No Raccoon Eyes

Dark under-eye circles are one blemish that can plague a woman's life. Whether it is hereditary or just lack of sleep, it is something we hate. Dark circles can make you look sleep deprived and heaven forbid, older.

Because I have an olive complexion, mine are due to my skin tones. I will also admit I don't get enough sleep.

We spend huge amounts of money on concealers, creams, and treatments to try to reduce the look of them. But there are easier and more wallet-friendly ways to reduce them found right in your home.

Now the number one secret to prevent or diminish dark circles is plenty of sleep and drinking lots of water. But who are we kidding? We all know with the busy day-to-day schedules of the average person, no one is getting the proper amount of sleep.

With that said, here is a list of ways to reduce dark under eye circles:

1. Black Tea Bags: Tea of any kind reduces inflammation and will decongest the skin. (A dark circle fraction.)

Heavily caffeinated tea is a vasoconstrictor which shrinks veins under the skin reducing the look of dark circles.

Now, if you do not want to lay with tea bags under your eyes I don't blame you. We are busy gals and have things to do. So try this little trick:

Brew some extra strong tea, soak some cotton pads in it, and place them under the eyes. With the cotton soaked in tea it will stay in place and this way you can go about your day while you treat your under eye circles.

I would leave it on for at least ten to twenty minutes.

2. Hydration: Dark under-eye circles can look worse when the skin is dry because it makes it appear thinner, and therefore will give you a bruised look under your eye.

This is why hydration is very important. So drink plenty of water, and try using some Olive Oil under the eyes.

This is a treatment I personally love. I like to mix a little with my moisturizer and dab under the eye. DO NOT RUB IN, just dab and let it absorb into the skin. Put it on at night before you go to bed.

3. Arnica: This is a herb known to help reduce bruising and muscle soreness.

It will reduce inflammation and boost circulation, which will flush out low-oxygen blood that give the eyes a bruised, puffy look.

Mix about a half tablespoon of Arnica with a little water and honey to make a mask. Apply on the under-eye area, being careful not to get it into the eye. I would leave it on for no less than ten minutes.

4. Raw Potato: Dark circles caused by pigmentation and not visible veins or thin skin need this treatment.

Raw potato is a great way to naturally lighten the skin. Potatoes contain an enzyme called catecholase that, when exposed to air, oxidizes into benzoquinone derivative, a gentle relative of common skin lightener hydroquinone. (Yeah, I sound smart!)

Wash your potato and then grate it into a pile. Wrap the pile in two separate cheese cloths and place under the eyes. Then just lay back and let it sit for twenty minutes.

I hope these tips help you with your own Raccoon eyes. Because we all know the "I stayed out way too late and had to get up at the crack of dawn" look isn't pretty!

And Always
Stay Fabulous