Excess baggage

Eyelifts are all the rage in Hollywood, but is there anything else that can help with undereye bags and dark circles?

"Our eyes are the windows to our soul. Dark rings and bags around the eye can make one look tired and haggard," says Anne Treier, managing director at Sense of Touch spa chain. Bags and circles, Treier explains, are caused by many factors: poor circulation, genes, ageing, stress, lack of sleep, smoking and more.

"The most common cause is pigmentation - the skin under the eye is the thinnest, and so pigment is transparent. Asians, Africans and darker-skinned individuals are more susceptible because of overpigmentation in the skin."

So what tips does Treier give to help banish those puffy dark circles? "Avoid caffeine and energy drinks, because these cause dehydration, which worsens dark circles. Add iron-rich and low-sodium foods to your diet, hydrate well, find time to sleep and boost skin health with daily vitamins. Immediate relief is in your cupboard; try cool teabags placed on the eye for 10 minutes. Invest in good skincare and use stronger creams - vitamins C, K and retinol help reduce discoloration and eye puffiness. Shallow skin lasers and an intense diamond peel or microdermabrasion can also reduce dark patches, while facials can help drain excess fluid and help repair damaged skin."

At-home treatments to try include eye boosters such as Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment and lightening products like Murad's Essential-C Eye Cream with SPF 15 and vitamin C to help reduce pigmentation. 

Have a beauty problem that needs to be solved? Send your questions to faces@scmp.com