Consider the lives many of us lead today:

• Constant accessibility to work: iPhone + Blackberry always within reach
• High Intensity Lifestyle: rise at crack of dawn / gym / kids / chic attire / career / education / organic, grass-fed, striving-to-be-gourmet diet / conquer the world
• The Social Media Vortex: How much of your day evaporates into perusing Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, various blogs?

All the time we spend “doing” doesn’t exactly leave much time for resting – which, in truth, is just as important, if not more important. Your bod gets you from point A to point B, right?  Well, we want you to feel (from the moment you start your day all the way until you hit the pillow at night) like the gorgeous go-getter that you are; so, I’ve researched and compiled a list of a few of the best under-eye-dark-circle treatments on the market right now.

Ranging in price from drug-store-gems to splurge-worthy designer cosmetics – I hope reading this will illustrate how easy (and necessary!) it is to devote some time to you and yourself alone. Think of all that you do for other people, and I have a feeling you’ll concur that working in 3 – 10 minutes of “me” time to your daily routine is a well deserved must.

I consulted skin health expert, Kate Somerville, for advice on which ingredients you should seek out, how and when it’s best to apply your treatment, and what she, personally, does to prevent dark, baggy eyes.

1. Ingredients: “Vitamin C & E are proven antioxidants, which fight those free radicals that cause damage to healthy cells and DNA.” These powerhouse vitamins “boost healing and tissue repair to enhance immunity.” Kate is “also a huge believer in hyaluronic acid as a topical ingredient, because it functions to hold water in [your skin].” It’s “a powerful humectant, occlusive, and emollient…binds water into the skin cells and helps them hold a thousand times their weight in water.” Can you say hydrating powerhouse? 
2. How, When, and Why: I’ve heard under-eye darkness is essentially pooled blood showing through very thin skin (yikes!) and that it’s best to apply treatments in a circular motion out and away from your eye (start at the tear duct and smooth the product on while rotating your finger until you reach the outside of the orbital bone.) Kate explained that, “You should gently pat and massage products in…Just be sure not to tug and pull on your skin.” She also mentioned that, “The thicker the cream, the more you need to smooth it in, because the [key] ingredient is suspended in oils and will just sit on the surface of your skin if you don’t dissolve the oil.” And, “with some creams like CytoCell Dark Circle Corrective Eye Cream, [she] [recommends] twice a day [use] – morning and evening – in order to quickly alleviate the appearance of puffiness, diminish dark circles, and reduce the appearance of fine lines.” 
3. According to Kate: When I inquired what her personal tricks are to keep dark circles in check, Kate provided quite enlightening tips – “I use products that help speed up cell turnover to get rid of damage deep in the layers of the skin.” Her “at-home solutions include a potato poultice and tea bags.” To make a potato poultice, chop a refrigerated potato into small pieces, place and bind into two separate pieces of cheesecloth, and lay each over your eyes for about ten minutes. Alternatively, you can steep two tea bags of green tea, allow them to cool, and then place one bag over each eye while lying down. Kate says, “the caffeine in the tea will help tighten the tissue, as well as reduce puffiness.” And when she travels, Kate turns to the stand-by spoon-in-the-fridge-or-freezer trick – cool two metal spoons for a half hour then lay the bowled parts over your eyes – to “de-puff and reduce tired circles”.

Now that you know how and when to apply, here are product options for every budget that Jen and I both tried and loved:

On the Cheap:

1. EyeSlices Biotanix Legendary Eyes $18.00

Benefits: Noticeable difference in legitimately ten minutes. I’ve tried them, and I love how quickly they work. The line also offers variations for multiple conditions – allergies / hangover / wrinkles.

2.  Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff Roller $13.95

Benefits: Caffeine (tightening) + Pro-Vitamin B5 (hydrating)

Splurge-Worthy:

3. Dr. Brandt Dark Circles Away Collagen Serum $55.00

I used this on one eye and the Garnier on the other. Personally, I prefer the results I saw from Dr. Brandt’s eye roller. Plus, I found the Dr. Brandt applicator easier to maneuver, because you give it a pump and then roll it around – as opposed to the Garnier that dispenses serum continuously as you roll it around your eye area.

4. CytoCell Dark Circle Corrective Eye Cream $75.00

Benefit: Concocted by Kate, The Expert + multiple active, key ingredients proven to give visible results.

Bye-bye raccoon eyes! Hello, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!

xx

E

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