Home Remedies to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under the Eyes

Dark circles under eyes are not liked by anyone. They not only give you a tiresome appearance but also make you look ages older than you are. The skin around our eyes is the thinnest skin of the body. The blood travelling through the veins nearer to the skin surface shows off as a bluish tint. The thinner your skin, the darker it looks. If your eyes itch due to some allergy then also you’ll get dark circles. Anemia which signifies lack of iron in the body also leads to dark circles. This can be a temporary condition too as, during menstruation and pregnancy, women tend to suffer from a deficiency of certain minerals including iron. Lack of sleep, aging, liver problems and hyperpigmentation around eyes are some more causes of dark circles. Sometimes it is just heredity that gives you dark circles and in such a case there’s very little you can do to get rid of them. While doctors and cosmetic surgeons have come up with many new age treatments for dark circles, you can always use home remedies for dark circles to get you rid of these ugly looking shadows under your eyes!

Remedies to Getting Rid of Dark Circles Under the Eyes Fast

1. Cold Compress to Reduce Dark Circles

Sometimes the blood vessels near your eyes dilate and because the skin near eyes is thinner, they show up as dark circles. Cold compress help shrink your blood vessels. You can take anything that is cold and dab on the area around your eyes. Use an ice bag, iced water, cold milk, frozen spoon, anything which is chilled. You may also use the following way to treat your eyes with a cold compress:

• Take some cold water. Cold milk will also do.
• Soak a washcloth in this cold water or milk.
• Lie down and close your eyes.
• Place the cold washcloth over your eyes.
• Leave it there till it loses all its coldness.
• Soak it again and place over the eyes. Repeat this for about 10-15 minutes.
• Do this 3-4 times a day.

2. Use Cool Cucumber to Get Rid of Dark Circles

Cucumber is, by far, the most applied home remedies to get rid of under eye dark circles. Many researches have found that cucumber contains various antioxidants such as cucurbitacins, vitexin, orientin and isoscoparin, not to mention vitamin C and vitamin K that help reduce discoloration under eyes. The antioxidants in cucumber seem to help reduce the inflammation causing puffiness under eyes as well as the dark circles. When you place chilled cucumber slices on your closed eyes, the cool temperature helps in easing out the puffiness by reducing accumulation of fluid under eyes.

Ways to Use Cucumber for Dark Circles

1. Take a chilled cucumber and cut it in round slices. Lie down and close your eyes. Place a cucumber slice on each of your eyes. Once the slice loses its cold temperature, take fresh slices and place them on your eyes. Do this for about 10-15 minutes.
2. You may also grind a cucumber and take out its juice. Apply this under and around your eyes with the help of a cotton ball.
3. Mix lemon juice with cucumber juice to make it some more effective. The natural bleaching properties of lemon will help reduce the darkness of skin under your eyes.

3. Raw Potato for Dark Circles Under Eyes

Anything cold will help reduce your dark circles and puffiness under eyes. Potatoes can stay cold for very long and are also rich in various antioxidants like vitamin C along with other nutrients, enzymes and starch that help nourish your thin skin around the eyes. They are also said to have natural bleaching agents that lighten your skin around eyes.

Ways to Use Potato for Dark Circles

1. Place 1-2 potatoes in the refrigerator, even better if you place them in the freezer for some time. Take out the chilled potato and cut thick slices out of it. Lie down and place slices of chilled potato on your eyes covering the dark skin underneath your eyes. Let it stay there for about 10-15 minutes.
2. Grate some frozen potatoes. Use it on your eyes as if its an eye pack. You can even place the grated potato over a cheesecloth and wrap it to make a cool poultice. Place it on your eyes for about 10-15 minutes.
3. Squeeze the grated potato to extract its juice or grind a potato and take out its juice. Soak two cotton ball in this juice and place it on your eyes.
4. To get the benefit of both potato and cucumber, peel and chop half cucumber and one potato. Grind them together. Now using a sieve or cloth, extract the juice. Place this juice in the refrigerator for some time so that it becomes cold. Now soak two cotton pads in this iced juice of cucumber and potato and place them on your eyes for 10-15 minutes before washing off.

4. Tomato-Lemon-Turmeric Eye Pack for Dark Circles

Tomatoes are rich in a number of nutrients including vitamin A, B and C, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and iron. All these nutrients along with its bleaching properties make tomatoes a good remedy for dark circles. Lemon juice to has strong bleaching properties. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties which helps in diminishing dark circles as well as puffy eye bags. Make this very beneficial pack using all these ingredients to get rid of your dark circles.

Get this:

• Tomato- 1
• Lemon juice- ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder- a generous pinch
• Gram flour- 2 tsp

Do this:

• Grind or crush the tomato and extract its juice.
• Add lemon juice, turmeric and gram flour to this tomato juice.
• Mix well to get a paste.
• Apply this around your eyes covering the dark circles.
• Leave for 15-20 minutes.
• Wash off with cool water.

5. Turmeric-Pineapple to Reduce Dark Circles Under Eyes

Turmeric has been used since ancient times to nourish the skin and give it a healthy natural glow. The curcumin component of turmeric is an excellent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anti-bacterial properties which help reduce inflammation of skin along with acne, pimples, blemishes, pigmentation, and many other skin ailments. The bromelain enzyme of pineapple too has natural anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce damage caused by free radicals. Not only does it reduce pigmentation and age spots but also diminish wrinkles and fine lines on your skin.

Get this:

• Turmeric powder- 2 tsp
• Fresh pineapple juice- 1-2 tsp

Do this:

• Mix pineapple juice with turmeric powder to get a paste.
• Apply this to the area around your eyes covering your dark circles completely.
• Leave for 20-30 minutes.
• Wash with water and if required lukewarm water because of turmeric stains a lot.

6. Buttermilk for Dark Circles

Buttermilk is a rich source of probiotics and lactic acid as well. Lactic acid can exfoliate skin to give it a radiance. The acidic and astringent properties of buttermilk can cure discoloration under eyes. It is used along with turmeric to get the anti-inflammatory effects of this very good spice for health and beauty as we discussed in the previous remedy.

Get this:

• Turmeric- ¼ tsp
• Buttermilk- 2 tsp

Do this:

• Add both the ingredients to make a paste.
• Apply this paste to your dark circles.
• Leave for 15-20 minutes.
• Wash off with lukewarm water.
• Take care as turmeric stains a lot.

7. Rosewater for a Soothing Dark Circles Remedy

Rosewater is one of the most soothing remedies for eyes. Made from the fragrant roses, rosewater satisfies your many senses leaving you relaxed. If your dark circles are due to lack of sleep, stress, overwork or due to long sittings in front of those bright computer screens, this remedy is for you. The anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties of rose water give you protection against dust, pollutants, itchiness, redness, and inflammation of eyes. It can, of course, reduce the under eye dark circles and puffiness too.

Ways to Use Rose Water for Dark Circles

1. Take two cotton balls or pads and soak them in rosewater. Place them on your closed eyes while lying down. The cover whole of your dark circles. Leave them for 15-20 minutes.
2. Mix some cold milk with rosewater. Soak cotton pads in the solution and place them on your eyes for 15-20 minutes.

8. Almond Oil for Dark Circles

Almond oil, a natural emollient, softens and moisturizes your skin. If your dark circles are caused due to a dehydrated skin, almond oil can help you. Sometimes, dark circles and even puffiness under eyes are caused by lack of vitamin K and some other antioxidants. Apart from many other nutrients, almond oil also contains vitamin K. This vitamin helps constrict dilated blood vessels. This oil also has natural anti-inflammatory properties that may help diminish puffy eye bags and the dark circles associated with them.

Do this:

• At night, clean up all your eye make up.
• Pat dry your skin.
• Take some almond oil.
• Gently massage your skin around the eyes with this nourishing oil for a couple of minutes.
• Go to sleep and wash off in the morning.

9. Mint Herbal Remedy for Dark Circles Under the Eye

Mint has astringent, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. Its astringent properties can effectively shrink or constrict the blood vessels near your eyes that get dilated and show off the blood as bluish-blackish tint which we call dark circles. It is also very cool and soothing. Thus, when you apply mint on your eyes, you will get relaxed too. You can grind mint leaves and apply the paste on your dark circles for 15-20 minutes. You may also add lemon juice to mint to make it a more effective remedy for your dark circle. Here’s what to do.

Get this:

• Mint leaves- a handful
• Lemon juice- from half a lemon

Do this:

• Crush the mint leaves to get its paste.
• Add lemon juice to this mint paste.
• Apply to your dark circles.
• Leave for 15-20 minutes.
• Wash off with water.
• Repeat twice a day.

10. Castor Oil to Remove Dark Circles

There is one more oil other than almond oil which can help you get rid of dark circles and this is the costar oil. It has fatty acids in it which rejuvenates your skin. However, the most beneficial ingredient seems to be the ricinoleic acid present in castor oil that has anti-inflammatory properties and which also makes it a good remedy for puffiness of eyes along with the dark circles. You may apply castor oil just like almond oil at nigh before going to sleep. Rub a little oil around your eyes and on your dark circles gently and leave it overnight. Wash off in the morning. You may also mix it with fresh cream of milk to make it a more effective remedy, especially if you have a dry skin.

Get this:

• Castor oil- 1 tsp
• Fresh cream- 1 tsp

Do this:

• Mix oil with cream.
• Clean your face and eyes of any makeup that you had been wearing.
• Pat dry and apply the mixture all around your eyes.
• Leave for 15-20 minutes.
• Wash off with water. If required, you may use lukewarm water as cream and oil will make it a little greasy.

11. Arnica for Dark Circles

Arnica herb has been used traditionally for various medical conditions. This fragrant herb has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and astringent properties that can relieve pain and inflammation. Its anti-inflammatory properties are due to its many components like sesquiterpene lactone helenalin, flavones, flavonols, triterpenoids, phenolic acid, polysaccharides and an essential oil containing thymol, thymolmethylether and azulene. Its anti-inflammatory properties are mainly due to its sesquiterpene lactones that reduce inflammation by blocking the actions of pro-inflammatory cytokine. Arnica gels and creams are extensively used to treat sprains, bruises, wounds etc. Arnica herb is infused into a base oil to be used for bruises, strained muscles and swelling. You can use this oil to cure your dark circles as well as puffiness under eyes. Just remember that you need to dilute arnica oil with a carrier oil to be used.

Get this:

• Arnica oil- 1-2 drops
• Carrier oil (almond, olive or any other oil)- 1 tbsp

Do this:

• Add arnica oil drops to carrier oil.
• Apply to your dark circles. Take precaution to protect your eyes.
• Never use undiluted arnica oil as it may be poisonous.
• Don’t use it for longer periods of time.

12. Chamomile Tea Remedy for Dark Circles Under the Eyes

Chamomile tea has antioxidant, cleansing and moisturizing properties and thus are considered a great herb for the skin. It has been traditionally used as a disinfectant for minor wounds. It has some bleaching properties too which lightens your skin. The antioxidants in chamomile fight off the free radicals and rejuvenates your skin. All these properties of chamomile help you get rid of the dark circles under your eyes too, especially if they are due to overexertion and tiredness. This herb has amazing soothing qualities.

Get this:

• Chamomile tea bags- 2
• Hot water- 1-2 cups

Do this:

• Place the tea bags in a cup.
• Pour hot water over it.
• Let it steep for 5-10 minutes.
• Now take out the tea bags and let them cool down. You may enjoy the tea meanwhile.
• You may also keep the tea bags in the fridge.
• Once they become cold, take the tea bags, lie down, close your eyes and place these tea bags over your eyes.
• Let them be there for 15-20 minutes.
• Repeat daily.

13. Avocado for Dark Circles Remedy

If your dark circles are a result of dehydration and dry skin, the nutritional fatty acids of avocados can come to your help in a great way. Avocado contains vitamin K and E along with vitamin B2. Avocado brings back moisture and elasticity to your dry skin. It also stimulates blood circulation all around your eye making dark circles and even puffiness go away.

Ways to Use Avocado for Dark Circles

1. Cut two slices of avocado and place them on your eyes for 15-20 minutes.
2. Mash some avocado and add almond oil to this pulp of avocado. Apply this to your dark circles and leave for 15-20 minutes.
3. You can even use avocado oil on your dark circles to get rid of them.

14. Night Jasmine for Curing Dark Circles

If your skin is sensitive, you may still use this remedy for dark circles as jasmine doesn’t harm sensitive or mature skin. Jasmine flowers infused into sesame oil have been used in India even for the sores that are most difficult to heal. From among its many properties, night jasmine is good for removing dark circles and puffiness under eyes due to its astringent, anti-inflammatory and opthalmic properties. Opthalmic herbs are used to cure eye diseases. Thus, when you use jasmine around your eyes, you don’t have to be extra precautions to protect your eyes. You can even find many commercially available dark circles creams that have jasmine as one of their ingredients. However, to be all natural. you may use jasmine essential oil to treat your dark circles.

Get this:

• Jasmine essential oil- 2 drops
• Vegetable oil or other carrier oil like almond or olive oil- 2 tablespoons

Do this:

• Mix both the oils- jasmine oil and the carrier oil.
• Apply this to your dark circles.
• You may rub gently for a couple of minutes.
• Leave for 20-30 minutes.
• Wash off.

15. Witch Hazel to Remove Dark Circles

Witch hazel is an excellent natural astringent. It has been used by American Indians for treating various medical conditions including sores, bruises, and swelling. Witch hazel extract contains such components as tannin, gallic acid, catechins, proanthocyanins, flavonoids, essential oil (like carvacrol, eugenol, and hexenol), choline, saponins, and bitters. All these components grant witch hazel
such properties that can cure your dark circles too. Just soak two cotton pads in witch hazel and place them on your eyes covering your dark circles for 5-8 minutes.

16. Ayurvedic Remedy for Dark Circles Using Nutmeg

The aromatic spice nutmeg has been used by Ayurveda and even Chinese medicine to treat various medical conditions. It contains antioxidants, essential volatile oils like myristicin, elemicin, eugenol and safrole, vitamins A, C and B complex as well as various minerals including iron. Deficiency of iron is also a cause of dark circles. Ayurveda recommends using nutmeg with milk, yet another very nutritious ingredient that has skin lightening properties too.

Get this:

• Nutmeg powder- 1 tsp
• Milk

Do this:

• Add enough milk to nutmeg powder to make a paste.
• Apply this to your dark circles.
• Leave for about 20 minutes.
• Wash off with lukewarm water.
• Repeat daily or at least 3-4 days a week.

17. Diet and Lifestyle Remedies for Dark Circles

You can never get rid of dark circles if you don’t take care of your diet and have enough rest. Most of the times, dark circles are a result of improper diet. Deficiency of calcium, iron, vitamin K, antioxidants, vitamin A, E and B12 contribute to the forming of dark circles. Here are some tips for your proper diet and lifestyle so that you can cure as well as prevent dark circles from forming under your eyes.

1. Drink lots of water to avoid water retention.
2. Have more green leafy vegetables.
3. Reduce salt intake in your diet.
4. Have foods rich in vitamins A and E. In fact, a balanced diet which contains all vital nutrients including vitamins, minerals etc. ensures that you never get to face such issues as dark circles.
5. Have enough sleep. How much an individual should sleep differs from person to person. Usually, 7-8 hours of sleep is considered enough.
6. Maintain regular time for sleeping.
7. Exercise. Anything from walking, jogging, aerobic, yoga will do. Breathing exercises also help.
8. Avoid exposure to the sun. Wear sunglasses when you need to go out in sun.

All these measures should be enough to prevent dark circles under your eyes. If not, use one or the other home remedy for dark circles or visit a doctor to rule out any possibility of other diseases whose symptom may be dark circles under eyes!