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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Dark Circles Q & A

I have very dark circles that are genetic and require concealer. I have had difficulties with eye creams that don’t blend well with concealer or somehow increase the dryness or are too oily, making the concealer settle and crease in the wrinkles beneath my eyes.

I was looking at an alpha hydroxy eye cream for wrinkle prevention. I also saw an eye cream that said it helped with the dark circles. But I am not sure whether either of these would work with concealer and makeup during the day. I was hoping perhaps you could help me.

Dark circles (darkness under the eye area) is a big concern for a lot of people. Below I will answer this reader’s question part by part in hopes to make sense of how to take care of this eye area concern.

I have very dark circles that are genetic and require concealer. Genetic is the operative word here. If you know your dark circles stem from a genetic predisposition, then please know that no product, miracle or not, is going to rid you of your genetic “gifts.” How do you know if they’re genetic? Look at your parents and even their parents. If you see dark circles wherever you turn, then you are just carrying on the family tradition.

I have had difficulties with eye creams that don’t blend well with concealer or somehow increase the dryness or are too oily, making the concealer settle and crease in the wrinkles beneath my eyes. Eye cream shouldn’t make the skin around your eyes feel dry. You may be having an allergic reaction or an intolerance to one or more of the ingredients. If the eye cream makes the skin too oily, you may be putting too much on (only use a small amount, but often), or it just may be too rich a cream for your skin. When you use concealer around the eyes, it will crease inside the wrinkles no matter if you use eye cream or not. Like foundation (both contain pigment), concealer will usually accentuate the lines and wrinkles.


I was looking at an alpha hydroxy eye cream for wrinkle prevention. I also saw an eye cream that said it helped with the dark circles. But I am not sure whether either of these would work with concealer and makeup during the day. Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) do help with lines and wrinkles because they decompose microscopic bits of skin, leaving the surface of your face smoother and the texture refined. They don’t prevent wrinkles—nothing really does. Creams that say they help with dark circles might help, but only to a certain degree.

As far as AHAs or creams for dark circles working with your concealer, you will have to experiment and see. After applying your eye cream, try waiting at least 5-10 minutes before putting the concealer on. This might help with some of the creasing.

I am thinking of having surgery to remove my dark circles. Do you think there is something else I can do to get rid of them?

Surgery can only take adipose (fat) from that area; it will do nothing for the capillaries or blood vessels. I am not a proponent of surgery. Toxins in our bodies will contribute to the darkness around the eyes. The skin is very thin and shows vascular changes quite easily. So, if your internal health is optimal, usually the darkness will subside, unless of course you are genetically predisposed to dark circles.

I know from personal experience that on the morning after eating sugar, I have noticeable dark circles under my eyes. I believe this is due to an inflammatory response (similar to an allergic reaction) that sugar causes in my body. The same holds true for alcohol consumption. I see the same response (dark circles) after a night of even moderate drinking.

Eating sugar, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, not getting enough sleep at night, and other environmental factors can all contribute to your problem. Change what you are putting in your body (really, give this serious consideration) and see what effects it has on your dark circles.

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