the great light ways
Strategy 1
Makeup
Concealer can wipe out a month of sleepless nights—on the outside, anyhow. To find the right shade and formula, Trae Bodge, cofounder and creative director of Three Custom Color Specialists, recommends a cream that's just a shade or two lighter than the rest of your face. "That consistency blends best," she says. And once you've found your ideal camouflage, don't just dip in and dab away. "Try a brush," says Bodge. "You use much less product and avoid caking, too. It helps you get close to the lash line, where discoloration can be prominent." Hollywood makeup artist Napoleon Perdis also prefers cream formulas and brushes, which he uses to "feather on" concealer. Just don't go too crazy. "Women are their own worst critics," he says. "They'll pick a cover-up that's too light and apply it too heavily. Often, their circles aren't as bad as they think."
Strategy 2
Diet
You can also consider addressing the problem not with what you put on your body, but with what you put in it: Poor nutrition (alas, a handful of Swedish fish contains no omega-3 fatty acids) can manifest itself in undereye circles. "The face is the symbol of a person's wellness—including circles around the eyes," says Eric Braverman, a New York City internist and the author of Younger You: Unlock the Hidden Power of Your Brain to Look and Feel 15 Years Younger. "The darkness may indicate allergies or a sinus disease." Nutritional deficits, particularly of iron, calcium, and protein, can also be a factor. "My wife is pregnant right now," Braverman says, "and even though she was sleeping eight hours a night, her circles got worse. We determined that she needed to eat more protein." Excess alcohol or sugar is thought to be problematic, too.
Strategy 3
Lightners and plumpers
If you're feeling like Captain Jack Sparrow, no one would blame you for reaching for one of the many salves made to soothe and soften crinkly undereye skin and lighten excess pigmentation. Look for over-the-counter products with plumping antioxidants, such as vitamin C, or lightening ingredients, such as kojic acid, soy, licorice, or mushroom extract. Prescription treatments include Retin-A, which thickens collagen, and Tri-Luma, which contains the bleaching agent hydroquinonealthough you should know that while it was approved by the FDA in the early 1980s, hydroquinone has come under scrutiny lately as a possible carcinogen. Anyway, according to Brandt, it may be a moot point—and an unnecessary purchase—since the substance works only on circles from hyperpigmentation, not on the more common vascular darkness.
Strategy 4
Injections
Lastly, of course, there's the solution that works in the blink of an eye—or the pinch of a syringe: injectable fillers that plump up hollowness and make the area look less shadowy. "The undereye-filler procedure is one of my favorites," says Mount Sinai's Marmur, who adds that the in-office treatment (which requires annual touch-ups) "is simple but gives a beautiful, youthful look. Fillers provide a clear layer between the skin and muscle—as is natural in the rest of the face—to lighten the color." Brandt also gives undereye injections the thumbs-up, especially when the filler is Restylane, a hyaluronic acid lauded for its plumping power. "I like it," he says, "because it feels very soft and you can be confident about what the result will look like. The other choices [for filler] are fat, which is less predictable, and Sculptra, which can result in lumps and bumps."
