by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: August 17, 2010

The dilemma posed every day to women around the world is how to get rid of dark circles around the eyes. They look unsightly and make a woman look tired. In reality, the problem can be addressed quite simply by changing habits, though immediate cover-up is probably enough for that special evening out. In the background, a body which is cared for and nourished, can fight the onset of dark areas beneath the eyes, while you discover the secret of covering up the unfair hand dealt to you by nature.

Causes to tackle

Dark circles appear for a number of reasons. Tiredness is a major cause, though it isn't the only one. If you believe the circles to be health related, the first place to establish this is with a physician. It may be that your skin is thinning, or indeed that other health issues are what produced them in the first place. Diverse health issues can contribute, such as allergies, medications, fluid retention, or even an iron deficiency. Everyone assumes those dark circles are related to sleep although, as you can see, this may not be the case.

Initial home treatments

Tea bags are renowned to help the appearance of dark circles. These are placed in hot water, and left to cool, so that the goodness of the tea leaves escapes onto the skin. Close your eyes, apply the tea bag to the area and let it soak. Rinse thoroughly and then apply makeup. Another similar household item which can be used is cucumber. This takes a little while to work, though the recommended time to place these onto the area is around 15 minutes. Give yourself a break, and close your eyes and relax, letting the cucumber do it's trick. What you are giving your skin is a little extra moisture and this always helps the beauty routine.

Cosmetic hiding of the dark circles

This area of the skin is particularly delicate. Concealers used for other areas of the face may not be suited for use under the eyes, and actually make the dark areas look puffy. Instead, ensure that the concealer bought is one which is manufactured for the eye area of the face and ask the advice of a beauty consultant if in doubt. The color you will need is a little lighter than your skin tone or foundation color.

Moisturize the under-eye area

This is vital to the makeup application. Dampen your fingers and gentle tap them onto the area where the dark circles appear. This helps to keep that area of the skin hydrated. Apply your foundation as usual to the facial area, leaving the eyes until last. Then, using a small nylon quality concealer brush, apply the concealer dabbing the concealer into place. You really will need less than you think. Let the concealer settle and be sure to look into a mirror in good light to see if any areas need touching in. The Bobby Brown range of concealers are ideal. Small and compact, these can be carried in your purse for that last minute touch of color that makes all the difference to the way you look.

Prevention

To prevent the onset of further dark circles, do check with your physician if you believe these to be health related. Be sure to eat a balanced and healthy diet, and to give your body the sleep it needs. Added vitamins which assist in strengthening the blood vessel walls should be discussed with experts, although a balanced diet helps to alleviate the need for extra supplements. Antioxidants in the food you eat also help tremendously including deliciously tempting cranberries.

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