Hide Your Dark Circles After Night Spent Crying
Edited by Maria Sharon Ubando, Jmgf, Lynn, Eng and 8 others
Crying might help you release your emotions, but it wreaks havoc on your eye area with puffiness, redness and irritation that doesn't quickly go away on it's own. You don't have to look like you've been up all night crying if you take a some extra time out of your morning to devote to caring for your puffy eyes and dark circles. There are tons of eye creams, serums, concealers and home remedies that can bring down the puffiness and nix the redness in 10 minutes or less. Find out how to banish the telltale signs of crying so you look bright, fresh and wide awake with the article below.
Quick Remedies that Work in 10 Minutes or Less
- 1Fill a bowl with water and add three or four ice cubes. Soak a washcloth in the cold water. After wringing, apply it to your puffy eyes for at least five minutes. This cold compress solution helps bring down redness and swelling by constricting the blood vessels.Cool water.
- 2Cut two slices of cucumber (or potato if the former is not available) and place each slice over your closed eyes. Let it stay there for at least 10 minutes, or until puffiness and dark circles disappear.The classic cucumber.
- 3Steep black or green tea bags in cold water for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze out excess liquid. Place a tea bag over each closed eye, and leave them in place for 5 to 10 minutes. Catechins and caffeine present in tea helps reduce swelling and discoloration around the eyes. While lying down with your eyes closed, leave the tea bags on your eyes for around 10 minutes. (Tip: Refrigerate your tea bags in a plastic bag at night so they're ready to use in the morning.)Tea bag power.
- 4Place 2 spoons inside the freezer for at least 5 minutes, then place them over the eyes. Hold them in that position until they get warm again. If you don't have any of the other items available, this quick fix does make a difference in the swelling and puffiness around the eyes.Frozen spoon rescue.
Creams and Serums to Soothe and Depuff the Eye Area
In many cases gels are the best for dark circles and puffiness, while creams are the best for wrinkles. After you've tried one of the remedies listed above, or even if you haven't, apply an eye gel or serum. It's even better if your formula contains one or several of the ingredients below to improve the look of your eye area both immediately and over time. Store it in your refrigerator for a soothing and cooling effect. As a side note, when choosing products containing peptides, antioxidants or retinol, good packaging is key. Stick to products with opaque containers and small openings to limit exposure to sunlight, air and heat. These break down the ingredients' effectiveness.
- Caffeine. Caffeine is a short-lived but quick and effective remedy for puffiness that works by constricting blood vessels.
- Horse chestnut. Horse chestnut extract acts as a vasoconstrictor, reducing the size of blood vessels under the eyes. It's also anti-inflammatory, improves circulation and oxygenation, helps thicken the skin and encourages the formation of collagen and elastin within the skin to improve the appearance of thin under eye skin.
- Antioxidants. Antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E, coenzyme Q-10, soy sterols and others are crucial to the prevention of damage within the skin. They reduce damage from free radicals, as well as protect against environmental damage such as pollution and sun exposure. Some encourage the production of new, healthy skin cells. Look for products that contain a wide range of antioxidants for the best effects.
- Green tea. Green tea contains caffeine as well as a large amount of antioxidants known as flavonoids. Green tea is anti-inflammatory as well, so it helps soothe and de-puff the eye area.
- Niacinamide. Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid, improves skin's barrier by encouraging the production of fatty acid levels in the skin, improving circulation and holding in skin's moisture. It also helps even out the skin tone and lighten dark spots caused by excess pigmentation.
- Retinol. Retinol is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration, and it can also improve the appearance of dark circles over time. It can even limit the occurrence of acne, with some prescription formulas available. Retinol works by encouraging cell turnover and the production of new, healthy cells, as well improving the skin's ability to build collagen. Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream contains retinol, as well as several other beneficial antioxidants] that can improve your skin's tone and texture with regular use.
- Vitamin K. Vitamin K, or phytonadione, can cut off excess blood supply to capillaries or veins through topical application, but this hasn't been proven by researchers. When topically applied, some people notice a reduction in dark circles, rosacea redness and broken capillaries. Look for products with 1 percent or more vitamin K.
- Cucumber. Cucumbers are more than just soothing and cooling. They contain a combination of antioxidants. Rich in vitamins A, C, K and B-5, cucumbers fight both inflammation and signs of aging.
- Aloe. Aloe is a calming anti-irritant. It also has mild antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that soothe sore, dry, itchy or red skin.
- Peptides. Peptides are cell-communicating protein chains that encourage cells to do things in the skin. One example is the production of collagen. There are several types of peptides available that all do different things for the skin, and it's best to choose products with a blend of peptides and other anti-aging ingredients.
- Glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant that attracts water and helps build skin's natural barrier. It's especially beneficial for dry, irritated skin.
- Hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is naturally present within the skin, and when added to skincare products, it adds and holds in moisture, plus it reduces inflammation.
How to Conceal Dark Circles and Puffy Eyes with Makeup
Concealing dark circles, redness and puffy eyes isn't as simple as smothering the eye area with concealer. Strategic placement as well as color balancing is the key to ensuring proper coverage that looks natural and lasts all day. A creamy, hydrating formula that's packed with color pigments and leaves a natural finish will light up the eye area and reduce the look of redness and dark circles. If you have very dry skin, a thicker moisturizing cream or creamy liquid concealer won't slip into lines. If you have oily or very smooth skin, a buildable liquid concealer might work best for you.
- 1These will brighten up the whites of your eyes so you look more awake. They'll also soothe dry, itchy or irritated eyes.Use anti-redness eye drops.
Tips & Tricks
- Keeping yourself constantly hydrated will also help diminish dark circles after crying. The skin around the eyes tend to go deeper if your body does not have enough fluids. Therefore, drinking several glasses of water will give you immediate relief.
- Avoid excessive layers of makeup around the eyes, since this can make you look overdone. Irritated or dry skin isn't the best canvas for makeup, so use it lightly and sparingly.
- Choose a concealer shade that's no more than one shade lighter than your skin tone. Doing so will result in a reverse dark circle effect that can make puffiness more noticeable.
Questions and Answers
Dark circle around eyes fighting?
I've tried a lot to get rid this dark circle, but no result sometime it fades away, but the other its come back what do I do now
Use of cucumber on a nightly basis will help a lot in fighting dark circles around the eyes. Leave it on your eyes for 30 minutes. It is even better if you use cucumber that has been refrigerated. The colder it is, the more it will help remove the dark circles.
Coffee is also well known to fight dark circles. If you are using a coffee brewer, use the left over coffee granules, put them in a fabric to create a tea bag appearance, and use it as you would use cucumber. Leave it on for 30 minutes every night. You will notice a huge difference if you use this continuously for a month.
Dry skin is a root cause of dark circles?
My skin tone is dry, I've tried almost all remedies to remove the dark circles but I didn't get rid of them, during a few days I left the soap or face-wash and using milk or coconut oil for washing my face, it's seems good, my dark circles are became lighten after using these but I am not sure that it could be removed permanently, please help. I have tried: All type of home remedies. I think it was caused by: My opinion is my dry skin
Add coffee grounds to your milk and coconut oil face wash. Avoid hot water for prolonged periods of time like in the shower because your skin will dry out even faster. Apply an egg white mask for 30 minutes twice a week. You can mix one egg white with any oil you choose and add some honey or Aloe Vera for added benefits.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
