5 Tips to Combat Eye Bags & Circles

More often than not, we have picked up habits that can impact our skin in various negative ways, including our under-eyes. Whether you’re consuming excessive amounts of salt, forgetting your sunscreen, or just losing sleep, you are contributing to your under-eye bags and circles. Eye circles are caused by the loss in collagen, causing the skin to grow thinner and revealing veins around your eyes. Although we cannot halt the aging process or change our genes, there are several measures you can take to help combat under-eye bags and dark circles.

1. Sleep on your back. Some people, like myself, may find it hard to get a comfortable night’s sleep on your back, but experts explain that how you sleep could impact your under-eyes. The reasoning behind it states that due to gravity, sleeping on your stomach or sides could cause fluid in your under-eyes to pool overnight. Sleeping on your back with an extra pillow to elevate your head may help this issue. It is also important to keep your pillowcases clean and protected from allergens like dust, as that could be the culprit of your dark, puffy under-eyes.
2. Use a brightening cream or serum. Sun exposure is known to speed up the process of collagen break down, increasing the appearance of dark circles. If you notice increased under-eye pigment from UV damage, a brightening product may be your answer. A topical brightening product that contains vitamin C could result in lightening the dark circles overtime. Fyab’s Skin Vitality Brightening Serum incorporates effective ingredients like vitamin C, Kojic Acid and Arbutin to brighten the appearance of dark spots, circles and discoloration. To prevent further UV damage, always wear sunscreen and protect your eyes with sunglasses.
3. Try applying tea bags. If you don’t want to spend money on eye masks that may or may not work, try tea bags. Caffeinated teas rich in antioxidants like green tea, work best for their anti-inflammatory benefits. Tea bags also demonstrate soothing benefits on strained capillaries in your under-eye area. Soak two tea bags in clean water for about 5-10 minutes and place them in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes. Apply the cold tea bags to your eyes and leave on for around 10 minutes, twice daily. Be sure to rinse the area with cold water when you are done.
4. Drink more water. A dehydrated body can mean dehydrated skin. If your body does not have enough water, you may feel puffy and bloated. This is because of sodium! Avoid excess amounts of sodium because when your body contains more sodium than water, you will experience bigger eye bags and greater discoloration. The same can be said for alcohol consumption. Drinking a lot of alcohol can dehydrate your body and leave you feeling puffy and red-eyed the next morning. Try to limit your alcohol consumption for more hydrated, glowing skin. If you are just coming home from a night out, drink plenty of water before you go to sleep! Try and stick to the recommended 8 glasses of water a day to see clearer, brighter, smoother skin.
5. Get at least 8 hours of sleep! The number one cause of under-eye bags and dark circles for many is a lack of sleep. A lack of sleep contributes to red, bloodshot eyes accompanying the appearance of dark circles. It can be hard to get the recommended 8 hours sometimes, but it is important to try and sleep longer and more deeply. Try meditating for 10 minutes before bed, installing a sleep app or listening to some peaceful music to relax and prepare you for a full night’s sleep to wake up feeling and looking refreshed!