How To Erase Those Pesky Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

There is nothing worse than walking into a room and being told that you look tired, regardless as to whether you are, in fact, tired or not – but it’s usually the bags under your eyes that give this impression. Dark circles under the eye are caused by a number of factors, which can vary from person to person depending on lifestyle, age, skin type and your general level of hydration and fatigue. They’re frustratingly hard to tackle, especially when juggling a demanding job, family or other commitments that eat into your downtime. Want to know how you can erase dark circles? Alexander Johnston from luxury pharmacy John Bell & Croyden highlights some top tips below.

How To Erase Those Pesky Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

Start with you bedtime routine

Improving the quality of your sleep will always go some way to banishing the dark circles. One thing worth looking into when it comes to this is ‘sleep hygiene’, which is basically making sure that you have a bedtime routine that you stick to and that your sleeping environment is conducive to a good night’s sleep.

A regular bedtime, avoiding caffeine and alcohol two hours prior to going to bed and a good mattress forms the backbone of good sleep hygiene – but there are a few additional steps you can bring in to your routine to make it even better.

Drinking a caffeine-free herbal tea an hour or so before you hit the hay will help your mind start to wind down and your body relax, meaning you are primed for sleep the minute you climb under the sheets. Yogi Tea’s bedtime blend is a delicious blend of fennel, chamomile and valerian root that will help to balance and relax your mind and senses, promoting deep and restful sleep.

Yogi Tea Organic Bedtime Teabags, £2.40, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

A pillow mist is also a great way to help you drop off to sleep, steeping your senses in fragrances like lavender, sandalwood and calming essences from jasmine or chamomile. Olverum’s pillow mist is a wonderful blend of citrus-fresh bergamot, woody amyris and soothing lavender that will help envelop you in calming atmosphere ideal for falling into a peaceful sleep.

Olverum Pillow Mist, £26.50, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

Change up your skincare regime

Your skin is a living, breathing organ, so what you put into it is what you will get out. Harsh cleansers or over-use of active ingredients can often have a negative effect on your overall skin health, while constant changes to your product line-up can cause your skin to become stressed and dehydrated.

Your eye area is especially prone to showing signs of stress as the skin under the eye is up to two-thirds thinner that the rest of the skin on your face, so it does need some special attention – and this starts with your cleanser. Your daily cleanser needs to be gentle yet effective so that is removes all traces of impurities and makeup without drying your skin out. If you are removing eye makeup, try to avoid wipes and oil-in-water products if you have dark circles. Instead, look for a creamy cleanser that you can emulsify with water into a milky finish.

One of the finest out there is Skin Design London’s Face Bath. This luxuriously thick and creamy concoction can be used as a cleanser and a mask, allowing you to give you skin a little more indulgence whenever it needs it. The combination of fruit acids, organic extracts and antioxidants leaves your skin immaculately cleansed, balanced and hydrated.

Skin Design London Face Bath, £95, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

The next step is to apply your eye serum. These serums and creams are specially formulated for the delicate eye area, so they need to be applied minimally and with care. Just a dot on your ring finger for each eye is enough. Gently pat and smooth the product on to your under-eye until it has absorbed. Using your ring finger to do this ensures that you do not apply excessive pressure, that can cause capillary veins to rupture.

Kaplan MD’s Diamond Contour Ultimate Hydration Firming serum is one of a kind as it have been designed for use, not only on the eye contour, but also the eye lid and brow to smooth and lift the whole eye area. The addition of crushed diamonds gives the appearance of light, so it is a great choice for both day and night.

Kaplan MD Skincare Diamond Contour Ultimate Hydration Firming Eye Serum, £76, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

If you prefer a richer eye cream for night-time, Derm Institute’s Youth Alchemy eye cream uses cutting-edge technology to deliver hydrating and firming results from a rich and luxurious formulation.

Derm Institute Youth Alchemy Eye Cream, £255, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

For more sensitive skin, you can’t beat Vichy’s 89 Mineral eye serum. Made from 89 percent volcanic water, with hyaluronic acid and caffeine, you’ll see instant results with no irritation.

Vichy Minéral 89 Eyes With Hyaluronic Acid + Caffeine, £20, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

Try out a weekly eye mask

Eye treatment masks offer targeted treatments for the under-eye to lighten, brighten and hydrate. Simply apply the mask once a week and relax for 15 minutes while it does its work. Then pat the skin to encourage absorption and apply your usual skincare routine.

Harley Street brand Decree offers an exceptional mask that also works to hydrate and soothe the eye area as a whole – including the eyelids and brow. The SOS revitalising eye mask is packed full of hyaluronic acid, niacinamides, collagen boosting peptides and soothing rose water, this is the perfect mask for reviving tired eyes, be it at home or while travelling (this is especially great for long flights).

Decree SOS Revitalising Eye Mask, £12, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

Use collagen supplements to support a glowing complexion

Collagen is an amino acid that your body produces naturally and is responsible for keeping your skin looking plump and elastic. Our ability to produce collagen reduces significantly as we get older, so it is essential that we top this up to help our skin retain moisture and boost our complexion’s vitality. Using a collagen supplement regularly can also make your undereye skin appear thicker and more even in tone, thus reducing the appearance of dark circles.

Ancient + Brave‘s True Collagen comes one hundred per cent grass fed cows. It is easily digested and absorbed, as well as flavourless. You can add the sachet to hot drinks or even sprinkle it on food to integrate into your daily diet.

Ancient + Brave True Collagen Sachets, £18, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

If your preference is for marine collagen, Vida Glow offers a range of flavours (including flavourless sachets) to perk up any juice or smoothie, or to simply be taken with water.

Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen Sachets Blueberry, £39, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

Usually, collagen supplements are either a marine or bovine derivative, but there are some vegan options available now. A good vegan alternative can be found in Ora Organic‘s collagen boosting powder. This innovative formulation uses plant-based vitamins and minerals to promote the natural production of collagen in the body.

Ora Organic Aloe Gorgeous Plant-Based Collagen Boosting Powder (Vanilla), £24, johnbellcroyden.co.uk

This article is brought to you in partnership with John Bell & Croyden, where you can find hundreds of globally sourced well-being and beauty products to get you through the seasons.

Featured image: Marina Vitale, Unsplash