Top 5 homemade remedies to combat dark circles

Has your hectic lifestyle left you with raccoon eyes? The undereye area skin is extremely sensitive and is the first place that will show the signs. While there is no substitute for a good diet and beauty sleep when it comes to addressing this concern, there are some home remedies that can come to your aid. Here are 5 of them…

Tomato and Potato Eye Mask

Add new life to your undereye area with this mask. Tomato is the hero ingredient that is packed with multiple vitamins like A, B and K. It further contains an effective natural skin lightening antioxidant lycopene. Potato is another potent skin lightening ingredient that also firms the skin around eyes (a much-needed attribute as you age). The combination of fresh tomato extract and potato help in rehydrating the undereye area and reducing the appearance of dark circles.

Ingredients:

• Tomato
• Potato

How to prepare:

• Take four thin slices of freshly cut potato.
• Dip them in freshly extracted tomato juice for 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Place two chilled potato slices on the eye and keep for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, replace the potato slices with new ones.

Repeat 3 times a week before bed for best results.

Cucumber, Lemon and Lentil Eye Pack

Cucumber is one of the best rehydrating kitchen ingredients that you can get anywhere and any season. It not only boosts the moisture level of the undereye area but also helps in relaxing the taut muscles. Then you have lemon which being a natural bleaching agent, reduces pigmentation and evens out the skin tone. Lastly, lentil deflates the puffy eyes and helps in lightening the eye area.

Ingredients:

• Cucumber
• Lemon
• Red lentil

How to prepare:

• Soak 1 tablespoon red lentil for at least 5-6 hours and make a fine paste out of it.
• Squeeze 1/4th part of lemon and add 1 teaspoon chilled cucumber extract.
• Mix well and apply on the affected skin.
• Relax for 20 minutes and wash off.

Do not forget to moisturise the undereye afterwards!

Green Tea and Coconut Cream Leave on Eye Mask

Green tea is packed with multiple antioxidants, some of which contain skin lightening properties. Coconut cream contains fatty acids that locks in the nourishment and prevents dryness induced pigmentation patches. That makes coconut cream or milk a potent ingredient to those who have dark circles.

Ingredients:

• Green tea
• Coconut milk/cream

How to prepare:

• Soak 1/2 teaspoon green tea powder in 5 teaspoons lukewarm water for an hour. Else you can use a tea bag. Dip boiling hot water and keep aside for an hour.
• Stain 2 tablespoon green tea brew and mix 1 tablespoon thick coconut milk or coconut cream to it.
• Beat until the mix becomes an even paste. Store in refrigerator and use within 5 days.

This particular mask works best when used as overnight leave-on therapy.

Turmeric-Mint-Aloe Undereye Gel

A powerhouse of antibacterial and lightening properties, turmeric is a great natural option to address dark circle and blemish concerns. Mint provides a super soothing effect whereas aloe vera relaxes muscle tensions and moisturises.

Ingredients:

• Turmeric
• Aloe vera gel
• Mint

How to Prepare:

• Take 2 tablespoon aloe vera gel.
• Add extract from 4 freshly crushed mint leaf and 1/4 teaspoon freshly crushed raw turmeric extract.
• Mix them well and apply on the eye area for 15 minutes.

For best results, use chilled aloe vera gel.

Almond Oil, Rose Water and Kaolin Clay Mask

Clay masks usually dry up the skin and are hence avoided on the undereye area. An exception to the rule though is kaolin clay which helps restore the moisture balance of the skin and helps in reducing dark spots. The essential oil present in rose water have shown distinctive skin lightening actions. Almond oil is equally beneficial for moisturising and lightening pigmentation from the skin.

Ingredients:

• Kaolin clay
• Rosewater
• Almond oil

How to prepare:

• Take 1 teaspoon pink kaolin clay.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon almond oil to it and mix.
• Now add rose water little by little until the mask reaches to a paste consistency.
• Apply it in the under eye and keep for 5-7 minutes.
• Wash off the pack and moisturise the eye area with a little almond oil.

In case you have sensitive skin, it is best to do a patch test on your hand first.

-By Shalini Srivastava