Dark circles came early for me. Of Course, I did not notice it while I was in my teenage years but as I grew older, I started to notice it more and more.
If you are a woman of color, especially if you are Indian, you know how under eye dark circles are kind of a problem for us Indian women. The truth is, a lot of people have darker skin circling their eyes, but only some of us are made to feel a way about it. Anyways that’s a topic for another time.
Anyways, dark circles are basically hyperpigmentation under the eyes. People always think dark circles are due to the lack of sleep or tiredness, although there are other underlying reasons for it. As for me, it is genetic.
Other common reasons for dark circles are:
- Sun exposure
- Dehydration
- Aging
- Genetics
- Frequent rubbing of the eyes
- Thinning skin under the eyes
Dark circles primarily affect people with higher levels of melanin, like people with brown skin tone, like me but can be found in all other skin tones as well. You can try to fade it, by treating it and following a skincare regimen.
Over the years, I have tried all kinds of creams and lotions to treat and fade my dark circles. Back in college, I was really obsessive about it and tried to cover them with concealer and makeup. Yes, I tried the red lipstick trick as well.
I would say this though- the darkness around my eyes has improved more than 50% compared to my teenage years. I think it’s a combination of me taking care of my skin and having a good wellness routine. Sleeping at the same time almost every single day and drinking a gallon of water. We underestimate the importance of good quality sleep. When you sleep at the same time every day and follow a routine, by taking care of your body- hydrating it in and out, exercising, and eating well, it pays off.
But, along with that one important thing I have changed in my routine is the skincare routine for my dark circles. A year or so before, I read an article on the use of almond oil and vitamin E oil for fading the darkness around the eyes. I really piqued my interest. I decided to give it a shot and let me tell you- WHAT A MIRACLE IT HAS DONE FOR ME!
The dark circles that I was trying to fade with all those expensive creams were actually much easier to fade with these natural oils.
For a little bit of science on why it may help to fade your dark circles:
“The primary constituents in almond oil that benefit the skin are the fatty acids linoleic and oleic acid. When you increase levels of these essential fatty acids in the skin, you are providing the skin with intense moisture as well as supporting natural activity that may support the body’s response to inflammation—all of which is crucial to a healthy skin barrier and function.”
“Almond oil is also rich in phytosterols, vitamin E, and B vitamins such as niacin, as well as minerals such as calcium and zinc, which help support the skin’s barrier and contain antioxidant benefits for overall skin health.” – Byrdie
Vitamin E helps fight the effect of free radicals that cause signs of aging like wrinkles.
I am not saying this will definitely work for you since dark circles can be formed due to the number of reasons, but all I am saying is, you can give it a try and see if it works for you. If you are one of those people like me, who have tried cucumber and potato slices under your eyes, there is no harm in trying this affordable combination out.
Almond and Vitamin E oil are accessible, inexpensive and all you need to do is apply it before you go to sleep.
Directions to apply:
- Take a drop of almond oil and a quarter of a drop of vitamin E oil directly on your finger, warm it up on your finger and massage it lightly under your eyes. Vitamin E oil has a much thicker consistency than almond oil, so make sure you only take a little bit of both and mix it. Sleep with it and wash it with warm water the next morning.
- Another important thing to follow up on is to wear an under eye cream with SPF in the morning under your makeup. If you skip on the SPF under your eyes, you are basically scratching off all the work you did overnight. I cannot stress enough the importance of wearing sunscreen every day. You can read all about this post on Sunscreen and why it is super important to wear it every single day.
This dark circle treatment works wonders for me and I cannot believe that this stuff actually faded my genetic dark circles. I am so thankful and happy! I am not obsessed with covering my dark circles like before and I feel confident if I do not wear makeup, that’s a lot to say. Before, I used to cover my dark circles even on no makeup days, because I did not feel confident with the dark circles showing through my bare face.
This is not an overnight process. It takes a while, so be patient. Follow this routine every day, drink a gallon of water and have a good night’s sleep.
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