The Issue:

Sleep deprivation contributes to paler skin, allowing dark tissues and vessels beneath your skin to show—resulting in those dreaded dark circles. But even after a good night’s sleep, you may wake up with dark circles under your lower eyelids and puffy eyes. Whether from a late night, a couple of drinks, or no clear reason at all, it can be worse on some days than others. Even when your sleep routine is on point, people still ask if you're tired or suffering from allergies.

Causes:

There are many factors that contribute to the appearance of dark circles. It's a form of edema—water retention under the eyes—and is not necessarily an issue with the skin itself. Because we spend hours lying down at night, excess water settles under the eyes, which is why we often wake up with puffy eyes that improve throughout the day.

Unfortunately, daily irritants can trigger puffiness. Allergies, sinus problems, dust, and pollution can increase inflammation as well as water retention. Smoke, excessive heat or air conditioning, and eye strain (such as reading in the dark, staring at a computer screen, or squinting in bright light) can also be triggers—anything that makes your eyes water.

Fluctuations in the body’s hormones, blood sugar, or hemoglobin levels can contribute to puffy eyes. These changes in body chemistry affect our kidneys, which are responsible for cleaning toxins from the blood, and in turn, influence the water balance throughout the body, including around the eyes. Medications that affect the body’s natural water balance, whether causing dehydration or water retention, can also lead to puffiness. Although counterintuitive, dehydration is a major cause of puffiness. When we’re dehydrated, our eye sockets store extra water.

As we age, our eyes have a harder time adapting to these conditions, which means we may notice more frequent or severely puffy eyes. On top of that, the skin around the eyes weakens and thins with age, making dark circles even more noticeable.

Treatment Options:

Treatment options for dark circles vary greatly in terms of price and invasiveness. For those who don’t mind costly procedures, Botox, Juvederm, and Restylane can be used alone or in combination. These treatments involve injecting a small syringe under the eye to reduce puffiness and wrinkles, with results lasting up to six months. The only permanent solution is plastic surgery, though eyelifts can alter the overall appearance of the face, sometimes resulting in a “pulled tight” look.

On the other hand, quick and affordable home remedies include cucumbers, tea bags, cold compresses, and other items placed on the eyes to reduce water retention. While these methods can provide temporary relief, serums and eye creams that contain the vitamins and minerals found in cucumbers and tea—along with collagen—can yield longer-lasting and more complete results (think reduced puffiness, wrinkles, and dark circles altogether!).

This Works Great For:

Women and men who experience chronic eye puffiness and dark circles that persist beyond their morning routine. Those who take medications or follow special diets that cause water retention or dehydration, or those who live in extreme climates or areas with a lot of irritants, including pollution and allergens, can also benefit. Specially formulated serums and creams work particularly well for people experiencing age-related puffiness.

How It Works:

The combination of ingredients—including chamomile, green tea, jojoba oil, aloe vera, and nutrient-rich water from the Dead Sea—improves blood circulation around the eyes, which is the first step to reducing puffiness. The eye serum maximizes the impact of these ingredients by penetrating the deepest layers of the epidermis, stretching the skin and opening fine lines. This allows the collagen found in both the serum and cream to fill wrinkles for a smoother, rejuvenated appearance.

Applied on top of the serum, the eye cream tightens the skin and locks in vitamins and minerals, where they continue to improve circulation and reduce puffiness. Packed with seaweed and beta carotene, the eye cream protects the skin from harmful environmental irritants, stimulates blood flow, and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, keeping eye puffiness at bay throughout the day.

How This Is Different from Other Eye Treatments: Unlike most skincare products, this puff-reducing duo contains no phthalates, which can damage the liver and kidneys—key organs in fighting puffiness. Commonly used synthetic alcohols and artificial dyes, which can further irritate delicate eye skin, are found in many other eye treatments.

Like the entire Arianna Skincare line, the use of minerals from the Dead Sea makes these products more potent and effective than typical collagen-boosting serums and creams. The unique combination and high concentration of minerals allow for deeper epidermal stimulation, leading to better, longer-lasting results.

Collagen Boost Eye Serum Treatment

After washing your face, gently apply a dime-sized amount to the delicate eye area using the pad of your ring finger. Apply nightly about 15 minutes before bed for maximal impact.

Instant Repair Collagen Eye Cream

Using light circular motions, apply a dime-sized amount over the serum at night and before applying makeup in the morning.