Eye Cream for Dark Circles

Dark circles can diminish the beauty of even the most gorgeous face. Not only do they make you look years older, but they also make your eyes seem perpetually tired. There are several causes for dark circles under the eyes. Lack of sleep, heredity, eating disorders, and smoking are some of the common causes.

Long hours on the computer, sun damage, and other eye straining activities also contribute a great deal to dark circles. There are several products to reduce this problem. However, all of them may not be as effective as the tall claims made by their manufacturers.

Damage due to sun is the leading cause of dark under eyes. But, very few eye creams have sun protection factor (SPF) that can protect your eyes and the skin around them from the harsh rays of the sun. If your cream does not have an SPF, then you might go for a regular sunscreen lotion instead to protect the delicate skin underneath your eyes.

Even a concealer with an SPF formula is likely to work better than a specialized eye product without SPF. Thus, you should always check the ingredient label and see if it contains a protective agent against sun damage.

Most of the eye creams are likely to contain vitamin K as it tightens the capillaries in the under eye region and makes them stronger. Vitamin C is also an essential ingredient as it lightens the skin and stimulates collagen production. Licorice extract may also be used for similar uses.

Other active ingredients that you must look for are caffeine, retinol, alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), and copper peptides. These ingredients are also effective against puffiness around the eyes as well as wrinkles. Most of the creams are formulated to target multiple problems such as darkness, puffiness, sagging, and aging.

Silica and hyaluronic acid can provide an additional benefit by smoothing and hydrating the under eye skin.

According to a panel of dermatologists who reviewed several creams as a part of a survey for the magazine Cosmopolitan, you do not need a special eye product to reduce dark circles under eyes.

Although, most manufacturers tout eye creams as an indispensable part of your skin care regimen, the truth is these creams rarely contain ingredients different from normal face moisturizers. The ingredients and the formulation do not differ in any way for a good quality hydrating cream and eye cream.

The only difference is in their packaging and, of course, price. Thus, you are likely to pay more for the same ingredients if you go for eye products. However, some eye creams may contain high quality ingredients that can actually reduce the darkness under the eyes. Also, the anti-aging ingredients in a face moisturizer may irritate the delicate area under the eyes.

A product is only effective as long as the dark circle problem is small enough to be solved by topical application. For chronic dark circles, you should consult a dermatologist for lasting results.