I often get asked what it is that I love about working in beauty, and for me, it's simple: It's the magic of beauty products. Sure, it might sound a little bit like Marie Kondo, but I'm always amazed at the transformative nature of beauty. Sometimes it might be something small (like a primer that makes your skin look subtly brighter or an eyebrow gel that finally manages to fill in a sparse patch that's been nagging you), while other times it might be something more obvious (like a full-on hair transformation or forgoing your usual lip balm for a bold red lip). Either way, I find that I always feel most like myself when I've got the right beauty products on my side.
On the other hand, though, there are certain things that beauty products just can't help with—despite the amount of marketing that might tell you otherwise. I have yet to find a lotion that will genuinely reduce the appearance of cellulite, and nothing on the high street will completely heal my acne. Also, sometimes, no amount of dry shampoo will help with the fact I'm definitely overdue for a hair wash.
If you've landed on this story, you're probably wondering how to get rid of dark circles. But. when it comes to under-eye circles, the jury's out on just how much we can do about them. While there are plenty of concealers for dark circles that can temporarily disguise the appearance, it can be tricky to treat the direct cause of dark circles entirely with products alone.
On the one hand, I've heard that they're entirely hereditary and it's down to your genes as to whether you'll have them. On the other hand, I'm told that it's late nights, stressful jobs and new babies that attribute to the under-eye darkness that often greets me in the morning. So what's the truth?
I caught up with Kate Kerr, skin expert and director of the Kate Kerr London clinic, to chat all things dark under-eye circles—including what causes them, how to avoid them and if there's any way to actually get rid of them. Spoiler: Yes, there is, and it doesn't involve permanently wearing sunglasses.
Keep scrolling to find out how to get rid of dark circles under your eyes once and for all.
What Causes Dark Circles?
"There are three main causes of dark circles under our eyes," explained Kerr. "The first is pigmentation, the second is having a thin skin, and the third is having hollowing under the eyes. It's really important to be treating the right cause because a lot of people think that an eye cream can help with dark circles, but if the dark circles are caused by a loss of volume, for example, there is no way it's going to help."
Kerr explained that pigmentation is more common in darker skin types but can also be caused by inflammation and friction. "For example, wearing waterproof makeup and having to rub your eyes to remove it or frequently rubbing your eyes," she said.
Having naturally thin skin means that you can see the veins and muscles underneath, which means that dark circles can be more visible. "This can also be caused by tiredness," explained Kerr. "But also, it can be caused by allergies, or it can also just be from having very fair skin and it being more transparent."
The hollowing under the eyes is "caused by a loss of volume that happens with age," said Kerr. This loss of plumpness and elasticity almost creates a "trough," which then creates shadowing and dark circles.
How To Prevent Dark Circles
Now that you might have identified the causes of your dark circles, it's time to work out how to keep them at bay. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to do this, according to Kerr.
1. Vitamin C
"If dark circles are caused by pigmentation, you can use ingredients that stabilise the melanocyte to help prevent the activation of the pigment," advised Kerr, suggesting we look out for ingredients like L-ascorbic acid, a potent form of vitamin C, to help with this. "Being very gentle with the eyes and wearing lots of sunscreen can help with prevention, too."
2. Retinol
"If dark circles are caused by a thin skin, using a retinol-based eye cream will help to strengthen the area and create more of a barrier that hides the blood vessels underneath," said Kerr.
3. Cosmetic Procedures
"If dark circles are caused by a lack of volume, then, really, having a cosmetic procedure like a face filler is the only known prevention, as you can't plump that up any other way," explained Kerr. "The fat pads slip, and they also become smaller with age, so you get this loss of volume, and there is no way to replicate that other than to replace that volume."
How To Minimise Dark Circles
Luckily, if it's too late to totally prevent your dark under-eye circles from appearing, then Kerr's advice will also help to diminish the look of dark circles once they're there.
"Using light-reflective eye creams can also help minimise their appearance," Kerr suggests. Looking for formulations with ingredients like retinol and vitamin C when choosing an eye cream will give you the best chance at reducing the darkness and preventing the dark circles from reoccurring on a regular basis.
Kerr is keen to point out that there is no quick fix for dark circles, however. Even if you opt for a filler, it's only semi-permanent. "It will break down over time," advised Kerr. To really combat dark circles, "you need to be constantly stabilising that melanocyte [which causes the dark pigmentation], so you need to be controlling it at all times."
The Best Products to Get Rid of Dark Circles, Listed
1. NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate
2. Cellular Goods Cannabinoid Face Serum
3. Dermalogica Biolumin-C Vitamin Eye Serum
4. Beauty Pie Plantastic Genius Ginseng Eye Cream
5. Currentbody Skin LED Eye Perfector
6. Gold Collagen Hydrogel Mask
7. AQ Skin Solutions GF Eye Serum
8. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
9. The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder
10. Q&A Caffeine Eye Serum
11. Augustinus Bader The Eye Cream
12. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Triple Correction Eye Serum
13. Ole Henriksen Wrinkle Blur Bakuchiol Eye Gel Crème
14. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue
15. Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Cream
16. Origins Ginzing Eye Cream
17. Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinoid and Niacinamide Eye Serum
18. FaceGym Medi Lift Eye
19. Lisa Franklin Pollution Defence Cream
20. La Roche-Posay Redermic [R] Retinol Eye Cream
Shop Kerr's Product Recommendations for Dark Circles and Some of My Favourites:
1. NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate
NIOD stands for Non Invasive Options in Dermal Science and makes a great option if you aren't sure about opting for a cosmetic procedure like filler yet. Kerr swears by this powerful serum for targeting dark circles, puffiness and fine lines.
2. Cellular Goods Cannabinoid Face Serum
Truth be told—you don't have to use a dedicated eye treatment if you're budget doesn't allow for it. Instead, you can simply take your usual serum around your eye area. Look for serums that contain vitamin C and peptides. This serum from Cellular Goods contains Matrixyl, a peptide that plumps the eye area and revitalises the skin without any irritation of retinol serums.
3. Dermalogica Biolumin-C Vitamin Eye Serum
If you are looking for a targeted dark circle treatment, then you won't find many that can beat Dermalogica's innovative formula (seriously, the reviews speak for themselves). The potent vitamin C formula helps to noticeably brighten pigmentation around under the eyes.
4. Beauty Pie Plantastic Genius Ginseng Eye Cream
Ginseng is another winning ingredient for brightening and energising the eye area. This eye cream also makes a perfect base for foundation and concealer too.
5. Currentbody Skin LED Eye Perfector
Getting the results of in-clinic LED treatments while watching Netflix? Sounds good to us. This LED mask is targeted to the eye area and uses four different clinically proven light wavelengths which help to improve the look of dark circles, and treatments take just three minutes.
6. Gold Collagen Hydrogel Mask
The delicate skin around the eyes is usually the first place to show signs of dehydration or not enough shut-eye from the night before. Using a regular sheet mask like these ultra-hydrating ones from Gold Collagen can improve the look of dark circles—and the entire eye area—in just a matter of moments.
7. AQ Skin Solutions GF Eye Serum
Another of Kerr's picks comes in the form of this antioxidant-rich eye cream that kick-starts your skin's natural rejuvenation process to repair damage, lighten dark circles and improve skin health.
8. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream
A beauty-editor favourite, this brightening eye cream is packed with five forms of vitamin C to fight pigmentation and improve the appearance of darkness under your eyes.
9. The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder
If you already have an eye cream that you love but that doesn't contain vitamin C, then mix a little of this in to give it some dark circle diminishing powers.
10. Q&A Caffeine Eye Serum
A lightweight yet potent eye serum that contains eye-awakening caffeine to help brighten the eyes—think of it as an espresso shot for your under eyes.
11. Augustinus Bader The Eye Cream
Okay, we know the price tag is big, but trust us. It's worth it if you're looking to invest. Not only does it leave the eye area looking revitalised in a matter of days, but dark circles are noticeably reduced too.
12. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Triple Correction Eye Serum
Not only does this advanced serum do a great job of diminishing dark circles, but the addition of retinol and ferulic acid also works to reduce creases and fine lines.
13. Ole Henriksen Wrinkle Blur Bakuchiol Eye Gel Crème
This potent eye cream uses hard-working bakuchiol to blur the appearance of fine lines, while peptides and orchid stem cells get to work on dark circles. It instantly evens out skin tone for a quick fix.
14. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue
Containing both retinol and oils rich in vitamin C, this glow-boosting eye cream really does brighten eyes instantly and help treat dark circles at a deeper level.
15. Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Cream
This eye cream has proved a real hit amongst beauty editors. It's incredibly nourishing and contains an impressive concoction of vitamin C, retinol and niacinamide for impressively reduced dark circles come morning.
16. Origins Ginzing Eye Cream
While this particular cream doesn't contain any mega-powerful actives like retinol, it does contain vitamin C and niacinamide to brighten. The best thing about it, however, is its pearly pink finish. It's available in different shades for different skin tones and really helps counteract the purple hue of dark circles.
17. Sunday Riley 5 Stars Retinoid and Niacinamide Eye Serum
Ideal for those who don't get on with rich eye creams, this lightweight retinol serum has all of the dark circle reducing and nourishing benefits of thicker creams, just without the greasiness.
18. FaceGym Medi Lift Eye
This clever gadget might be expensive, but it delivers some impressive bang for its buck. Using electrical muscle stimulation, it strengthens orbital muscles in just 10 minutes and provides some visible rejuvenation. We're talking lifted, tighter-looking eyes with significantly minimised dark circles.
19. Lisa Franklin Pollution Defence Cream
This luxurious cream hydrates and repairs the delicate skin around the eyes and comes with glowing five-star reviews.
20. La Roche-Posay Redermic [R] Retinol Eye Cream
![La Roche-Posay Redermic [r] Retinol Eye Cream 15ml](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KPyMP4JQvRwaFgVSGConWg-1920-80.jpg.webp)
If you're looking for efficacious skincare formulations that deliver on their promises then La Roche-Posay always deliver—and this retinol-enriched eye cream is no different. Containing with 0.1% pure retinol, 0.1% of an exclusive retinol booster complex and 0.2% caffeine, it really leaves tired eyes looking brighter and illuminated darkness beneath. Plus, it has been specially created with sensitive skin in mind to reduce the chances of irritation.
This piece was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.