How to get rid of bags under your eyes

Dark discoloration of the skin under the eye is mainly referred to as dark circles. It is also known as dark rings or shadows.

Some of the main causes behind the formation of dark circles are heredity, aging, dry skin, prolonged crying, working for long hours in front of a computer, mental or physical stress, lack of sleep and an unhealthy diet. Both men and women of different age groups can have dark circles.

Dark circles are not a serious skin problem, but they make people look tired, exhausted, unhealthy and older. You can easily get rid of unsightly shadows under your eyes using some easy home remedies.

Here are the top 10 ways to get rid of dark circles fast.

1. Almond Oil

Almond oil is a great natural ingredient that is very beneficial for the delicate skin around your eyes. Regular usage of almond oil will help fade your under eye circles. In addition to almond oil, you can use vitamin E oil to eliminate dark circles under the eyes.

1. Before going to bed, apply a little almond oil over the dark circles and gently massage it into the skin.
2. Leave it on overnight.
3. The next morning, wash it off with cold water.
4. Follow this remedy daily until the dark circles disappear.

2. Cucumber

Cucumbers have skin-lightening and mild astringent properties that help fix those raccoon eyes naturally. Plus, they have a soothing and refreshing effect.

• Cut a fresh cucumber into thick slices and chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Put the slices onto the affected skin area for about 10 minutes. Wash the area with water. Repeat twice daily for about a week or more.
• Another option is to mix cucumber juice with lemon juice in equal amounts. Use a cotton ball to apply the mixture on the affected skin. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then wash it off with water. Follow this remedy daily for at least one week.

3. Raw Potato

There are natural bleaching agents present in potato that can help lighten dark circles and get rid of puffiness around the eyes.

• Grate one or two chilled potatoes to extract the juice. Soak a cotton ball in the juice and place it over your closed eyes. Make sure the juice covers the dark circles under your eyes as well as the eyelids. Allow the juice to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse your eyelids well with cool water. Repeat once or twice daily for a few weeks.
• Instead of potato juice, you can also use thick potato slices to remove dark circles.

4. Rose Water

Rose water has incredible ingredient for skin care. It rejuvenates the skin and has a soothing effect on tired eyes. Due to its mild astringent properties, it also works as a good skin toner.

1. Soak cotton eye pads in pure rose water for a few minutes.
2. Put the soaked pads on your closed eyelids.
3. Leave them on for about 15 minutes.
4. Follow this remedy twice daily for a few weeks.

5. Tomato

Tomatoes have bleaching properties that can lighten skin to a great extent.

• Mix one teaspoon of tomato juice with one-half teaspoon of lemon juice. Gently apply this mixture on the dark circles and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Rinse it off with water. Follow this remedy twice a day for a few weeks. Simply using tomato juice will also work.
• You can also drink a glass of tomato juice with some mint leaves, lemon juice and salt. For maximum results, be sure to drink this juice immediately after making it. Drink it once or twice a day for about a week.

6. Lemon Juice

The vitamin C present in lemon juice can also help remove dark circles under the eyes, thanks to itsskin-lightening properties.

• Use a cotton ball to apply fresh lemon juice around your eyes. Leave it on for about 10 minutes and rinse it off. Do this once daily for a few weeks.
• Another option is to make a thick paste by mixing one tablespoon of lemon juice, two tablespoons of tomato puree, a pinch of gram flour (besan) and turmeric powder. Apply this thick paste gently around your eyes. Rinse it off with clean water after 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat two or three times every week.

Note: If the lemon juice causes a burning sensation then discontinue its use.

Method 1 of 3: Quick fixes

Drink plenty of water. Under-eye bags are often caused by the retention of water due to high salt concentration in the area. You might wake up with bags after eating a salty dinner or crying; whether it’s from tears or food, salt can draw water to your face and cause it to collect under your eyes.

• Flush excess salt from your system by drinking water. Avoid salty foods for the rest of the day.
• Stay away from drinks that cause you to become dehydrated, like coffee and alcohol.

Soothe your eyes with something cold.^[1] You’ve probably heard that placing cucumbers over your eyes will help reduce bags, but it’s actually the cool temperature that soothes the area. Cucumbers happen to be the perfect shape, size and texture to treat under-eye bags, so go ahead and slice one up – just make sure it’s been chilling in the refrigerator beforehand.

• If you don’t have a cucumber, wet a few teabags and chill them in the freezer or refrigerator before placing them over your eyes. Use a soothing tea, like chamomile or peppermint, so you get the benefits of aromatherapy at the same time.

Put on some concealer. In the short term, concealing under-eye bags and circles with a little makeup is the quickest and most effective solution. The right makeup can greatly reduce the appearance of bags and keep you looking fresh all day. Follow these steps to apply concealing makeup:

• Choose a concealer that matches your skin tone. If your under-eye bags are dark, you could also go one shade lighter. Apply the concealer with your finger or a cotton ball. Make sure you dab it on lightly instead of rubbing it into your skin. The makeup will conceal your bags more effectively if it stays on the surface of your skin.
• Follow the concealer with a brush of powder to help it set and stay in place all day. Use a matte powder (not one with shimmer) and a blush brush to apply a little powder under your eyes.

Use teabags. The tannin in the teabag can sometimes help ease down under-eye bags.

• Boil water and dunk two teabags into the hot water.
• Bob it up and down until they are soaked through.
• Remove and allow to cool on a plate. If wished, cover face, nose, eyes, with paper towel or face washers.
• Lie down somewhere comfortable. Place one soaked teabag over each eye. Put your feet up, relax for a few minutes.
• After a little chilling out, remove the teabags. Hopefully, things will look a little less puffy when you check the mirror again.