Can there be a more annoying beauty problem than dark circles? Not only do they make you look pooped, other people comment on them in a way they’d never dream of doing about any other flaw in your appearance. "Ooh, look at those dark rings, you look like death," they’ll chirp. "Big night, was it?"
We’d laugh along if we’d actually earned those damn rings, but often we’ve done nothing to deserve them.
So what’s a sleepy-eyed girl to do? From quick camouflage tricks to more long-term treatments, we reveal your best chance of escaping the circles of hell...
How to cover them
We asked Pixiwoo.com vlogging stars Nic and Sam Chapman to share their camouflage secrets.
1. Choose cream not cake
Solid concealers give coverage but the moment you blink they’ll begin caking and settling into lines.
"You’re just swapping one problem for another," says Sam. "You’re better off using a cream concealer, they may still crease a little but you can pat them away a minute or so later."
You don’t have to spend a fortune either – Collection Lasting Perfection, £3.99, has become a cult fave among beauty editors and make-up artists.
2. Don't go too light too soon
Simply piling pale concealer on top of purple under-eye rings just creates a weird grey tone.
"I’d recommend covering dark circles in two stages instead," says Sam. "Start with a concealer that exactly matches the rest of the face, so you’ve got a good even base. Then apply a second, slightly lighter shade of concealer (not a highlighter-type pen – not enough coverage) over the top to brighten everything up."
3. Watch where you apply
Only apply the lighter concealer directly on to the dark circles themselves, not all over the under-eye zone.
"Blend inwards, and use a brush or fingertip to push the concealer right into the very inner corner of the eyes," says Nic. "Don’t drag concealer to the outer corners of the eyes. You don’t need it there and it will just emphasise crows’ feet."
How to treat them
Circles can arrive at any age, but they become a particular issue for women over 40. As dermatologist Dr Benji Dhillon at the Phi Clinic explains, "A complaint I often hear is, “I look tired all the time”. A lot of women feel the combination of dark circles and under-eye wrinkles is very ageing."
● Dark circles tend to get worse with time. "Dark discolouration shows up more through thin skin,’ says Dr Dhillon. "Also, as we lose volume in the cheeks, this pulls down the lower eye area and creates shadowy hollows. The supportive structure beneath the eyes itself also weakens. The whole area looks darker, and it’s harder to counteract that with concealer alone."
● Creams can brighten dark circles caused by pigmentation. "Ingredients such as vitamin C, kojic acids and hydroquinone can really help reduce melanin production," says Dr Anjali Mahto at Cadogan Cosmetics.
"You have to commit to applying it twice a day, every day though. I like Eucerin Even Brighter, £28.50, for pigmentation, plus Skinceuticals Mineral Eye Defence, £24.95, for UV protection. Fruit acid peels can be useful for removing darkened skin cells."
● Fillers can smooth out shadows caused by sunken contours. "We can use an ultra-fine filler to inject the ‘tear trough’ just below the eyes to make them look brighter," says Dr Dhillon. "However, it takes a lot of skill to do, and if filler is injected too close to the skin surface here, it can look bumpy and unsightly. Make sure you find somebody experienced."
You saw it here first It's not launching for another fortnight but we've had a sneak preview of Clinique Pep-Start eye cream, £22, and reckon it's a must try for anyone saddled with dark circles. It has an instant brightening and de-puffing effect and it makes concealer glide on really smoothly too.
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