Dark under-eye circles may be hereditary, but that doesn't mean your beauty has to suffer! And while immediate solutions include getting extra sleep and medical procedures to reduce puffiness and brighten eyes, these methods can be both costly and unrealistic to the overworked and underpaid woman. Since none of us really wants to spend our days walking around looking like sleepy raccoons, here are some quick, easy, painless tips for making eyes appear bigger, brighter and puff-free.
PROBLEM: Dark Circles

SOLUTION: For a temporary fix, cover them up. A creamy concealer under a light dusting of powder will keep dark circles masked for hours. With your fingertips, dab a concealer such as Black Opal Flawless Perfecting Concealer ($4.75, blackopal.com), and use a light brush to dust a loose powder, like L'Oreal True Match Naturale Gentle Mineral Makeup SPF 19 ($13.49, walgreens.com), on top. A great double-whammy is Bobbi Brown's Creamy Concealer Kit ($32, bobbibrowncosmetics.com), which has both concealer and loose powder in one stacked set.

To reduce dark circles long term, brightening serums such as Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller ($12.99, ulta.com) won't make circles disappear completely, but they will definitely reduce their appearance on a major scale. Sweep under eyes with serum day and night for best results. To heighten the eye roller's effects, store it in the fridge! The coolness will reduce puffiness and feels amazing when applied.

PROBLEM: Puffiness

SOLUTION: Cool down! Cooling masks reduce fluid retention that occurs while you sleep. Earth Therapeutics' Fire and Ice Mask ($8.99, rickysnyc.com) can be left in the fridge or freezer and placed over eyes to reduce swelling and puffiness after a long day, or microwaved or soaked in warm water and placed over eyes after a cold day, warming the skin and relieving sinus pressure.

No time for masks? Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels ($45 for 6 pairs, skyniceland.com) can be worn while driving to work in the morning. In 10 minutes, the patch's peptides, enzymes and natural herb extracts reduce puffiness, improve blood flow, and minimize lines and wrinkles (a bonus!).

If you take mass transit, roll on a quick serum, like Sephora Instant Depuffing Roll-On Gel ($15, sephora.com), get dressed while it sets and follow your usual makeup regimen. It's cheap, all-natural and hydrating!

PROBLEM: Dull Eyes

SOLUTION: Brighten up! A highlighting cream or pencil applied under eyes will make you appear more alert. Dab a highlighter like Smashbox Photo Op ($18, smashbox.com) under eyes and gently rub in. It contains line-smoothing and dark-spot-reducing ingredients such vitamin E and marine collagen to work on your eyes while making them appear more radiant.

Line lower lids with a shimmery pencil such as mark Mini Mark It Stick for Eyes ($6, shop.meetmark.com) to highlight tired eyes, making them appear wider and more alert.

Bushy brows can also give you an unintentionally angry look. Perk up! Instead of dropping a bunch of cash on threading and waxing salons, pick up a safe, easy brow-grooming kit like the Christi Harris Precision Brow Planing System ($39.95, christiharrisbrows.com), which contains essential tools to crop, shape, fill and highlight the brow line. Not into trimming? Use the comb side of an eyebrow brush to comb hair upward and detangle, then use the brush half to smooth them down.

PROBLEM: Tight Budget. Buying a bunch of products seems like a solid notion, but what if you're not trying to spend a bunch of money on multiple products?

SOLUTION: There are plenty of eye-soothing remedies in your own kitchen. When you wake up in the morning, throw two spoons in the freezer and hop in the shower. Before leaving for work, press the backs of the spoons against your puffy lower lids. The coolness will help blood flow and reduce swelling within a minute or two.

Save your tea bags! At night, lie back and press warm tea bags under your eyes. Tannin, a natural compound that occurs in plants, is a large component of tea. The tannins in the tea you drink act as an astringent, which help lighten dark under-eye circles. Drink up!

Vitamin E, when applied topically, brightens skin and reduces the appearance of dark spots. Not only is it great for rubbing on old scars, knees and elbows, it also lightens dark circles under eyes. Rub a bit of vitamin E (found in capsules or as liquid in most drug and natural stores) under eyes morning and night, or blend a couple of drops of the oil into your daily face moisturizer for all-over coverage.


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