How Can I Treat My Dark Circles?

Back in 2018, Drew Barrymore went viral when she talked about one of her biggest beauty concerns: dark circles under her eyes. Boy, did we relate. “It looks like instead of being impossibly happy throughout my life, I look more like a ghoul who came from the graveyard,” she wrote on Instagram. If your own dark circles are giving you a ghoulish vibe, don’t stress — there are ways to treat them. We talked with board-certified dermatologist Robyn Gmyrek, M.D., about what causes this common problem and what you can do about it.

“Dark circles can be caused by several things,” Dr. Gmyrek says. Some contributing factors are aging, allergies, lack of sleep, sun exposure, dehydration, and plain ol’ genetics. When it comes to treating a dark under-eye area, she recommends both at-home remedies as well as skin care products that can help lighten those shadows.

Start with the basics. “Get more sleep, eliminate alcohol as much as possible, and focus on a nutritious diet that will decrease inflammation all over your body, including your eyes,” she advises. She also says that by wearing sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection, you can avoid increasing pigmentation around your eyes from sun exposure. Some other DIY treatments Dr. Gmyrek recommends are cool compresses, cooled tea bags, refrigerated (not frozen) gel masks, and jade rollers that have been cooled.

When it comes to products, Dr. Gmyrek suggests looking for those that contain vitamin C to build collagen, as well as retinoids to thicken and tighten the skin and decrease pigmentation. Additionally, she stresses the importance of hydrating with moisturizers to decrease inflammation and keep the skin barrier healthy. 

Dr. Gmyrek is also a fan of eye cream. Her favorites include Kate Somerville KateCeuticals Lifting Eye Cream, Borghese Fluido Protettivo Advanced Eye Lift Brightening & De-Puffing Eye Creme, and ISDIN K-Ox Eye Cream. 

If at-home remedies and skin care don’t help your dark under-eye area, speak with your dermatologist about in-office treatments, such as hyaluronic acid filler.