Of course you don't have under eye circles!! The skin under your eyes is perfectly colored and not at all darker than it should be! How dare I speak of such horrendous things??
OK now that we have the pleasantries out of the way: 'Shhhhh' I promise won't tell a soul that concealer is every girl's best friend! Well I'm here to try and fix that, I'm not going to say that I will completely heal you of your 'concealer addiction' but I will definitely try to help with the symptoms. Keep on reading if you want some natural tips to get rid of those unsightly *whisper* dark under eye circles.
So first things first, none of the the tips below are a substitute for a restful night's sleep and drinking at least 2 liters ( 8 full cups) of water a day. If you're working (or partying *wink wink*) late every night and only getting 3-4 hours of sleep only to wake up and find dark under eye circles than NOTHING neither natural nor chemical can help rid you of them. You need to get plenty of rest and take good care of your body by eating iron rich foods (they are your best friends when trying to get rid of those pesky circles) such as spinach, guava, pomegranate, red meat (in moderation) and beans.
Now let's get to the tips:
#1 Cucumber isn't just for your salad anymore !
As cliche as it sounds and just like you see in the movies adding a couple of cool cucumber slices to your eyes for 15 minutes every other day can do wonders for the dark circles. You could also just use the juice of a cucumber dipped in a cotton pad and apply it to your eyes instead of the whole slices. They have the same effect. Take this time for yourself to relax, maybe put on you favorite music and just sit back and enjoy the cooling healing effect.
Cucmbers have plenty of antioxidants and naturally help with blood circulation which will not only reduce the appearance of under eye circles but with puffiness as well.
#2 Tannin-tastic Tea!
Don't throw away the tea bags after your morning or afternoon tea, keep them and let them cool completely then put the cooled tea bags on your eyes for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times a week. All types of tea will work for this treatment but my absolute favorites are green, chamomile and just plain black tea. On the long run you'll notice your eyes look less puffy and you'll see the circles fade away.
The tannin in the black tea will again help with blood circulation, the antioxidants in green tea will help rejuvenate your skin and the calming effect of the chamomile tea will reduce puffiness.
#3 Unlike For Your Figure: Starch is your Friend!
Or shall I say "Spuds are your buds" (oh yes i did!) . Ok moving on from my corny moment back there: Peel a potato and then slice it into really thin almost translucent slices and apply them to your eyes for about 30 minutes then wash and moisturize your face as you usually would. If you have pretty prominent dark circles this might be something you'd like to do every other day but in my experience 3 times a week is more than enough.
If having potatoes on your face is just not your thing you can mix a couple of table spoons of corn starch (نشا) in about 1/4 cups of hot water to create a 'milk like' color and let it cool completely. Then dip cotton pads in the mixture and apply to your eyes for 10-15 minutes.
Potatoes contain enzymes that help lighten the skin (they are used in many commercial skin lightening creams). Starch can help combat inflammation and will reduce the appearance of tired eyes.
Mix equal amounts ( I like about a tablespoon each) of rose water (ماء ورد ), sweet almond oil (زيت لوز حلو) and whole milk and apply the mixture under and if you like around your eyes and leave for 20- 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and a mild face wash then moisturize preferably with an all natural moisturizer. This DIY recipe is amazing because not only is it great for under eye circles, it's also amazing for your whole face as well as your body and you can use it every day or night because it's all natural and safe. Just please make sure to rinse it thoroughly because milk is a fresh ingredient that if left on your skin for too long can breed bacteria.
Almond oil is rich in vitamin E which is essential for great skin, the rose water is soothing and the whole milk is a great moisturizer that has been used since the times of Cleopatra (big up for our Egyptian heritage!!). This recipe is one of my absolute favorites and it's been in my family for a long time.
Finally if the dark circles are chronic, getting worse or are just not what you are normally used to, they might be an indication of an underlying physical problem so if you're noticing a difference go get it checked out. Dark circles can also be a hereditary problem so if your mom or sisters have them then it may mean that you will as well.
Like with all natural alternatives the most important ingredient of all of these tips is patience and you have to stick with them for a couple of months before seeing a drastic difference (but trust me the wait will be worth it!!) . You also have to keep in mind that all skin types are (sadly! wouldn't we all love Natalie Portman's complexion?) not created equal so some skin types will react and improve faster than others. No need to give up after the first time when your dark circles are not completely gone. GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT!
OK now that we have the pleasantries out of the way: 'Shhhhh' I promise won't tell a soul that concealer is every girl's best friend! Well I'm here to try and fix that, I'm not going to say that I will completely heal you of your 'concealer addiction' but I will definitely try to help with the symptoms. Keep on reading if you want some natural tips to get rid of those unsightly *whisper* dark under eye circles.
So first things first, none of the the tips below are a substitute for a restful night's sleep and drinking at least 2 liters ( 8 full cups) of water a day. If you're working (or partying *wink wink*) late every night and only getting 3-4 hours of sleep only to wake up and find dark under eye circles than NOTHING neither natural nor chemical can help rid you of them. You need to get plenty of rest and take good care of your body by eating iron rich foods (they are your best friends when trying to get rid of those pesky circles) such as spinach, guava, pomegranate, red meat (in moderation) and beans.
Now let's get to the tips:
#1 Cucumber isn't just for your salad anymore !
As cliche as it sounds and just like you see in the movies adding a couple of cool cucumber slices to your eyes for 15 minutes every other day can do wonders for the dark circles. You could also just use the juice of a cucumber dipped in a cotton pad and apply it to your eyes instead of the whole slices. They have the same effect. Take this time for yourself to relax, maybe put on you favorite music and just sit back and enjoy the cooling healing effect.
Cucmbers have plenty of antioxidants and naturally help with blood circulation which will not only reduce the appearance of under eye circles but with puffiness as well.
#2 Tannin-tastic Tea!
Don't throw away the tea bags after your morning or afternoon tea, keep them and let them cool completely then put the cooled tea bags on your eyes for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times a week. All types of tea will work for this treatment but my absolute favorites are green, chamomile and just plain black tea. On the long run you'll notice your eyes look less puffy and you'll see the circles fade away.
The tannin in the black tea will again help with blood circulation, the antioxidants in green tea will help rejuvenate your skin and the calming effect of the chamomile tea will reduce puffiness.
#3 Unlike For Your Figure: Starch is your Friend!
Or shall I say "Spuds are your buds" (oh yes i did!) . Ok moving on from my corny moment back there: Peel a potato and then slice it into really thin almost translucent slices and apply them to your eyes for about 30 minutes then wash and moisturize your face as you usually would. If you have pretty prominent dark circles this might be something you'd like to do every other day but in my experience 3 times a week is more than enough.
If having potatoes on your face is just not your thing you can mix a couple of table spoons of corn starch (نشا) in about 1/4 cups of hot water to create a 'milk like' color and let it cool completely. Then dip cotton pads in the mixture and apply to your eyes for 10-15 minutes.
Potatoes contain enzymes that help lighten the skin (they are used in many commercial skin lightening creams). Starch can help combat inflammation and will reduce the appearance of tired eyes.
#4 For my DIY (Do It Yourself) Enthusiasts Out There!
Mix equal amounts ( I like about a tablespoon each) of rose water (ماء ورد ), sweet almond oil (زيت لوز حلو) and whole milk and apply the mixture under and if you like around your eyes and leave for 20- 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and a mild face wash then moisturize preferably with an all natural moisturizer. This DIY recipe is amazing because not only is it great for under eye circles, it's also amazing for your whole face as well as your body and you can use it every day or night because it's all natural and safe. Just please make sure to rinse it thoroughly because milk is a fresh ingredient that if left on your skin for too long can breed bacteria.
Almond oil is rich in vitamin E which is essential for great skin, the rose water is soothing and the whole milk is a great moisturizer that has been used since the times of Cleopatra (big up for our Egyptian heritage!!). This recipe is one of my absolute favorites and it's been in my family for a long time.
Finally if the dark circles are chronic, getting worse or are just not what you are normally used to, they might be an indication of an underlying physical problem so if you're noticing a difference go get it checked out. Dark circles can also be a hereditary problem so if your mom or sisters have them then it may mean that you will as well.
Like with all natural alternatives the most important ingredient of all of these tips is patience and you have to stick with them for a couple of months before seeing a drastic difference (but trust me the wait will be worth it!!) . You also have to keep in mind that all skin types are (sadly! wouldn't we all love Natalie Portman's complexion?) not created equal so some skin types will react and improve faster than others. No need to give up after the first time when your dark circles are not completely gone. GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT!
As always if you'd like to know how to do anything naturally or have any questions about all of the info above just let me know BELOW in the comments box and if I have the answer I'll be sure to get back to you or write a post for your specific request.
Come back for more every 'beauty tuesday'!
Come back for more every 'beauty tuesday'!
Lots of Love!
love it farouha
ReplyDeleteOMG, this is absolutely wonderful! professional, thorough, all-natural...if you had a paper magazine i would buy it over Cosmopolitan any day. :)
ReplyDeleteyou have a great writing style :-) keep it up Farou7a :-)
ReplyDeleteAWESOMENESS!!!!!.... You SIMPLY ROCK Farou7yyy!!:) I can't wait to get rid of my black circles RIGHT NOW! heheh...so many tricks right here :D I can't wait for your next post ;)
ReplyDeleteThumbs up for your writing!! love it!
ReplyDeleteCan I just say that I have tried each of these tricks at one point in my life and I stuck to it religiously and nothing worked! Then I was talking to a dermatologist and I discovered three useful pieces of information:
ReplyDelete1. If you are anemic, then no amount of cucumber or expensive Clinique under eye cream can help. You need to take a blood test and start eating (and continuously eat) liver/leafy greens/molasses/etc until you get your hemoglobin up to a 13 or 14 and you will start to see a huge difference
2. If, like me, you have a light (or somewhat light) complexion and sit in front of a computer all day, not only are you straining your eyes, but the UV glare from the screen causes the dark circles to deepen. Solution? decrease the brightness of the monitor, wear glasses while on the computer (even if not prescription glasses, having the extra material between your eyes and the screen will help), take frequent breaks and splash lukewarm water on your face
3. The skin underneath and around the eyes is very thin and fragile. If you have a cold, allergies, or whatever irritation in your eyes, you will be tempted to rub them. Rubbing your eyes causes the blood vessels underneath to break and bruise which in turn will cause those effing circles. So you need to find an alternative solution like eye drops or whatever to cure that itching and stop you from rubbing. That's what she said.
Hope I helped!