Dark circles underneath the eyes can be caused by a number of factors; lack of sleep, fatigue and stress, sickness, poor nutrition and diet. The eyelids are among the thinnest areas of skin on your body (0.5 mm thick).

Fluid retention can also cause puffiness underneath the eyes - giving a shadowed effect.

Treatments For Dark Circles Under the Eyes

CUCUMBER
Clean your face of all make up. Cut thin slices of cucumber. Chill them. Now lie down and shut your eyes. Apply chilled cucumber slices over your eyes and under eye area and relax. Leave it on for 15 minutes. Gently rub the slices over and under eye area, and then wash off. You will feel relaxed and refreshed. The natural moisture from the cucumber acts as a healing tonic, while the cucumber juice helps to lighten the skin too. Great for tired and puffy eyes. Helps to get rid of dark circles under eyes or around eyes.

ICE CUBES
When you get in from the hot sun, your eyes are tired and bloodshot. You also develop dark circles and shadows due to heat and pollution. Try this: wash your face. Take some ice cubes and wrap them in two pieces of muslin. Lie down and shut your eyes. Place one ice cube pack over each eye, rubbing gently. This will immediately ease the 'burnt up' skin feeling. Regular use helps to lighten the dark circles under the eyes or even remove them.

GREEN GOURD
You could similarly use slices of green gourd instead of cucumber. The juice of the green gourd also helps in lightly moisturizing as well as lightening the skin tones. Regular use helps to lighten the dark circles under the eyes.

Also make sure you do the following:

• Get enough sleep. Try to go to bed a little earlier than normal.
• Use sunscreen every day and moisturize in the night preferably using a good under eye cream such as the recommended Drink plenty of water to hydrate the skin.
• Apply cold compresses.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Iron deficiency (and anemia) can cause dark circles around the eyes.

Cosmetic Treatment For Dark Circles

If All Else Fails - Camouflage!

The fastest cure for dark circles is to apply concealer. Choose a gold-based color that matches your skin shade exactly (the gold will counteract the blue of the under eye circle).

The most common mistake when applying concealer is choosing a color that's too light - this only achieves a "reverse raccoon" effect. Another common problem: putting the concealer only under the eye. You should apply it all around the eye area, and be sure to blend well. Set the concealer with a light dusting of translucent face powder so that it stays put. And to avoid drawing attention to your under eye area, don't apply eyeliner or mascara to your lower lashes.

Often, the inner corner of the eye is the darkest part. A white shimmer pencil will cover it.