How to reduce pigmentation around eyes and brighten eye area

How to
brighten up
your eye area

Dark eye circles can make you look older than you really are. Here are some ways you can combat this common skin concern.

Dark circles generally fall into two tones: bluish-purple if you have fair and pale skin, and ashy brown for medium to dark complexions. These dark circles are likely caused by your blood vessels or hyperpigmentation showing through your skin. As the skin around your eyes is four times thinner than the rest of your face, it’s more fragile and susceptible to damage.

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When you lack sleep, your body has to produce more cortisol, a stress hormone that helps keep you awake. Cortisol increases the amount of blood in your body, thus engorging your blood vessels and making them even more visible. That’s why your dark eye circles usually look significantly duller after a late night out.

You can blame aging too. Over time, skin naturally decreases in elasticity and rate of regeneration. This thins your skin out even more — which isn’t great for the delicate eye area. Thinner skin around your eyes means that it’s more prone to damage from environmental aggressors like UV rays, which can cause hyperpigmentation and further darken the area.

Cortisol increases the amount of blood in your body, thus engorging your blood vessels and making them even more visible

Bright, clear eyes are key to a youthful appearance. To stave off dark circles that say late night more than sleep tight, follow these tips below.

Use UV protection —
whenever, wherever.

Yes, yes, it always seems to come back to SPF. In this case however, unprotected sun exposure serves a double whammy of both accelerated skin aging and hyperpigmentation on a very delicate area. To avoid irritating your eyes, use a stick or non-drip sunscreen and gently tap it on under your eyes with your ring finger during your morning regimen.

When applying eye products, tap lightly with your ring finger to avoid tugging at the delicate skin.

Pick the right eye product.

Add an eye care product to your regimen, stat. Depending on your texture preference, you can choose from eye creams, gels, or serums as most target multiple visible signs of aging at once.

Gels and serums are usually lightweight while creams give a richer finish. Look out for one that has brightening ingredients like Niacinamide and is suitable for both day and night use.

Tap to raise circulation.

When you’re applying an eye cream, try to spend a few minutes massaging your eye area to help boost circulation and brighten up the area. As your skin here is so much thinner and delicate, use only gentle tapping and pressing motions with your fingertips and work your way around carefully with minimal tugging.

Use a cleansing oil to remove
eye makeup.

Tugging and pulling at stubborn mascara or eyeliner steadily causes damage and irritation to the delicate skin around the eyes, making your dark circles even worse. Switch to an oil cleanser that dissolves makeup instantly with zero pressure needed. Using only the tips of your fingers, trace the area gently to get all the makeup off.

Touch your eyes as little as
possible.

The skin around your eyes is so thin that the slightest pull can damage it or cause irritation. Never rub your eyes, even when they’re itching. If you’re having allergies that is causing your eye to itch or puff up, use a neti pot to clear out the fluid buildup and reduce the discomfort. Just keep those fingers away.