Beauty Tip: Under Eye Dark Circles

A friend of mine asked me to help her with an herbal remedy for her under eye dark circles.

This was a new request and I was excited to dig into some research in order to help my friend.

I read up on ways to help with dark circles and almost all of my resources had similar thoughts on the subject.

According to the Mayo Clinic:

“Fatigue is the most common cause of dark circles under your eyes. Sometimes, what appear to be dark circles under your eyes may merely be shadows cast by puffy eyelids or hollows under your eyes that develop as a normal part of aging.

Some of the most common causes of true under-eye circles are:

1. Allergies
2. Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
3. Contact dermatitis
4. Fatigue
5. Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
6. Heredity
7. Pigmentation irregularities, which can be a particular concern for people of African or Asian ancestry
8. Rubbing or scratching your eyes
9. Sun exposure, which prompts your body to produce more melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color
10. Thinning skin and loss of fat and collagen that comes with aging, which can make the reddish-blue blood vessels under your eyes more obvious”

She is up for some trial and error, so we began with a turmeric and almond oil paste. She applies it at night and leaves it on for 30 minutes before washing it off. In the morning, there are still traces of the unique turmeric yellow stain, but this easily vanishes during her shower.

My friend has seen marked improvement with this method after two weeks.

What was amazing, is that nothing fancy is needed:

Under Eye Eraser

• Turmeric powder
• Cold-pressed Almond oil

Slowly add almond oil to turmeric powder until you achieve a thick paste consistency.

Store sealed in the fridge.

Apply to a thick coat to the skin under the eyes.

Leave for at least a half an hour.

Be careful to spot test a place on your skin. Fair-skinned people may experience staining of the skin.

Safety Note: Dr. Mark Jacquot, clinical director at LensCrafters, recently explained that ‘the skin around your eyes is particularly sensitive and can be prone to allergic reactions, irritation, or other injuries’.  So please test the area first before continuing.

Medicinal Actions

Turmeric: anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, skin protectant, increases circulation,

Almond oil: high in vitamin A, anti-oxidant, easily absorbed into the skin, aids in regenerating skin cells and decreasing inflammation.