When it comes to under-eye circles, we all have a type. Deep blueish purple…brown and freckled…red and agitated. Unfortunately, dark circles can lead to some pretty unflattering presumptions: we’re tired (we’re not), we’re upset (we’re pretty happy, tbh!), or our concealer is a touch too dark (it isn’t). Here’s how you can improve dark circles around the eyes (tip: it’s a little bit of skincare meets selfcare).

Why Do I Have Dark Circles Under My Eyes?
Before you can uncover the reasons for dark circles under your eyes, it’s important to know this: the skin around your eyes is thinner than other areas of your face so you can scan, scroll, read, and blink (research shows we blink over one thousand times an hour!).
The thinness makes our under-eye area super susceptible to the first signs of aging including discoloration, crow’s feet, and fine lines. This thinness is also a reason for dark circles under our eyes: the thin skin makes dark blood vessels more visible and casts that frustrating dark shadow.

Can I Improve the Look of Dark Circles Around My Eyes?
Dark circles are notoriously stubborn, but there are solutions to making them less visible—including everything from first-of-their-kind ingredients to one of Dr. Murad’s 4 pillars of wellness: eating your water.

• Fatigue can contribute to dark circles because it can cause blood vessels to increase and look darker. Never underestimate the value of quality rest: Aim for 7-8 hours of good, quality sleep a night to give yourself the best chance at looking well-rested.
• Diet plays into skin health, which is why Dr. Murad always advises his clients to “eat their water” in the form of fruits and vegetables. Getting enough water through vegetables like cucumbers will help your skin retain essential hydration so it can function optimally.
• What about genetics? While this may be the hardest type of dark circle to treat, it doesn’t mean you should give up. Advances in eye treatment ingredients like vitamin C are showing real results. And, minerals that reflect light can bring some much-needed brightness to dark circles and dark shadows.

In 2020, a groundbreaking discovery by Dr. Murad came on the scene: an eye brightening serum for dark circles that targets all types of colors of dark circles through incredible new vitamin C technology.

Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector contains gold-stabilized vitamin C:b traditionally unstable L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is paired with gold to form a stable and more potent version of vitamin C. When vitamin C is more stable, it has greater potential to do amazing things in our skin. And Dr. Murad says, “Vitamin C is especially important for the improves under-eye skin because it delivers enhanced antioxidant defense for brighter, healthier-looking skin.”

Dr. Murad combined gold-stabilized vitamin C with red and brown algae extracts (to de-puff and soothe), light-reflecting micro-minerals (to instantly brighten) and cucumber extract (to hydrate and visibly smooth wrinkles). This eye brightening serum for dark circles is dermatologist developed, ophthalmologist tested, cruelty free, and designed to work easily into your morning and night regimen. Bonus: you’ll see results immediately and it’s clinically proven to deliver visible improvement in eye circles in just 2 weeks.