Any ideas on homemade remedies for dark circles under eyes and puffy bags, besides surgery?
By rita from Asheville, NC
I put a dab of witch hazel beneath my eye cream AM and PM - also cold black tea compresses are great for reducing any swelling around the eyes - I read recently that someone's mother recommended using ice cubes in the AM (cold does help reduce swelling.) The best thing is to try to keep your under-eye area from swelling. I also read about massaging the area gently on the eye socket to reduce any fatty buildup there. There are many inexpensive eye creams and eye serums on the market now. I have even gotten some from the dollar store! Get samples from the net or at cosmetic counters, and try them out until you find exactly what you need! (06/23/2009)
By pam munro
I read in Cosmo, the women bible, to put black tea bags on your eyes for one minute. It works. I do it those late nights that I'm up studying or just those mornings where you look like you just didn't get enough sleep. Don' bother with those eye serums unless you go for the expensive ones. Its the caffeine that makes it go way. There basically the same concept as a bruise and it just needs the blood to flow through. Good luck (06/24/2009)
By codie
Sliced cucumbers or tea bags. Good luck. (06/25/2009)
For both:
Lack of sleep raises cortisol levels which causes skin to retain fluid. Drink a big glass of water before you go to bed (be ready to pee in the morning!), it will reduce puffiness by decreasing the amount of salt in the body. Sleep with a fluffy pillow to elevate your head and keep fluid from settling under your eyes (gravity helps fight the accumulation of fluid under the eyes).
By morning time if this didn't work put black tea, green tea, or chamomile tea in hot water then in the fridge to come to more of a solid. Then rest them on the eye area (the tannins in black tea help reduce bloat).
Before you leave, dab on a little eye cream with caffeine (if you have any, if not then that's okay, coffee should do it)
Dark circles:
In the mean time, use a peachy tone concealer, it counteracts with blue/green circles. Using your pinkie finger works great!
If you plan on investing in a cream there are three prime ingredients to look for: 1. RETINOL- thickens skin which makes it harder to see under-lying darkness. 2. HYDROQUINONE- lightens pigment over time. & 3. VITAMIN K- helps reduce broken blood vessels.
Under eye bags (puffy eyes):
Concealer does nothing.
An optical illusion I love is using a pearl highlighter on the inner corner of eye, lower lids, and outer corner of brow. The high lighter catches light and makes your eyes appear more awake therefore less puffy. Gold eye shadow does the trick too, just use a light shimmery color.
Another make up trick: coats of mascara + eye lash curler. Big lashes make your eyes seem bigger and also more awake. Simple.
Another random thing: I believe someone in the previous post mentioned it, ice cubes! When you wake up in the morning (or any time of day) fill your sink with a combo of cold water and ice cubes. Dip a wash cloth in the sink, wring it out, then press across your face 5-10 times. *THIS WILL BE COLD ON YOUR HANDS so you may want to use a pair of latex gloves, or just kitchen gloves so the cold water won't hurt the skin on your hands. Your complexion will be revived and awakened. Who doesn't want a morning glow?
I hope this helps, sorry I wrote so much.
Good luck! Or in german: viel glueck!! :D (06/25/2009)
By Brigette
You have already got back some wonderful feedback. I do not know about dark circles except using a concealer. For puffy eyes, as a photographer, I use hemorrhoid ointment. (06/25/2009)
By Sarah
Preparation H for the puffiness. Do not put ice or anything frozen around your eyes. That area is very delicate. Cold is fine and cucumbers are good. Also, undereye puffiness is not caused by fat. It's caused by water retention and swelling of the tissues. Dark circles are caused by broken capillaries. Vitamin K is the best treatment for it. Also good for ruddiness around the cheeks, which is cause by the same thing. (06/27/2009)
By Corene
Vaseline is a petroleum product, never good for the skin. The skin is the largest organ of the body and needs to be able to breath. Petroleum products set on the skin and cannot be totally absorbed. Models often use preparation H in their eye cream to reduce swelling under the eyes. Would not suggest using it daily. The tea bag is a much better daily use. But on those occasions when you need a fast fix. Preparation H will certainly do it
By Charlie
Personally, the hemorrhoid creams didn't work for me. I have hereditary dark circles, which got worse this summer. I read an antihistamine (like claritin, benadryl, or zyrtec) works, I tried it and, low and behold, it worked! My dark circles literally are 50% improved (and I'm a skeptic, so that says a lot). Good luck! (07/05/2009)
By Danielle
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