Thanks to Nancy from Beauty411 for writing this guest post about how to combat dark circles.

Are you plagued by dark circles?  Dark circles are one of the most common—and frustrating—beauty problems.  With diligence, patience and some effort, you can learn to manage, or in some cases, eliminate your dark circles.  First, let’s take a look at some of the causes of dark circles and what you can do to treat or minimize the problem.

Dark undereye circles can be caused by many factors, including:

• Lack of sleep or fatigue
• Heredity/genetics/aging
• Hormones or allergies
• Sun exposure
• Smoking

The skin under our eyes is very thin and as we age, gets more transparent. The bluish cast arises from being able to see the accumulation of blood in the capillaries and veins beneath the surface of the skin. Some of the causes of dark circles are things that we can control, like trying to get more sleep, staying hydrated, limiting sun exposure or smoking cessation. Others, like allergies, aging and/or genetics are not controllable.

So what can you do to minimize dark circles?

Eye creams are one way to treat dark circles.  An eye cream that retexturizes the skin under your eyes and contains lightening agents is a good start.  An eye cream that contains a combination of ingredients such as Vitamins A (retinol), C, K, kojic acid, arnica extract and peptides should help.  Some good eye creams include Peter Thomas Roth Power K Eye Rescue, Advanced Eye Therapy by Dr. N.V. Perricone,  Remergent Microcirculation Therapy and Revision SkinCare Teamine Eye Complex.

Another strategy is to mask the appearance of the dark circles while treating.  I like the “correct and conceal” approach using Bobbi Brown products.  You start by applying the Corrector to the undereye area.  This cancels the bluish cast to the undereye skin. Then apply the yellow-based Concealer, blending well and then apply your foundation.  Set with finishing powder.  Using a concealer brush will help to avoid a cakey look when applying the corrector and concealer products.

Lastly, there are options such as laser skin resurfacing treatments or fat grafting. You’ll need a consultation with a plastic surgeon for more information on if you’re a candidate for one of these procedures.

Patience, education and a little research can definitely help in the fight to banish dark circles.  A combination of taking care of your own well-being, along with a good eye cream and concealer are good places to start!

This article was submitted by Nancy from Beauty411. Beauty411 is a beauty blog for women that features articles and product reviews on cosmetics, fragrance and cutting-edge skincare.