Easy Natural Beauty

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At some point, most people will look in the mirror one morning and see those dreaded dark circles under their eyes. Maybe they just stayed up too late; maybe they drank a little too much (okay, a lot too much); maybe it’s in their genes; or maybe they’re just getting a little older. My own dark circles are allergy-related.



You could have dark circle under your eyes for any of these factors or any combination of them. Fortunately, there are just as many ways to prevent and eliminate those circles as there are causes for them.

Prevention

Prevention is usually the best medicine, so let’s start there.



Dehydration causes a ton of different problems – including dark undereye circles – and many people don’t even realize they’re dehydrated. There’s an easy fix (and helps even if your dark circles are genetic): Drink plenty of water (eight 8-ounce glasses a day).  And keep away from caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, which can all lead to dehydration, and salt, which can lead to fluid-retention and undereye puffiness.



Since dark circles can be a sign of poor nutrition, check your diet and be sure it’s balanced. Does your diet include enough B-vitamins, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin E? They’re all necessary for healthy skin, and just supplementing your vitamin E intake could eliminate those dark circles.



And, in case that didn’t sound enough like your mother: Get plenty of sleep. If you’ve got dark circles, you may want to try working in an extra hour of sleep to see if that might solve the problem.



Yep: Drink water, eat a balanced diet, and get enough sleep. You’ve heard it all before . . . and that’s because there’s a reason.

But I’ve Still Got Them . . .

If you’ve tried the tips above – or are in need of immediate treatment – here are five easy recommendations to help you right now:



1. Cucumber. A couple of slices of cucumber placed under your eyes for 10 minutes can help reduce the puffiness as well as tighten the undereye area.



2. Chamomile tea bags. Steep some chamomile tea bags in hot water, then rinse in cool water. Place them under your eyes for 20 minutes or so to help eliminate the puffiness and the dark circles.



3. Almond oil. Massage almond oil around and under your eyes. This also works with peanut oil.



4. Potatoes. Grate a small red potato and put the gratings on gauze pads. Place the pads (with the potato gratings) on your eyes and leave for about 10 minutes.



5. Rose water. Apply rose water on cotton balls to the undereye area for about 10 minutes.



Hope these tips help you look your best for New Year’s Eve . . . and after New Year’s Eve.