Dark circles under the eyes are most often caused by allergies, illness, a lack of sleep, or heredity. Knowing the cause of your dark circles can help you understand how to get rid of them. For example, if allergies are the culprit, all you may need to see results is a more effective allergy medication. However, if you think your dark circles are the result of sleep deprivation, you may need to make an effort to go to bed earlier or reduce the amount of caffeine in your diet in order to get the rest you need.

If your dark circles are caused by heredity, you may find that they are almost impossible to completely eliminate. Fortunately, there are a few tricks you can use to reduce the puffiness and skin discoloration that make dark circles under the eyes more noticeable.

In the morning, wash your face with cold water to help blood vessels constrict. Then, apply an eye cream that contains Retinol and vitamin K. Since it may take several months of daily use to see maximum results from the cream, you might want to consider using a little Preparation H to reduce the appearance of your dark circles in the meantime.

If you’re looking for an all-natural way to get rid of dark circles under your eyes, try applying cucumber slices, damp caffeinated tea bags, or an ice cube wrapped in a soft washcloth to your eyes for 10-15 minutes each day. However, if these home remedies seem to make your condition worse, discontinue use and consult a dermatologist. You may be suffering from a more serious skin condition that is causing the dark circles under your eyes.

While eating a healthy diet will help boost your energy and ward off illness, it’s also a great way to reduce the appearance of dark circles under your eyes. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to prevent the vitamin deficiencies that can affect your skin’s appearance. Reducing your salt intake will also help improve the look of your skin, since too much salt can cause the body to retain water in undesirable places.

If you’re feeling very self-conscious about dark circles under your eyes, you can try to use makeup to help camouflage the problem. Typically, a yellow or flesh-toned concealer will be the most effective in reducing the appearance of skin discoloration. Look for a concealer that is one or two shades lighter than your foundation. For free samples and more advice on selecting the products that are right for your skin tone, visit the cosmetics counter of your local department store.