With age comes wisdom, experience and – unfortunately – dark circles under the eyes. Sneaky little shadows that make you look as if you’ve pulled an all-nighter, even after a proper rest.
Dark circles and under-eye bags are often assumed to be the same thing, they’re not. The former is usually caused by thinning skin or hyperpigmentation, making them harder to treat. Under-eye bags, on the other hand, are more about puffiness and fluid retention. Each requires a different approach. You can’t banish dark circles completely, but you can improve their appearance.
Vitamin C can help to lighten pigmentation. If your aim is a more youthful appearance, look for retinals to boost collagen and smooth fine lines. Hyaluronic acid is a thirst-quencher and will keep your under-eyes hydrated and plump. Caffeine-based eye creams are like a morning pick-me-up and will reduce puffiness.
No product works overnight, so stick to a routine. Apply your chosen treatment regularly and always remember to wear sunscreen whetever the weather to prevent further damage.
1. Caudalíe Vinoperfect Brightening Eye Cream £32, caudalie.com
2. Fresh Black Tea Advanced Age Renewal Eye Cream £60, fresh.com
3. Dermalogica Biolumin-C Vitamin Eye Serum £72, dermalogica.co.uk
4. SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye Corrector £105, skinceuticals.co.uk
5. ROC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Cream £29.99, rocskincare.co.uk
6. The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum £19.90, theordinary.com
7. CeraVe Eye Repair Cream £14.50, boots.com
8. Ole Henriksen Truth Banana Bright+ Eye Crème £25.90, olehenriksen.com
9. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 3 £42, medik8.com
10. Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream £57, drunkelephant.co.uk