# Is there a way to reduce dark circles under eyes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 25, 2007, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679 "2007-11-25T08:40:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/21 "2007-12-01T12:27:26Z")
I agree that area of the body is rather soft and delicate, but I don’t rub my eyes. I can go MONTHS without that action. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/22 "2007-12-01T15:16:36Z")
I read somewhere that they can be allergy related, do you have allergies? Also, as others have said, don’t rub your eyes. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/23 "2007-12-01T15:47:30Z")
You could always wear glasses. You actually don’t need a prescription as long as they aren’t corrective. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/24 "2007-12-03T04:24:27Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] Also, as others have said, don’t rub your eyes. [/QUOTE] I DON’T RUB MY COCKADOODIE EYES !!! –froth froth froth– 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/25 "2007-12-03T04:36:33Z")
The word “cockadoodie” made me giggle uncontrollably for a minute. I think MAC sells some eyecream with caffiene in it that is supposed to be effective for puffiness and dark circles. (Fast Reponse, it’s called.) I don’t know how effective it would be for the long term, though. I usually use concealer or highlighter, but I guess you dudes would rather not. (For the record, under-eye concealer should be ever-so-slightly lighter than your skin tone, while blemish concealer should be ever-so-slight darker. It’s worked for me, anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/26 "2007-12-03T04:52:20Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] So do you have to match this ‘concealer’ to your skin colour, or what? [/QUOTE] I hate to differ with **ArmenE** , but NO, you should not match your skin color exactly for undereye concealing. You should find a color correcting concealer with a yellow tone to it. That will visually mix with the purple undertone of the circles to look like skin color. Remember mixing paints? Purple = red + blue. Red + Blue + Yellow = brownish. You might need to augment it with some skin-matching foundation on top for the best look, though. (Contrariwise, if you need to cover red spots, blemishes or patches of redness from broken capillaries, you want something with a green, bluegreen or yellowgreen tone to it, depending on the exact shade of redness; you want to supply the missing colors to equal brownish.) Dehydration often aggravates under-eye circles, so drink an extra glass or two of water if you’re not a big water drinker. Too much sodium can be a culprit, as well. ETA: All makeup color tips in this post based on Caucasian skin. It occurs to me that the rules might be different for other skin tones. ---
**Author:** ![KP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KP)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2007, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/27 "2007-12-03T05:44:50Z")
I had always had them, growing up. I asked around when I was in medical school, and the best answer I got (when I got one at all) was “some kind of allergy, probably mild”. In my 30s, I changed my diet substantially, and the elimination of rice and a couple of other starches cleared up the dark circles, and a few other relatively minor issues as well. As is often the case, I never really thought much about them until they were gone. As with many people (south Chinese, Indians, southeast Asians, swaths of the Middle East and southwest Asia), my ethnic background made any allergy or reaction to rice seem outrageous, but it seems I had. After an extended period of abstinence, I began to include it in my diet again, with no side effects in moderation, but when I go on a rice kick (rice with chicken ala king, fried rice, rice with curries, etc.) the dark circles eventually do return, as do the other minor symptoms. I also discovered I had a low (but inducible) ability to absorb some potato starches. I have a strong background in biochem, and I found that surprising. I can’t guess what food it might be for you (if that’s it at all) but it probably wouldn’t hurt to pay attention to and experiment with your diet, even if it isn’t exactly quick fix. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/28 "2007-12-12T03:27:48Z")
THAT is a very interesting idea. I will see what my circles look like in the coming month, when I once again plunge into the kielbasa-laden world of the Atkins Diet Induction Phase. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/29 "2007-12-12T15:47:59Z")
[QUOTE=Cartooniverse] [SIZE=5]I DON’T RUB MY COCKADOODIE EYES !!![/SIZE –froth froth froth– 😉 [/QUOTE] Well, maybe there’s your problem, you have cockadoodie in your eyes. That can’t be good. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/30 "2007-12-12T16:22:36Z")
I have no idea if this stuff works but I’m tempted to try it: [Hylexin Eye Cream](http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P113602&categoryId=C11723&shouldPaginate=true) ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/31 "2007-12-12T16:25:42Z")
I had this problem much worse when I was younger. I was much rougher on my face when I slept. I find that a good pillow and staying off the tender parts of my face really helped out. In my office, I keep a little incandecsant light to counter the fluorescents that make it look worse, too. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679/32 "2007-12-12T17:03:56Z")
[QUOTE=Johanna] Anybody who thinks men don’t wear makeup, read _Death in Venice_ by Thomas Mann. [/QUOTE] I don’t think a pederast is the best spokesman for makeup. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-reduce-dark-circles-under-eyes/427679.md?page=1)