1. Blue Light Overload
Excessive screen time can cause eye strain and fatigue contributing to dark circles. Exposing your eyes to blue light can also damage the skin cells speeding up aging and causing eye sagging, a droopy brow, and age spots.
2. Poor Circulation
A lack of exercise, movement, and certain medical conditions can restrict blood flow to the skin and cause poor circulation and inflammation. This results in puffy panda eyes, dull skin, and increased fine lines and wrinkles so get active.
3. UV Damage
Skipping sunscreen allows the sun’s damaging UV rays to penetrate the skin damaging the cells and darkening the under-eye area. Dark eye circles can also become worse in appearance from squinting in bright light, so wear sunglasses.
4. Seasonal Allergies
Allergies can cause runny itchy eyes and this in addition to constantly wiping and rubbing your eyes can lead to dark circles. Inflammation from allergies can also accelerate fine lines and cause skin pigmentation changes.
5. Being Overweight
A diet high in sugar and processed foods can lead to inflammation and glycation, which damages collagen and elastin, contributing to dark eye circles and making you look older. When your body is toxic you can also become tired and fatigued which makes dark circles look worse.
6. Sleep Deprivation
A lack of sleep or chronic sleep deprivation causes the blood vessels under the eyes to dilate and form dark circles. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to enhance the skin’s repair processes and make dark circles and wrinkles look less visible.
7. Smoking Hazard
Smoking, in addition to being totally toxic and a major health concern, reduces blood flow to the skin and depletes it of oxygen and vital nutrients. Poor skin health accelerates aging and leads to the formation of dark eye circles and crow’s feet. Quit now.
8. Excessive Alcohol
Alcohol dehydrates the skin and dilates blood vessels making the face and eye area puffy and creating dark panda eyes. It also causes inflammation in the body and impairs liver function contributing to dull yellowish eyes, age spots, and more wrinkles.
9. Chronic Stress
When you are under stress, your body produces more cortisol (the stress hormone) which leads to inflammation and a breakdown of the skin’s collagen and elasticity. This causes dark circles under the eyes and speeds up the aging process.
10. Lack of Hydration
Not drinking enough water can make the skin dull, and dehydrated and make dark circles more noticeable. Drink 2.7 liters of water per day to keep your body and complexion hydrated, to help flush out toxins, and to disguise the appearance of dark circles, crow’s feet and wrinkles.
11. Inadequate Skincare Routine
A good daily skincare routine is your best weapon against skin aging and imperfections. Cleanse, add an anti-aging serum, apply an eye cream, and moisturize the skin daily to keep it healthy, and radiant and prevent the appearance of dark circles, wrinkles, and age spots.
12. Rubbing Your Eyes
The skin around your eye area is finer and more delicate so leave it alone. Constantly rubbing your eyes from being stressed or tired can cause the delicate blood vessels under the skin to break leading to dark circles and pigmentation changes.
13. Matter of Genetics
A genetic predisposition to premature aging can make you more susceptible to dark under-eye circles. Being more aware of genetic risks can inspire you to make lifestyle changes and be more proactive about taking better care of your skin and eyes.
14. Hormonal Changes
Hormonal fluctuations which are common for women, especially during pregnancy and menopause, can increase melanin production exacerbating dark circles. A toxic lifestyle and inflammation in the body can also throw hormones out of wack, so eat a balanced diet full of antioxidant-rich foods, don’t smoke or drink in excess, and get plenty of sleep for clear, radiant skin.
15. Too Much Coffee
Limit your caffeine intake to one cup of joe per day, or switch it out for matcha or herbal tea. Excessive caffeine can lead to dehydration and a reduction of skin elasticity making dark circles, wrinkles and aged spots more noticeable.
16. Poor Makeup Application
If dark circles are the bane of your existence your makeup technique. Applying heavy matte foundations and concealer to the skin and eye area can settle into fine lines and wrinkles making them and dark circles more noticeable. Heavy eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara can also draw unwanted attention to the eyes.