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Dark circles are one of the most prolific skin concerns across all ages, and reasons range from alcohol to hormones to lack of sleep and genetics.
“Dark circles are slightly misleading because they are not really one condition,” says Dr David Jack, an aesthetic doctor based in London’s Harley Street. “What we perceive as darkness underneath the eyes can come from increased melanin in the skin, visible blood vessels through very thin eyelid skin, changes in the underlying anatomy that create shadow, or a mixture of all three.”
The colour can offer some indication of the cause. Jack says brownish circles are more suggestive of pigmentation, while blue, purple or reddish tones can indicate a greater vascular component.
If you find that darkness noticeably changes according to the direction of the light, then facial structure and shadow may be the cause.
So before investing in another concealer, here is what you can do to make dark circles under the eye less noticeable without make-up – or a syringe.
1. Choose your eye cream according to the cause

While they may look the same, not all dark circles respond to the same skincare.
“For pigmentation, I tend to look for ingredients that regulate melanin production and improve overall skin quality,” Jack says. “Vitamin C, niacinamide (vitamin B3), azelaic acid and carefully formulated retinoids can all be useful, although the eye area is particularly prone to irritation, so stronger is certainly not always better.”
As the skin is so thin under the eyes, it is crucial to look after the skin barrier alongside using active ingredients.
“Hydration is key to help with the skin texture when someone has dark circles,” says Nadia Aminian, senior aesthetician at the Taktouk Clinic in London. “The more dehydrated the skin, the worse everything looks, so I always look for ceramides and hyaluronic acid in an eye cream … alongside an active ingredient to treat the dark circles.”
Retinoids may be particularly useful for thin-looking skin – or for people who are older – Jack says, as over time they can improve collagen production and skin quality, potentially making the under-eye area appear less translucent.
2. Don’t expect hyaluronic acid to fill hollows
Hyaluronic acid has become synonymous with “plumping” skincare, but is it more than surface level?
“Hyaluronic acid is another ingredient that can make the skin look smoother and more hydrated, but topical hyaluronic acid obviously cannot replace volume in a tear trough,” Jack says.
As we age, changes around the eye socket and midface can deepen the tear trough, creating a shadow beneath the eye.
“This distinction is important as eye creams can improve the skin, but they cannot significantly alter the anatomy underneath it,” he says. “If the darkness is predominantly caused by hollowing or shadow, endlessly changing eye cream is unlikely to solve the problem.”
So if you have worked your way through several supposedly brightening eye creams without much difference, the product may not necessarily be the problem – it may be targeting the wrong cause.
3. Use caffeine for a temporary morning fix

Your morning coffee can do more than make you seem more awake.
“Caffeine constricts the blood vessels under the eyes, increasing the circulation around the eyes,” Aminian says, explaining that caffeine also helps with puffiness and oedema, which is why eye creams and gels that include caffeine are recommended for use in the morning.
But don’t expect permanent results.
“Personally I believe this is a temporary fix,” Aminian says.
4. Reach for something cold
“Cold causes vasoconstriction and can reduce swelling, so a cold compress or chilled eye mask can be quite effective on mornings when the eyes look particularly puffy,” says Jack.
Aminian says cold compresses, eye masks and facial massage “can make the eyes look brighter, fresher and de-puff them instantly”.
But remember that more vigorous is not necessarily more effective when it comes to massage.
“I would be cautious about vigorous massage because eyelid skin is extraordinarily thin and repeated rubbing can cause irritation and potentially worsen post-inflammatory pigmentation,” Jack says.
5. Stop rubbing your eyes

This could be one of the most overlooked causes of worsening dark circles, according to the experts.
Jack says that rubbing the eyes is “probably the big one”.
“People with hay fever, eczema or sensitive eyes often do it unconsciously, and chronic friction and inflammation can contribute to pigmentation,” he says.
Being too aggressive when cleansing or applying skincare can also exacerbate dark circles. Rather than rubbing skincare vigorously into the area, handle the delicate skin gently – and if itchy eyes are causing you to rub them repeatedly, address the underlying cause rather than trying to treat the resulting darkness.
6. Treat sunglasses as skincare
SPF may not immediately spring to mind when you are trying to brighten dark circles, but leaving the eye area exposed could be making pigmentation more noticeable.
“UV exposure stimulates melanogenesis, so somebody with a pigmentary component to their dark circles may notice them becoming darker following sun exposure,” Jack says.
Small changes to your skincare and daily habits may make a visible difference

UV rays can also contribute to collagen breakdown and skin ageing over time, potentially making some of the vascular and structural causes of dark circles more apparent.
The problem is that the eye contour often gets easily missed when applying sunscreen, to avoid getting any in the eye.
Jack’s solution is straightforward and does not require another chemical product: sunglasses.
“Sunglasses are particularly useful because they provide physical UV protection and reduce squinting,” he says. “I would therefore consider daily broad-spectrum SPF and sunglasses part of the ‘treatment’ rather than simply general skincare advice.”
7. Work out whether sleep is actually the problem
Getting more sleep is probably the first piece of advice anyone with dark circles hears – but more early nights will not always erase them, as dark circles are “actually genetic or anatomical” in most cases, according to Jack.
Other lifestyle factors, however, can temporarily emphasise them, too. As we know, dehydration can make the skin look less plump – alcohol and salty food also encourage fluid retention, making morning puffiness more obvious.
“In someone with a pronounced tear trough, this can actually exaggerate the adjacent shadow,” Jack says.
So good sleep and hydration may improve how the area looks, but persistent circles are not necessarily evidence that you need more rest or water.
If pigmentation, dehydration or puffiness are the reasons, small changes to your skincare and daily habits may make a visible difference. But if your dark circles are predominantly genetic or caused by the structure of your face, even the most diligent routine is unlikely to make them disappear completely.
As Jack says, “this is why diagnosing the cause is much more useful than simply buying something labelled for dark circles.”


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ubbing the eyes too vigorously is one of the most overlooked causes of dark circles. Photo: Shutterstock

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There are many reasons for dark circles under your eyes, and each has its own remedy, say experts, who share 7 non-invasive treatments


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7 ways to reduce dark circles under the eyes without using make-up or needles. Think coffee

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}There are many reasons for dark circles under your eyes, and each has its own remedy, say experts, who share 7 non-invasive treatments

There are many reasons for dark circles under your eyes, and each has its own remedy, say experts, who share 7 non-invasive treatments