We're often asked how to treat dark circles around the eyes. It's a really common problem that most people struggle to deal with. To assist in the attack, we've enlisted the help of our resident men's grooming guru, Steven O'Neill, and asked him for his top tips on tackling dark eyes. Here's what he had to say.
We're often asked how to treat dark circles around the eyes. It's a really common problem that most people struggle to deal with. To assist in the attack, we've enlisted the help of our resident men's grooming guru, Steven O'Neill, and asked him for his top tips on tackling dark eyes. Here's what he had to say.
Dark circles around the eyes can be caused by a number of contributing factors. Ethnicity plays a major factor, with darker tones of skin tending to suffer more than lighter skin. Having said that, those with olive skin also tend to experience dark rings around the eyes. Other factors include smoking, alcohol, lack of sleep and poor diet.
Face mapping specialists advise us that the state of the area directly beneath the eyes is a clear representation of the health of the lungs, how much 'weight' is in that I'm not 100% sure.
But don't get bogged down with science behind the problem, what we need to focus on here is how we can deal with it.
As we mentioned earlier, dark circles tend to appear on dark skin, and the surface of darker skin tones is, most commonly, much oilier than that of lighter skin. So first off, try to control the level of oil on the face. The key here is not to strip the face of all of its moisture, and to fight fire with fire. Using a face wash that contains glycolic acid will help to control the natural levels of sebum your skin produces. Try Anthony Logistics Glycolic Facial Cleanser.
Next, try to use an anti-ageing eye cream that contains vitamin C. This can help to brighten your complexion and reduce the onset of premature ageing. Try Karin Herzog Eye Cream, it contains oxygen which can also help to improve the tone of the skin.
Be aware of how much contact you make between your hands and your face. Rubbing your eyes when tired will assist the skin in gathering oil and storing it beneath the eyes. If you do feel the urge to rub, try using a tissue.
Keep your pillow case clean. Most people sleep for an average of 9 hours per night. During this time your face has prolonged direct contact with your pillow, in fact this is the longest amount of time your face has contact with anything. To prevent stale bacteria and last night's secretions making your face dirty, change your pillow case every few days.
Wash your face before bed. This is quite possibly more important than washing your face in the morning as during the day the face will collect dirt and leaving it there overnight will affect your complexion.
If you're still struggling and finding this issue more stubborn than you once thought, consider using a men's concealer like NuBo Perfectionist to cover-up the problem.
Top tip: keep 2 small smooth pebbles in the freezer. When you feel tired or your eyes look puffy, take the stones from the freezer and run them under cold water to remove any ice. Test the temperature on the back of your hands then rub the stones gently around your cheek bones and in circles around the eyes. This will help to drain the area and brighten the skin as it helps it to contract.
Top tip 2: store your eye cream in the fridge. This will have a significant effect on how well it performs. The theory behind this is very similar to the smooth pebbles above, the cold temperature aids drainage and encourages the skin to contract and tighten.