How to Get Rid of Bags Under Eyes & Dark Circles

Tips for reducing under-eye circles

Under-eye bags and dark circles are usually caused by stress, dehydration or lack of sleep. Fortunately, there are a few tricks you can use to make them less noticeable. Make sure you’re staying hydrated and avoiding salty foods. Elevate your head while you sleep can help reduce those puffy places. And make sure you’re using SPF every day. Read on for more circle-reducing tricks.

Eye Treatments There is no short supply of under-eye creams and serums. While both creams and serums work to moisturize and care for the delicate under-eye area, serums are able to penetrate the skin deeper than eye creams, delivering high-potency ingredients below the skin. Look for products with ingredients like caffeine, green tea or aloe. They can help reduce puffiness, while other ingredients—like vitamin C, retinol and antioxidants—can brighten the skin.

Essential Oils Sometimes treating puffiness and dark circles is just as simple as an essential oil or two. Many essential oils have anti-inflammatory or astringent properties. Our suggestion: Use a dab of coconut oil as your base. Next, add a drop or two of an essential oil, like fennel, chamomile, peppermint, eucalyptus, bergamot, tea tree, lavender or rosemary, and gently pat the mixture under your eyes before bed.

Cold Compress A tried-and-true way to reduce eye puffiness and dark circles is to freeze or refrigerate two used tea bags, then place them over your closed eyes. Keep your head back (lying down is important) for around 10 minutes. For best results, use a caffeinated tea—the caffeine can help to constrict and relax those blood vessels. A cold compress, refrigerated cucumber slice or bag of frozen veggies are a great alternative to tea bags.