How to Get Rid of Eye Bags & Dark Circles

Under eye bags and dark circles are super common, and also super annoying. Waking up in the morning with puffy eye bags does nothing to help you feel ready for the day, we know. So if you’re struggling with recurring eye bags and dark circles, read on for our top tips for getting rid of them. From finding the right eye cream to using under-eye masks or trying facial icing, there are plenty of ways to reduce eye bags and dark circles. Before we get into getting rid of eye bags, we want to help you understand what could be causing them

Having puffy eyes and eye bags doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have dark circles too – but a lot of the causes are the same, so they do commonly appear together. If you know the cause of your under eye concerns, there are a few things you can do to treat them…

Tiredness: This is the most common cause of under eye concerns. Tiredness will make your skin look dull, with blood vessels appearing more prominent – leading to darker under eyes.

Dehydration: Unsurprisingly, dehydration is another common cause of both dark circles and eye bags. Not drinking enough water or drinking too much water can cause dull skin and puffiness, so be sure to stay hydrated.

Eye Strain: That’s right, staring at a screen all day could also be leading to your tired-looking eyes. The strain your eyes are under when looking at various screens can lead to dilated blood vessels which can cause more prominent dark circles.

Allergies: Seasonal allergies can wreak all kinds of havoc on our day-to-day lives – and cause a puffy face, puffy eyes and dark circles, too. This is due to increased fluid retention around the eyes and nose, leading to eye bags and puffiness. 

Sun Damage: One of the many reasons to wear SPF daily is to prevent premature ageing. If the delicate skin around your eyes has been overexposed to the sun over the years, the chances are they’ll age quicker, leading to unwanted dark circles and eye bags galore.

Ageing: As you get older you’re more likely to see dark circles and eye bags appear. This is because as we age our skin loses fat and elasticity due to reduced collagen production, meaning under eyes appear darker and more sunken.

Whilst some causes can’t be avoided, you can make some lifestyle changes – like getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, quitting smoking or reducing your salt intake – all of which will contribute to reducing dark circles and under eye bags. There are also plenty of skincare treatments that you can add to your routine to help reduce them too…

If you’re looking for the best eye creams for dark circles and bags, there are a few key ingredients to look out for. Caffeine, vitamin E, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and retinol are all great eye cream ingredients for reducing eye bags and brightening your under eyes. They’ll work to de-puff, brighten and hydrate the delicate skin around your eyes. Try to look for lighter eye creams, as particularly heavy formulations can cause fluid buildup overnight – leading to more puffiness.

Eye masks can be a great way to reduce under eye bags and darkness quickly. Under eye masks will work similarly to eye creams, but typically provide a more intense ingredient treatment – so make sure you still look out for brightening, hydrating and anti-inflammatory ingredients. We love to use eye masks before an event to give our under eyes a helping hand. To help get rid of eye bags quickly, keep your eye masks in the fridge to ensure you get the benefits of all the ingredients, whilst cooling your irritated eyes at the same time…

If you don’t know about the benefits of ice rolling yet, you soon will. Cold temperatures will help restrict blood vessels, making them less prominent under your skin – which means a reduction of dark circles. Applying cooling treatments to your under eyes will also help to de-puff any eye bags present. A win-win! You can utilise cooling face rolling tools to carry out a cryo eye massage, or simply keep your favourite under eye masks and creams in the fridge, for a cooling hit every time you apply them.

Facial massage can be a great way to reduce under eye bags and puffiness, as it promotes lymphatic drainage and helps to dispel fluid retention. When massaging your under eyes, be mindful that the skin is extremely delicate and you’ll want to avoid dragging or damaging it. Using a gua sha can work wonders. Or, look for eye serum and cream applicators with a massage ball – this way you can easily massage your under eyes whilst applying your daily skincare routine.

From eye creams and serums to massage tools and ice rollers, these are some of our favourite products to help reduce dark circles, eye bags and puffy eyes…

The Innisfree Green Tea Caffeine Bright-Eye Serum is the ideal treatment for reducing unwanted puffiness and dark circles. It utilises green tea caffeine which acts as an anti-inflammatory, visibly de-puffing any eye bags. Hyaluronic acid works to hydrate your skin, whilst niacinamide helps reduce inflammation, further reducing puffiness and brightening your under eye area. What’s great is that the applicator design can also be used to gently massage your under eye – pop it in the fridge to cool your eyes simultaneously.

If your under eyes are very dry, you might need to try a richer cream like the e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream. As this is a rich cream you’ll only need to apply it sparingly to reap the benefits of the hyaluronic acids and peptides. Your skin will be plump, hydrated, and much brighter after application.

We love using under eye masks but don’t always have time for them – which is why we love the By BEAUTY BAY Reusable Under Eye Patches. Simply keep these in the fridge and the next time you feel like treating yourself, just pop them on top of your regular eye cream for as long as you need. They’ll cool down your under eye area (de-puffing and brightening) whilst also helping your cream of choice work harder, speeding up absorption into the skin. We regularly pair them with the By BEAUTY BAY Caffeine and Peptide Eye Treatment – a targeted eye cream designed to brighten and plump the skin, making you look and feel more refreshed.

If you want to give your under eyes a luxury treat, try the Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Brightening Hydra-Gel Eye Patches. They utilise THD Ascorbate, a powerful form of vitamin C that will brighten and de-puff your eyes rapidly – a great solution if you need to get rid of darkness and puffiness quickly. 

Summer can bring far more opportunities for eye bags and dark circles to appear, due to the heat, humidity, and pollen. If you’re travelling abroad, add the Kitsch Mini Spa Rollers Set into your travel toiletry rotation. It’s even small enough to come with you in your hand luggage, so it can be part of your in-flight skincare routine, too. Keep the metal ice roller in the mini fridge whilst you’re away so you can start your day off with a cooling under eye massage and bid farewell to puffy, tired eyes ruining your holiday snaps.

With the By BEAUTY BAY Jade Duo, you can carry out effective lymphatic drainage with the gua sha, whilst specifically targeting your eyes with the smaller end of the roller. Simply massage under eyes with these tools a couple of times a week to help keep under eye bags and puffiness at bay. 

Ready to tackle your under eye bags and dark circles? Haul eye creams and treatments to show your eyes some TLC and keep them happy and hydrated.