How to Get Rid of Undereye Circles Naturally

It can be frustrating to wake up feeling great in the morning only to look in the mirror and see dark circles under your eyes. There are a few causes for these circles appearing under your eyes, and interestingly enough, sleep deprivation is almost never one of them. These circles appear when the veins under the eyes are irritated or fluid builds up under the skin, typically because your skin there is thinner than the rest of your face. Luckily, there are a variety of simple solutions to reduce the inflammation and smooth out your skin. By making a few lifestyle changes or treating the symptoms directly, you’ll be back to waking up with perfect skin in no time.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Treating Your Circles Directly

  1. If you notice circles under your eyes in the morning, grab a cold compress or an ice pack. Lay down in bed, prop your head up with a pillow, and rest the cold item under your eyes for 5-10 minutes. This will reduce the inflammation and dramatically lower the puffiness before you start your day. [1]
    • You can also use cold spoons, cucumber slices, a gel mask, or cold tea bags if your prefer. It doesn’t really matter what you use so long as it’s cold.
    • If you’re using an ice pack, wrap it in a cloth before putting it on your face.

    Tip: Doing this first thing in the morning is the best way to reduce your symptoms. Since the veins under your eyes are more likely to get irritated while you’re sleeping, it’s easier to curtail the circles immediately after you wake up.

  2. Get an organic skin cream with vitamin C or vitamin K in it. Once a day, either before you go to bed or after you wake up, rub a pea-sized drop of the cream under your eyes. Gently work it into the skin until you can no longer see any globs of cream. Do this every day to reduce the circles over time. [2]
    • Hydroxy acid or retinol will help as well. A combination of retinol and vitamin K is most likely to be effective, but the retinol in skin cream isn’t always natural if that’s a major concern for you. There are no negative side effects if that’s what you’re trying to avoid, though!
    • Regular moisturizers won’t really help if they don’t have any of these ingredients in them since this isn’t really a skin problem, but an inflammation issue. Skin creams with vitamin K or C can replenish the skin, but they won’t treat the underlying cause.
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  3. The dark circles under your eyes may be a result of nasal congestion if your nose is stuffy. Pick up a saline nose spray and stick the nozzle in your first nostril. Squeeze the spray to release a stream of saline while inhaling. Repeat this process on the other nostril. This will flush your sinuses and make it easier to breathe, which will relieve the pressure under your eyes. [3]
    • Saline is just a combination of water and salt. There are rarely unnatural ingredients in saline sprays, but it’s best to read the label on the product just to be on the safe side.
    • Inhaling steam is also a great way to soften your nasal passages up and make it easier to breathe.
    • Blowing your nose puts pressure on the pockets under your eyes. Go ahead and blow your nose if it’s stuffy, but try to avoid blowing your nose every couple of minutes. Excessive nose-blowing can unfortunately make the circles worse.
  4. Stop in at your local beauty store or pop open your makeup cabinet and grab a concealer that matches your skin tone. Grab a small makeup brush and carefully apply the concealer under your eyes using gentle brush strokes. Close your eyes when working around the base of your eyelid to avoid getting concealer in your eye and use a soft tissue to blot up any excess makeup. [4]
    • There are no specialty products that have been proven to work for this. Your best shot is to simply conceal the circles with a little makeup.
    • If you’re a guy, there’s nothing wrong with using a little makeup. These circles are a pretty common problem, so there’s no shame in taking a simple step to cover them up.
  5. While they’re certainly good for your skin and it won’t hurt to try, these options probably won’t help with these circles since you’re not really dealing with a skin issue. It’s more of an inflammation and cardiovascular problem, which these skin treatments won’t affect. This is also why cucumbers and tea bags—which do clear skin up—do not help specifically with circles under the eyes. [5]
    • This also applies to cotton balls dipped in rose water, potatoes, and tomatoes. There’s not a ton of evidence that these remedies help. [6]
    • The fruit or tea bags will help if they’re cold, though!
    • Feel free to give these options a shot if you’d like. They’re not dangerous or anything. Just don’t get your hopes up that they’ll fix these circles.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Making Lifestyle Changes

  1. The skin under your eyes is less likely to be irritated by your muscles and veins if your skin is healthy. Make sure that you drink 3-5 glasses of water a day to ensure that your skin stays replenished and healthy. If you’re not drinking enough water, you’re more likely to get circles under your eyes. [7]
  2. When you wake up with those dark circles under your eyes, it may be fluid behind the skin causing the darker skin. Since high amounts of sodium makes it harder for your body to process fluids, cutting back on the salt may naturally clear the circles up over time. There are no hard guidelines for reducing sodium, but cutting out the junk food and limiting the amount of salt you use to cook will certainly help keep sodium levels in check. [8]
    • Cured meat, frozen dinners, and pizza all tend to be very high in sodium. Cut these items out of your diet entirely if you can manage it. Avoiding these food items just so happens to be good for your health as well!
  3. If you are waking up with these dark circles, cutting back on the amount of liquid you consume in the hours leading up to bed may reduce the amount of fluid your body retains. If you do need a drink, stick with water. Your body typically doesn’t retain water for very long so it is unlikely to have a large effect on your circles. Besides, drinking plenty of water is good for the circles. [9]
  4. If you sleep on your side, it’s a lot harder for the fluids under your eyes to drain and for the blood in your face to circulate. To prevent gravity-induced circles under your eyes, sleep on your back. If you normally sleep on your side, this may be difficult, but this is a great way to help the bags disappear over time since you’ll have an easier time clearing up congestion. [10]
    • Propping your head up with a big pillow is a great way to improve circulation since gravity will help the fluids under your eyes circulate.
    • Sleeping on your back is also less likely to lead to nasal congestion since the fluids in your sinuses have an easier time draining.
  5. While a lack of sleep is usually not a cause of circles under your eyes, getting more sleep can keep the skin under your eyes from getting irritated. Try to get at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night so you are well-rested and your eyes stay healthy. [11]
    • You may set up a sleep schedule where you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, so your body gets a full 8 hours of sleep.
    • A lack of sleep is rarely a major cause of eye circles, but it sure isn’t helping if you’re really sleep deprived.
  6. Smoking will aggravate the skin under your eyes, so quitting is a great way to improve the circles. It also happens to be good for you to stop smoking, so it’s a great way to improve your overall health. Drinking a lot of alcohol can also make it harder for your body to process fluids, so cutting back may reduce the amount of fluids that get trapped under your eyes and cause dark circles in the morning. [12]
    • If you aren’t cutting alcohol out entirely, just limit the amount you drink in the 2-3 hours before bed. Drinking a lot of fluids before going to sleep can make these circles worse.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

When to Seek Medical Treatment

  1. If the circles feel a little puffy, they may be triggered by an allergy. If you’ve never been tested for allergies, schedule an appointment with an allergy specialist to get tested. If you do turn out to have an allergy, treating the symptoms and avoiding the environmental trigger will drastically help with the circles under your eyes. [13]
    • Allergies can cause minor inflammation under the eyes since the skin is so much thinner than the rest of your face and your eyes are often irritated by allergens.
    • Your allergy specialist may prescribe medication or suggest an over-the-counter medicine to handle your symptoms.
    • If you have a severe allergic reaction, go to the emergency room. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include flushed or pale skin, low blood pressure, trouble breathing, nausea, and fainting. [14]
  2. Under-eye circles can be caused by dehydration. If you start to experience additional symptoms related to dehydration, such as dizziness or a rapid heart rate, you need to seek immediate medical attention. You may need IV fluids. [15]
    • Additional symptoms of dehydration include rapid breathing, fainting, very dry skin, and dark-colored urine.
  3. Swelling or discoloration under just 1 eye can get worse over time and may require treatment from a dermatologist. Your primary care doctor can assess your eye and recommend a dermatologist for a long-term solution. [16]
    • Discoloration under one eye is typically the result of an injury. It’s possible you hit your eye on something while tossing and turning in your sleep. However, it can also be a sign of an infection that requires medical attention. See a doctor just to be safe. [17]
    • If over-the-counter creams don’t seem to be helping, talk to your doctor.

    Warning: Laser therapy and chemical peels can be helpful, but you should talk to your doctor before you try them to make sure they’re safe for you.

  4. In rare cases, circles under your eyes are symptomatic of a kidney or liver condition. If the circles under your eyes look black or dark yellow, it may be a sign that your body is not processing nutrients correctly. If you feel any pain in your side, it could be symptomatic of a kidney condition. Go to the emergency room or call emergency services if this happens to you. [18]
    • Dark urine is another sign that something may be wrong. If you’re drinking plenty of water, your urine should be yellow, light yellow, or clear. If you have dark or discolored urine, it could be related to an issue with your kidneys, gallbladder, or urinary system. [19]
    • The conditions that cause these symptoms are extremely rare. Don’t worry if you aren’t experiencing any serious issues.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Does drinking water help dark circles?
    Alicia Ramos
    Skincare Professional
    Alicia Ramos is a Licensed Esthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients.
    Alicia Ramos
    Skincare Professional
    Expert Answer
    Drinking more water every day helps your skin in numerous ways, and it can help reduce the appearance of dark circles. You might also find some success with cold compresses or green tea-presses. However, if natural remedies don't work, clinical treatments like a chemical peel and laser resurfacing can help reduce pigment and improve the appearance of dark, tired eyes.
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  • Question
    Can you also sleep 3 times a day?
    Lisa Bryant, ND
    Licensed Naturopathic Physician
    Dr. Lisa Bryant is Licensed Naturopathic Physician and natural medicine expert based in Portland, Oregon. She earned a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency in Naturopathic Family Medicine there in 2014.
    Lisa Bryant, ND
    Licensed Naturopathic Physician
    Expert Answer
    It's best to get 8 hours of continuous sleep at night, so avoid breaking up your sleep into 3 smaller chunks, if possible.
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  • Question
    Can I use only honey on my dark circles? Does it work?
    Lisa Bryant, ND
    Licensed Naturopathic Physician
    Dr. Lisa Bryant is Licensed Naturopathic Physician and natural medicine expert based in Portland, Oregon. She earned a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency in Naturopathic Family Medicine there in 2014.
    Lisa Bryant, ND
    Licensed Naturopathic Physician
    Expert Answer
    Yes, honey has been shown to be helpful in reducing dark circles under the eyes
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2884828/
      2. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4300604/
      3. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/what_to_do_about_sinusitis
      4. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bags-under-eyes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369931
      5. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23098877
      6. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/baggy-eyes
      7. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/water_health_benefits
      8. ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/10/13/the-horror-of-under-eye-bags/
      9. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bags-under-eyes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369931
      1. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/treatments-for-post-nasal-drip
      2. ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/10/13/the-horror-of-under-eye-bags/
      3. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bags-under-eyes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369931
      4. ↑ https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/seasonal-allergies-keeping-symptoms-check
      5. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anaphylaxis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351468
      6. ↑ https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=85&contentid=P00828
      7. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/dark-circles-under-eyes/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050624
      8. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/dark-circles-under-eyes/basics/causes/sym-20050624?p=1
      9. ↑ https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_1mln6yw5
      10. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/red-brown-green-urine-colors-and-what-they-might-mean

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