STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

It sounds like the dark circles really bother you. I'm sorry that you are dealing with them; they can be very frustrating. My sister has them pretty badly too, and they seem to be a symptom associated with her robust allergies. When she's suffering from a bad bout of allergies, the dark circles intensify greatly. Even still, she always seems to have them (our dad was of 100% Italian descent, and she got more of those qualities than I did (I got more of the Irish/Finnish). That's what makes undereye circles especially difficult to treat; they can be caused by many different things (including heredity). Also, doctors and appearance industry professionals don't have a good handle on the exact why/what/hows of undereye circles.

I don't know of any treatments that lighten them, and concealers are very subjective. I imagine you've tried a bunch.

I can recommend two concealers that are not super popular (maybe you haven't tried them) for you to check out.  

Morgen Schick Hide or Higlight http://beauty.hsn.com/morgen-schick_c-bs_a-142_xc.aspx

I don't know why, but Morgen's actual website gives me a virus/malware warning (I'm running Safari on Mac OS Lion), but the best place to get her stuff is HSN anyway.  Her concealers should be applied with a foundation brush (concealer brush) (the ones with yellowy-orange bristles/hairs).  I usually moisturize well underneath (not TOO well around the eyes) and brush on the concealer - - building coverage until I'm satisfied. You'll find that the concealers are a little stiff, but that is a good thing. It allows you to control how much you put on. Her sets are great cuz you can mix colors to get the shade you need. They're all there.

I tried Vincent Longo's creme concealer a long time ago, and it was great! I got excellent coverage using that kind of "dry brushing" technique that you'll use with Morgen's concealers. VL's concealers are also somewhat stiff.

http://vincentlongo.com/catalog/4

If it is at all possible, see if you can get VL's concealer in a palette. You might have to search a bit for a special or a promotional palette. Once upon a time, Bath & Body Works sold the VL line in their cosmetics section. Haven't checked in a long time. Having a palette allows you to mix shades.

Outside of cosmetics & concealers, here are some shot-in-the-dark ideas (the cool thing is, if they don't work on the circles, you'll feel awesome anyway):

- If you have allergies, make sure you are getting medical attention and treatment for them. Also do everything you can to avoid the allergens that cause you trouble.
* This includes food allergies!

- Exercise regularly. 

- Make sure that you are getting enough sleep, and that your sleep hygiene is in tip-top shape.

- Stay hydrated.

- Try eating very clean. http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/The-Magazine/About-The-Magazine.aspx 

- Consider starting a clean diet with a safe, gentle cleanse of some sort.

- Ween yourself off of caffeine if you drink or eat it now.

 

Article:

This article is kind of old, but it conveys the frustration people feel and gives some ideas for posible solutions.  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/fashion/12SKIN.html

Best wishes, Bloomie, for some relief from this issue.

I too suffer from what I consider to be extreme under eye circles. I have tried every cheap and expensive remedy I can find. Nothing has worked well enough to continue the treatment.

Besides the circles, I have 2 other things contributing to the effect: dark and thick veins under each eye, which make them appear only more dark/blue. It would take plastic surgery to remove them, and of course it isn't covered by insurance. And, most mascara rubs off (even water proof) adding that little something extra to my undereye. Kanebo and fiberlash are the only mascaras that don't seem to do this.

I will say this. Bone structure and the shadows that are created also contribute in my case. When I get a cosmetic dermatology treatment, my face swells a bit. And, when my face swells under my eyes the effect is lessened quite a bit.

It took me a LONG time to realize these things, and I understand that they limit me in my ability to cover them.

So, I would recommend a real lon glook to determine if there is anything that is helping them look dark, that you can't help, so you can better evaluate how well the remedies work.

Best of luck, and if you find anything that works for you, let us know!

Thanks so much. I think I am going to first try the Garnier Anti Dark Circle Roller and if that doesn't work, move on from there to some of the other suggestions.