Dark circles are, like many things as it relates to the skin, a combination of genetics and lifestyle. Yes, they tend to show up when we are tired and aren’t taking care of ourselves. And yes, some folks are genetically predisposed to them more than others. First and foremost, you’ll want to address any environmental triggers that may be causing them (reduced sleep quality, increased stress, dietary influences, allergies, and so on). But given we aren’t always in complete control of our circumstances, having an eye cream on hand can help tend to their appearance as well. (Hey, sometimes we just need a quick swipe of cream to get us on our way!) If that’s you, you’ve come to the right place. To explain further: Thin skin around the area reveals blood vessels underneath, contributing to discoloration. While you can simply have thin skin in the area naturally, the color can become exacerbated by lack of sleep or lifestyle issues that cause blood vessels to expand, resulting in more blood in the area. This is addressed with vasoconstrictors, like caffeine and a select other botanicals. Or more melanin production can cause skin in the area to become darker naturally. This is more common with people with darker skin tones. This is addressed by antioxidants, such as vitamin C. So when—if at all—should you add an eye cream to your routine? The answer is simply when your eye circles, fine lines, or puffiness become noticeable to you and you want to do something about it. Since these issues all take unique approaches and targeted actives to adequately address them, there’s certainly a case for using an eye cream. Because while a regular face cream hydrates the area, it won’t be able to address the root cause of dark circles, as an eye treatment might. Our high standards also come from testing products—many, many products. Our editors and writers rigorously test and research the products featured in our roundups to offer you the best, most informed recommendations. When we write reviews, you can trust we spend quality time with the formulas: We don’t simply rave about products we’ve slathered on the back of our hand. We endorse products we’ve tried and loved. Learn more about our testing process and clean beauty standards here.
