Battling Dark Circles: 5 Things You (& I) Could Be Doing Wrong

If I ever decided to calculate how much I spend every year on concealers, eye creams and face masks, all to try to cover my dark circles, I could probably afford to buy one of those Chanel handbags I've wanted for a while. From a very early age, I've had to deal with dark discoloration of the skin under my eyes making me look tired and ill at times. Some of the main causes for my dark circles are heredity (thanks mom), working in front of a computer for prolonged hours, mental and physical stress, as well as lack of sleep. Other causes include aging, dry skin, an unhealthy diet and even prolonged crying.

With different home remedies that assist in diminishing the appearance of dark circles, such as cucumbers, rose water, almond oil, etc, there is a lot we can do to make them less visible. But what if there were things that we were already doing that actually accentuated them more? That's right, I wised up on the subject and found mistakes you and I could be doing, so keep on reading to find out more.

1. YOU AREN'T COLOUR CORRECTING

I didn't even know what colour correcting was a few months ago but now I can vouch for it 100%! It seriously helps mask those pesky dark shadows under my eyes and I cannot go a day without it as it makes that much difference. Given I have blue-ish/purple dark circles I'm better off  applying yellow and salmon/peach concealers prior to my normal shade. Both shades are great brightening agents and will work well to cover my raccoon eyes.

2. WRONG SHADE OF CONCEALER

You should be using two different shades of concealer, one that matches your skin perfectly and one that is slightly lighter for highlighting purposes. When in doubt, it is always better to go for shade that is a tad lighter than your skin, but never darker! The same goes for when our skin tone changes throughout the year. The same concealer you are using right now for summer will probably be a little too dark for when winter hits, so bear that in mind as dark concealer can lead to even darker circles.

3. LACK OF VITAMIN K IN YOUR EYE CREAM

Vitamin K is proven to restore radiance of the skin surrounding the eyes by improving circulation and reducing inflammation. Hence, when looking for an eye cream/moisturizer make sure it contains this essential vitamin.

4. TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR DIET

Is your diet full of salt? Sodium in excess can lead to swelling as it causes water retention in the body including the area around the eye so make sure your intake is balanced. Similarly, vitamin K-rich foods like spinach, broccoli and strawberries can help and should be included in your diet; alongside your eye cream these will help increase circulation and as a result, reduce swelling and darkening of the skin.

5. MASCARA & EYE LINERS ARE MAKING THEM WORSE

I avoid eyeliner at all costs, as they can really accentuate my dark circles and by the end of the day/night, the smudge situation is real. Mascara tends to start falling at the end of a long work day so removing the excess make-up that is adding extra darkness under the eyes is a MUST.

Anything else that makes  your dark circles worse? Let me know below!
Thanks for reading beauties and have a nice sunny day ahead!

xoxo