighten the pigmentation and discolouration caused by dark circles and other reasons.

All you need to do is rub a small amount of coconut oil on and around your eyes gently for 5 minutes and then rinse it off. This will help reduce dark circles as well as many signs of ageing, like wrinkles and fine lines.

Rose Water

A hero ingredient for all things skincare, rose water can help improve the appearance of dark circles effectively. This ingredient is cold, hydrating, and highly refreshing, making it suitable for all age groups and skin types.

All you need to do is dip a cotton ball or pad in rose water and apply it on your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. Once done, remove the pads and see the change. Given how light this ingredient is, you can easily do this 2 to 3 times a day.

Aloe Vera

One of the most natural ingredients from nature's lap, aloe vera, is an effective gel-based moisturiser that hydrates the undereye region without any heavy layers. Aloe vera tightens the skin and reduces inflammation with regular use.

It further reduces signs of ageing with time, which helps lighten the dark circles without too much hassle. To use aloe vera gel, cut out an aloe leaf and slice it into pieces to scoop out the gel. Apply the gel under the eyes overnight and wash your face normally in the morning.

Parsley

An exciting benefit of parsley leaves is the reduction of dark circles. The primary component of parsley is vitamins C and K, which are known to help brighten the skin tone and improve skin texture while depuffing eye bags.

To use parsley, soak parsley leaves in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes and then dip a cotton pad into this water to apply to your eyes. Alternatively, you can also mix parsley powder into hot water and repeat the same procedure.

Always moisturise the face with a good face cream and apply it a minimum of 2 times a day.

• Use gentle face massage techniques to improve blood circulation, which in turn can help depuff the face and reduce dark circles.

• Explore skincare products that are packed with ingredients like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and caffeine. However, always remember to do a patch test before applying it to your face.

• Be very gentle whenever you apply any face cream or moisturiser on your face, especially around the eyes.

• Invest in a skincare product, like eye cream or face cream that is rich in retinol. This ingredient helps increase the production of collagen in the skin, increasing skin density and lightening pigmentation. Always remember to do a patch test before applying it to your face.

• Wear sunscreen when stepping out, as it protects your skin from harmful UV rays and also helps fade pigmentation over time.

• Use more natural make-up products instead of highly dense ones that can cause unnecessary reactions or excessive dryness with regular use.

• Never sleep with your makeup. Always remove your makeup with an oil-based or foam-based cleanser to avoid any reaction and dryness.

• One lifestyle change that can work well as a dark circle treatment is proper hydration. Consuming a minimum of 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day can help you keep your body nourished and your skin happy.

• Another practical dark circle removal tip is improving your sleep schedule. Ensuring a minimum of 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep can help improve the skin texture and elasticity while reducing the appearance of your dark circles.

• Consuming a balanced diet every day can also work as an effective dark circle treatment. A diet combining the necessary vitamins, minerals, iron, potassium, protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates can keep the body healthy inside and help fade out dark circles.

• In addition to the nutritional food intake, you can also consume dark chocolate occasionally as it contains flavonols, known to extend protection against UV rays. This will help reduce signs of ageing and dark circles.

• Mental and physical stress can often lead to fatigue, which further increases the appearance of dark circles. To improve this correctly, practising yoga and meditation can help a great deal. This will help keep the mind at ease and reduce mental stress.

• Try to elevate your head while sleeping by using a thick pillow or 2 - 3 soft pillows together. This is an effective dark circle treatment alternative as it reduces the risk of fluid collection under the eyes, making them look swollen and puffy first thing when you wake up.

• Being watchful of your alcohol intake and salt consumption can also help treat dark circles. Both alcohol and salt lead to dehydration as they soak up the water in the body very quickly.

• Thus, optimising their intake can help keep many health concerns, including dark circles, at bay.

• Another effective lifestyle change that can significantly help with the appearance of dark circles is optimising eye strain. With the increasing usage of electronics for work purposes, it has become necessary to take frequent breaks to rest the eyes and avoid dark circles.

• Other than experimenting with different home remedies for dark circles, along with lifestyle changes and skincare suggestions, it is essential to understand some of the leading causes behind the science of dark circles.

• One of the key reasons behind dark circles is mental and physical exhaustion. This can result in poor sleeping patterns like undersleeping and oversleeping, which increase fatigue and result in increased visibility of dark circles.

• Dark circles are also the aftermath of ageing. The older you get, the visibility of the dark circles increases due to high pigmentation. Additionally, with age, collagen production in the body reduces significantly, making the skin around the eyes thinner.

• Exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun can also increase the presence and appearance of dark circles. This is because these rays increase the pigmentation on the skin surface, making the eye look puffier and the skin more wrinkly.

• A lesser-known cause of dark circles is overexposure to electronics like laptops, computers, phones, tablets, etc. When you use these electronics a lot, the blood vessels under the eye become more prominent, causing dark circles.

• Many allergic reactions also cause the skin around the eye to become irritated and result in the increased appearance of dark circles.

• Many people don’t know that insufficient body hydration can also be a significant reason for dark circles.

• Overconsumption of alcohol or regular smoking also increases the chances of dark circles as they cause excessive dryness from within, pressuring the blood vessels in the body to increase the oxygen supply around the body.

• Frequent touching and rubbing of the eyes can loosen the skin around the eyes, making the dark circles more prominent with time.

• Improper and sudden weight loss can also cause dark circles, as when you lose weight, the fat padding under the eye reduces rapidly, bringing the blood vessels closer to the skin surface and resulting in increased visibility of dark circles.

• Changes to diet and improper nutrition can lead to serious nutrient deficiencies, which lead to unhealthy blood circulation around the body and poor skin cell recovery and generation. Both these issues together can cause dark circles.

Natural ingredients have always been a great source of health and well-being for the human body. Thus, experimenting with different home remedies for dark circles is an effective way to get rid of baggy under-eyes and dark circles.

The kitchen hacks are easily available in any grocery store while the natural ingredients can be grown or bought without much hassle.

The end goal is to provide your body with the correct hydration and nourishment by combining natural remedies with lifestyle changes to get rid of dark circles and subside many other health concerns for the future.

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Is dark circle removal cream effective?

Depending on the ingredients in a dark circle removal cream, the impact of the same can be determined. However, we recommend consulting a dermatologist before purchasing and applying any dark circle removal cream.

**It is necessary to note that with all the lifestyle changes, home remedies, and removal creams you incorporate into your life, they can only help fade out or lighten the dark circles. However, there is no permanent way of removing dark circles completely.

When using a potato for dark circles, should I use the potato peel, slices, or juice for best results?**

An effective home remedy to treat dark circles using potatoes is cutting a raw potato into thin slices and placing them on your eyelids as eye patches for 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can also use potato juice-dipped cotton pads to do the same for similar results.

Is using ice the best home remedy for dark circles if I am looking for quick results?

Using ice under your eyes 2 to 3 times a day can help constrict the blood vessels present under the eyes, which in turn helps depuff the eye bags and fade out dark circles. However, always remember to use a muslin cloth to ice your under eyes. Applying ice directly to any part of your face can be harmful to the skin cells and cause damage.

Disclaimer: This is a general guide on home remedies for dark circles. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. It is advisable to consult a qualified health professional for treatment in severe cases.