Under eyes looking awful! 😩

[SickofWinter23]

Hi,

Another one I'm afraid. Pretty sure this has been done to death, but I'm honestly getting so down about my under eyes.

If I'm not sleeping well, there's no amount of cream, concealer, corrector that will do anything to not make me look like some sort of Halloween character. They're dry, dark, hollow in places, puffy in others and I'm starting to look older than my years (38) and I always used to get complimented on my appearance. Now I think I just blend into the background, as an older, invisible woman and it just feels horrible.

I've tried so many things - Creams and serums of all budgets, ice, lymph drainage, eye masks, tea bags, colour correctors, concealers - again, of all kinds. Nothing works.

Every time I catch myself in the mirror now I want to cry and that certainly won't help the issue! 😬

Is there anything less invasive than fillers that actually really does something?

I'm iron deficient, with VERY heavy periods, which I try to keep on top of with diet and supplements, but my sleep can also be effected, so I know these two together are not helping.

Amy suggestions or recommendations?

MTIA

No?...

Mine are awful too. I genuinely look severely unwell without make up. To the point that people check if I’m okay!

Slightly improves when I drink masses of water (3-4 litres to notice a difference.) Looks better temporarily after I go for a run. I use the little garnier under-eye things (put them in the fridge first!) which help a tiny bit.

I occasionally use a pink lipstick under my concealer. Works better for me than colour correcting concealers - but do have to wear quite heavy concealer and foundation over the top. Normal concealer does nothing.

Iron transfusion

I would consider getting the mirena IUD, that will sort your heavy periods. You need to tackle this issue - what does your doctor suggest? Also try Golden Greens chlorella tablets as a supplement.

It's a tricky one and depends how much of a quick fix you want. Pushing back against genetic predisposition to dark circles will take a while with overall probably little chance of long term hugely different results.

Short term look at good colour correcting concealers. There are loads of tutorials on YouTube.

Long term and the quickest fix may well be tear trough fillers. Only you will know if that's a route you are prepared to go down. It's not a miracle fox, but seems to work for a lot of people. I don't have it myself, but of the 3 people I know who do, their faces have been transformed.

@SickofWinter23 I’m the same age as you and I hear you. In my case they can be all crept and lined and make me look exhausted. Nothing against Botox at all but I would never risk filler in this area (blood clot , blindness, too vascular an and too near important veins and Botox doesn’t do anything for crept , under eyes . I have had years , 8+ of chronic sleep deprivation as 3 dcs closish together, they are all older now and sleep but my sleep hasn’t 100 percent recovered. I’m back working after years of v freelance and being very much around for my small kids and tbh could have done with a break inbetween as I’ve hit the ground running and the job though great is full on.
Basically I’m still now v tired as loads going on but all my dcs sleep.
The things that absolutely make a difference op :
Loads of water
sleep (9 hours ideal -I’ve 14/15 hour days of constant work )
cut out caffeine
more water
exercise
no alcohol
lashings of heavy moisturiser like aveene under eyes /oil works for me
More water
So interesting as I’m also anemic at times and have v v heavy periods (always have , worse again since kids ) so I take slow release iron every other day , I take cod liver oil , b vits and zinc.
I have definitely noticed a difference with all these points but it’s hard to stick to especially caffeine for me! Good luck op . I think at 38 there’s still time to rejuvenate a bit.

I totally relate and have the same thing. I'm someone who has always had genetic dark circles and it sucks big time. I got mesotherapy and the results were pretty crap for the money I paid. I don't smoke, drink, have a healthy diet etc but still have them. I'm looking into tear trough fillers as a last resort but will only go to someone well qualified and do my research

Are you me? Your path of life sounds exactly like mine. I’m going to try all your points tomorrow. Thank you for sharing.

I have terrible dark circles / hollow eyes and I always find a bit of fake tan on my face really helps. Can't think of anything else that has ever helped mine tbh, but I do think mine are hereditary and are quite grey so don't cover well.

Have you looked at tear trough filler? Can help with hollow & dark circles

Are you using eyelash serums at all?

Have you tried magnesium in the evening before sleep? Aside from water sleep etc I always fallback on tinted moisturiser/mild face tan, a thick under eye brightener or just really moisturise under your eye then if you mix a little bit of pink blush (depending on your skin; orange could work better) in with your concealer it can counter the darkness, I use a concealer pencil on my inner line also to look fresher.

Another tip is to put your eye cream on and then put Vaseline over if you seal it, worth a go but can be annoying and itchy.

I am not vain but I like to try and trick my brain that I’m ok when I’m not sleeping as my partner has metastatic cancer.

Also Lisa Eldridge has some good videos on YouTube on dark circle correction/brightening effects etc.

Ps op definitely try and get your anaemia sorted as that will help with other symptoms x

@whatatanker I definitely think increasing water intake and sleep are the most important , the latter not always being the easiest to come by !

I keep my under eye moisturiser (Paula's choice) in the fridge and apply morning and night tapping lightly with my fingertips.

Caudalie has a new concealer that looks good. I haven't tried it yet though.