Dark circles/fine lines

[RiriThomas]

I have very bad under eye dark circles/fine lines that I am insecure about do you guys know products that actually work that I can purchase because I’ve spent so much money to try to get rid of them but nothing works:( 

[Charmaine75]

I will be 50 on my next birthday, so have obsessed about the fine lines under my eyes.  Unfortunately, I have always had really dark circles (caused by genetics, deep set eyes, allergies, etc).  Between the wrinkles and dark circles, it has been an expensive battle over the last 10 years!

The products I am using now have been game changers!  The Biossance Squalane & Marine Algae Eye Cream is super moisturizing and firming, but I have also noticed that using it over time has helped a bit with the darkness. It also works great under makeup and doesn't cause milia. 

The BEST solution I've found to deal with the dark circles is a colour corrector.  Yellow was recommended for the longest time, but yellow exaggerated the circles.  Now I'm using peachy tones, which work WAY better.  It's worth comparing yellow vs peach/orange to see what works best for your colouring.  Make sure it's a creamy, moisturizing formula, as I have found a lot of them accentuate my lines. I've linked my two favourites, for what it's worth!

[WinglessOne]

@RiriThomas  

Lines under the eyes: no serum or cream can erase them. These lines are caused mostly by repeat facial expressions throughout our lives, and we all get ‘em eventually. If you want to drastically reduce some lines, you’ll need to see a dermatologist about in-office procedures. Make sure the derm is board certified (assuming you’re in the US): you want a doc who truly knows what they’re doing, especially when it involves the skin around your eyeballs. 

To soften your lines a bit, a couple ingredients that can help are low-strength retinol and argireline (a peptide that can theoretically reduce some muscle movement and, therefore, reduce the appearance of some lines). I’m in my 50s with prominent undereye lines, and The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% Serum for Facial Wrinkles 1 oz/ 30 mL has softened my lines quite a bit—but hasn’t erased them, because argireline can’t do that. Neither can retinol, since undereye skin is so dynamic and there’s no way you or I are gonna stop making facial expressions. 🙂 Gotta keep your expectations realistic. 

And be sure to use a broad spectrum sunscreen (at least SPF 30) each day your skin’s exposed to sunlight, all year long, regardless of weather or season. UV rays cause some wrinkes, among other things. Remember to bring sunscreen all the way up to your lash line. 

Dark circles: if your dark circles are genetic/hereditary or caused by sunken skin (hollow tear troughs; these “dark circles” are really shadows caused by sunken skin), then topical products (serums, creams) won’t do anything for them. You can see a dermatologist about getting injectable filler, though some docs refuse to do filler under the eyes and the procedure’s not cheap—especially since it must be redone every few months. 

Otherwise, makeup’s your best bet for genetic or sunken skin dark circles: color corrector and/or strategically placed concealer. Orangey or peachy color corrector will neutralize blue and blueish brown discoloration. Yellow color corrector works well for purple discoloration. Note that color corrector’s not meant to opaquely cover discoloration; it’s just supposed to neutralize/cancel it out. You could also just use a concealer with an orange, peach, or yellow undertone. On YouTube, Wayne Goss has a good tutorial on how to use concealer to hide eye bags. That trick’s also helpful for hollow tear troughs: it’s an optical illusion that makes that skin look less sunken. That’s what I do to mask my hollow tear trough shadows. 

If your dark circles are caused by UV damage, then a low strength retinol can reverse that hyperpigmentation. That’ll happen gradually; it’s not an overnight miracle, so consistency and patience are key. Have you already tried this with no results? 

If allergies and frequent eye rubbing are causing your dark circles, your allergy meds should help. So can a cold compress (refrigerated eye patches work well for this). And of course, try to not rub your eyes so often. 

If you’ve got dark circles caused by lack of sleep, cold compress helps here too, along with skincare products that contain caffeine and/or green tea.

[CookieGirl1]

@RiriThomas unfortunately dark circles tend to be somewhat hereditary.  There may not be much that you can do to truly "fix" that but you can camouflage the darkness with a brightener or corrector.