Dark circles are quite common and usually don’t imply a serious health concern. However, their appearance still causes a lot of stress among people. Even if you take good care of your skin and have a healthy complexion, appearance of those darkened areas under the eyes will make you look old, tired and dull.
And, that’s quite frustrating!
If you are struggling with this problem, then don't worry. Like all skin problems, the science of Ayurveda provides us simple remedies to treat dark circles as well.
Ayurveda identifies stress as the biggest enemy for the eyes.
Be it physical or environmental stress, long working hours, sleepless nights or protracted crying, all of them disturb the natural doshic balance of your eyes. The skin under the eyes becomes thin and the blood vessels underneath it become visible as dark circles.
In some cases, however, dark circles is a genetic issue that is further aggravated due to stress.
We cannot remove these stressors from our lives completely. However, we can find ways to prevent dark circles and get rid of them naturally.
The simplest way is to set aside some time everyday to take care of the skin under our eyes so that it recovers from day-to-day stress. Irrespective of the cause of dark circles, soothing your eyes with the Ayurvedic ingredients will help you get relief from the problem.
How to remove dark circles naturally?
The skin under the eyes is very thin and could be irritated by trying chemical products. Let’s explore natural home remedies which will surely help you lighten the skin tone under your eyes, without harming the skin in any way!
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1. Use rosewater to soothe the under eye skin
Dark circles appear due to darkening of the thin layer of skin under the eye. Rose Water lightens the skin tone and provides a soothing and calming effect. The refreshing fragrance of rosewater relaxes the senses.
How to use -
Take cotton pads and soak it in water. Then, soak the wet cotton pads into rose water. Apply these rose water soaked cotton pads onto eyes at least twice a week. Use only pure and natural rose water to get best results.
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2. Apply cold tea bags on your eyes
The skin under the eyes will lighten when the dilated blood vessels constrict in due time. This can be achieved by a simple procedure. Apply cold tea bags on your eyes at night. The polyphenols and catechins found in tea help in reducing the dark circles by constricting dilated blood vessels and reduce the dark circles.
How to use -
Take two tea bags, preferably of green tea and add it to 300 ml of refrigerated water. Finally, dip the tea bags into it and press out excess water. Apply it onto the eyes for 10-15 minutes, after that wash your face with cold water. Try it twice a day for effective results.
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3. Saffron for removing dark circles
Saffron is used as an Ayurvedic medicine for skin problems for since a very long time. It has antioxidant & anti-inflammatory properties, they help in reducing the complexion of the skin. It even cures the fine lines and dark circles that result from ageing.
How to use-
Take a spoon full of milk (raw), add some strands of saffron into it, let it soak for some time. Now, your mixture is ready.
Apply the mixture with help of finger tips on dark circle prone area. Apply it overnight and wash it next day. If seems messy, you can wash it after 15 minutes with cold water. Continue the process for a few weeks for better results.
Alternatively, you can use Ayurvedic night creams that are rich in Saffron. Kama Ayurveda’s Rejuvenating and Brightening Ayurvedic Night Cream is a powerful Ayurveda based formula created from with the finest of Saffron from Kashmir which helps in reducing dark circles.
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4. Apply Kumkumadi Oil under the eyes
Kumkumadi Tailam is considered Ayurveda’s invaluable gift to mankind for its uncanny ability to eradicate skin related issues and bring out the skin’s natural glow.
One of its most well known benefits for skin is reducing dark circles and other signs of ageing. The name Kumkumadi comes from one of its key ingredients - red-gold Saffron.
How to use -
At night, take two drops of oil onto your palm and apply on your dark circle with ring finger. Do this for both the eyes and leave it to work overnight. You may use Kama Ayurveda’s Kumkumadi Oil Miraculous Beauty Night Serum every night to get rid of dark circles.
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5. DIY Coffee and Honey Scrub for dark circles
Coffee is believed to have antioxidants in large amount, therefore it is often used to treat problems of puffy eyes, swollen eyes, or even dark circles. Coffee contains caffeine which is a natural skin toner that improves blood circulation and reduces dark circles.
Let’s see how to make a coffee scrub for your eyes.
How to make -
Take one tablespoon of organic coffee powder. Also, one tablespoon of honey and mix the paste well. Honey is a natural moisturizer that helps in absorption of caffeine in the skin for reducing the dark circles.
Apply the mixture around your eyes especially on dark circles. Leave it overnight or after 30 minutes, if you experience any irritation.
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6. Apply lemon juice to get rid of dark circles
Lemon has bleaching properties and is rich in vitamin C. It helps in lightening the skin and reduce the appearance of dark circles. The regular use of lemon juice also strengthens the thin skin area under the eyes and reduces pigmentation and darkening.
How to use -
Take small quantity of lemon juice. Now, take a small quantity of tomato juice. Mix it well. Apply the mixture of both juices under your eyes with the help of cotton pads.
After drying, reapply it, let it dry for 10-15 minutes, and wash it. You can apply it daily for good results.
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7. Massage aloe vera gel under your eyes
One of the most promising beauty picks is aloe vera gel as it soothes the skin and nourishes it deeply. Aloe vera gel has no side effects and you can use it afresh just by plucking the aloe vera leaf from your garden. It reduces dark circles by hydrating the skin and boosting blood circulation.
How to make -
Take an aloe vera leaf from your garden, slit it open with a kitchen knife. Scale off the gel part only. Apply the gel onto dark circle prone area, gently.
Massage for few minutes in circular motions until it holds onto your skin. After 10-12 minutes wipe it out using soft moist cloth. Try this remedy at least twice a day - once in the morning and once before bedtime. You’ll see visible results soon.
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8. Apply cold milk to the eyes
Lactic acid in milk is vital in fighting ageing and pigmentation associated with the skin. Moreover, the coolness of milk provides relaxation to blood vessels present in the under eye region.
How to use -
Take half a cup of cold milk and dip two cotton pads into it. Place these cotton pads on the affected areas. For faster results, do this twice a week.
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9. Apply crushed mint leaves under eyes
Mint is a well-known Ayurvedic ingredient for treating skin issues. Methanol present in mint leaves reduces water retention under the skin which relieves puffiness and soothes tired eyes.
How to use -
Take 8-10 leaves of mint, crush them by adding a few drops of water and make a smooth paste. Now, apply this paste on your dark circles, let it dry for 10 minutes. After that, wash it with cold water.
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10. Apply potato juice for soothing under eyes
The most common vegetable, potato has great amount of starch and enzymes in it. The astringent properties and enzymes reduce the inflammation and helps in tightening of skin. Therefore, helping in reduction of dark circles.
How to use-
Take a potato, grate it. Squeeze the grated potato to obtain the juice. Now, clean the juice with the help of muslin cloth.
Take cotton balls, dip them into potato juice. Apply it onto your dark circles, let it be there for 10-20 minutes. Then, wash it with cold water. Do this exercise once in two days, at least.
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11. Apply Turmeric Powder Paste under eyes
Turmeric is well known for its antioxidant properties and is a proven Ayurvedic healer. It has a powerful compound called curcumin which enhances the glow of the skin. It effectively reduces the melanin production and helps in overcoming dark circles.
How to use -
Take few mint leaves, crush them and strain the juice. Take one teaspoon gram flour, half teaspoon turmeric powder and add it to the juice of mint leaves to make a paste.
Apply this mixture onto the affected area, leave for 15-20 minutes. Try it thrice in a week for better results.
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12. Apply Argan oil to remove dark circles caused by ageing
Argan oil contains Vitamin E and fatty acids that helps in retaining moisture to the skin. It also has high antioxidant properties that relieves signs of ageing like dark circles. Ageing is a natural cause of dark circles. Fat and collagen around the eyes reduces as we age and the skin becomes thinner. Through thin skin, blood vessels become more visible.
How to use -
Take few drops of Argan oil. Warm the oil but do not heat it directly. Wash the fingertips to perfection.
Apply the oil on affected areas while massaging it in circular motions. This will help your skin in absorbing the oil. Apply it everyday and leave it overnight to get a rejuvenating and young skin.
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13. Apply baking soda on dark circles to brighten the skin under the eyes
Baking soda is easily available as a cooking ingredient in most of the households. However, not many people know that it has complexion enhancing properties. Its regular use helps in getting rid of dark circles.
How to use -
Take warm water and add one teaspoon baking soda to it. Dip two cotton pads into this paste and place it under your eyes for 10-15 minutes. For quick results, try this remedy once a day.
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14. Amla for renewed skin under the eyes
Alma is a natural antioxidant that rejuvenates the skin to reveal a healthy glow. It is also rich in vitamin C which helps in regenerating the skin cells and removing dark circles caused by environmental stress.
How to use -
Take one teaspoon amla powder and add honey to it. Mix it well to make a smooth paste. Apply it regularly on the affected areas for 10-15 minutes.
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15. Apply grapeseed oil under the eyes
The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of grapeseed oil make it a boon for fighting against the dark circles. The massaging of oil reduces the stress on the blood vessels, thus ensuring proper blood flow resulting in reduced dark circles.
How to use -
Take few drops (3 drops) of Grapeseed oil.
Apply the oil using your fingertips while gently massaging in a circular motion. Let the skin absorb the oil. Leave it overnight, you can try it twice a day.
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16. Apply cucumber slices to soothe your eyes
Cucumber is a popular remedy for dark circles. The cucumber contains a lot of antioxidants which help in soothing the eyes, therefore, improving the dark circles at a very fast rate.
How to use-
Take a cucumber of medium size and peel it off. Now, cut slices of moderate thickness.
Keep a slice of cucumber on each of your eyes for 10-15 minutes. You can try it very often like two times in a day.
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17. Licorice Root and Vitamin K for removing dark circles
The Licorice root extract is full of iso-flavonoids which help in keeping pigmentation at bay. Vitamin K promotes proper blood circulation, therefore reducing the dark circles naturally.
How to use-
Take a Vitamin K capsule, empty its content into a spoon. Now, add 3 to 4 drops of Licorice root extract into it. Give it a nice stir, until you get a thick and smooth paste.
Spread it with the help of fingertips or ear buds. Apply on the dark circles prone area and wash it after 10 minutes. Try it once every day.
Alternatively, you can apply Kumkumadi Tailam under the eyes every night before sleeping. Kumkumadi Oil has licorice root as one of the key ingredients.
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18. Almond oil to remove dark circles naturally
Almond oil contains lots of vitamins and mono-saturated fatty acids which help in lightening of skin tone. The vitamin E present in this plays a major role in overcoming dark circles. Most importantly, almond oil also provides nourishment to the skin.
How to use-
Take 3-4 drops of almond oil.
Massage the oil onto your dark circles before going to bed at night. Do it for at least 2-3 minutes in circular motions so that the oil gets absorbed in the skin.
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19. Orange juice for reducing dark circles
We all know that oranges are rich in vitamin C. The dark circles are sometimes a result of improper blood flow. The presence of vitamin C along with citric acid facilitates the proper flow of blood. Thus, effectively reducing dark circles.
How to use-
Take an orange, peel it off. Squeeze the juice out of it. Do not throw the peel of orange as it is also helpful in fighting with dark circles.
Apply the juice with the help of cotton pad. Leave it for 30 minutes and then, wash it gently with cold water. Try it once everyday.
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20. Apply Orange Peel Extract with Rose Water under your eyes
Orange peel extracts contain Vitamin C, Phosphorus and Magnesium that helps in lightening the skin and removing dark circles. The combination of orange peel powder and rosewater works brilliantly as the rosewater soothes the under eye area.
How to use -
The orange peel rich in citric acid can be dried and then make a fine powder can be made out of it. Mix this fine powder with few drops of rose water, thus making a smooth paste.
Now, apply this orange peel paste onto your skin. Then, massage it gently such that it acts as a scrub. Wash it after 10 minutes with tap water. You can try it twice a week.
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21. Apply Castor Oil under your eyes
The dark circles may result from dead skin cells or ruptured and pigmented cells. Castor oil is a proven Ayurvedic solution to rejuvenate the skin and produce new cells. Not only this, castor oil also conditions the dry and dull under eye region, therefore, making it lighter and brighter.
How to use-
Make the right choice regarding the brand of castor oil. Take a few drops of castor oil on a cotton swab. Apply castor oil using the cotton swab. Leave it overnight for procuring better results. Try it everyday before going to bed.
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22. Apply Jojoba Oil under your eyes
Jojoba oil penetrates the different layers of the skin to repair it from within. It helps in rejuvenating the dried skin and provides the required nourishment to the skin. Therefore, reducing the dullness and dryness.
How to use-
For this, you should only buy organic jojoba oil. Spread few drops of jojoba oil on a cotton swab. Apply the oil on the affected area, leave it overnight. For fast results use it everyday before getting to bed.
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23. Apply ice cubes under your eyes
If we improve the blood circulation under eye region, the dark circles can be reduced. The ice cubes help reduce stress in the blood vessels under the eyes by increasing the proper blood flow.
How to use -
Take 2-3 ice cubes and keep them on the affected area.
If you’re getting irritated by trickling water then, you can place the ice cubes in a clean cotton handkerchief first and then, keep it on your eyes. You can try it whenever you feel like.
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24. Apply Olive Oil to your eyes
Olive oil is effective for dark circles as it contains fatty acids which nourish the skin and reduce the dark circles by lowering the skin tone in under eye region.
How to use-
Try to buy authentic organic olive oil for better results. Apply it using the fingers or cotton swab.
Massage for 2-3 minutes until the oil gets absorbed. Leave it overnight. You can try it daily.
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25. Apply tomato juice on your eyes
Tomato contains bleaching properties which help in lightening the skin tone of dark circle prone area. Lycopene, a phytochemical found in tomatoes helps in keeping the skin wrinkle free.