Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Close Banner
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

How Skin Dehydration Can Lead To Dark Circles + How To Deal

Hannah Frye
Author:
September 16, 2024
Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
By Hannah Frye
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
woman touching under eye cirlces
Image by Alena Darmel / Pexels
September 16, 2024
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Why is it that some people are prone to dark circles? No, it's not just related to a lack of sleep (although, failing to catch Zzz's can certainly result in a shadowed, sallow appearance).

Further, not everyone's dark circles can be magically brightened with eye cream. In fact, dark circles can be caused by a lengthy list of triggers, a few of which include more melanin production, genetics, and allergies, which don't come with a quick fix.

However, one sneaky, oft-overlooked cause of dark circles can be in your control, research demonstrates. Here's what to do about it.

How skin hydration affects dark circles

If you needed another reason to keep up with adequate hydration, let it be this: "If you are dehydrated, this can cause the tissues of the body to shrink, including under-eye skin, making dark circles look more noticeable," board-certified dermatologist and YouTube creator Andrea Suarez, M.D., FAAD, once told mbg.

So let it be known that filling up on adequate amounts of water throughout the day will encourage hydrated skin from within and perhaps even contribute to brightening those under-eye dark circles.

But water isn't the only option. Certain science-backed ingredients have been found to help boost internal skin hydration. One popular pick? Astaxanthin. Apart from the full-body benefits like cardiovascular support and brain health, astaxanthin is a wonder ingredient for aging skin and dark circles alike.

In a recent double-blind clinical, participants reported significant improvement in moisture levels (especially around the eyes), overall improved elasticity, and appearance of tone. Another recent double-blind clinical found that the ingredient can even help skin's water-retention capacity.

It's no wonder astaxanthin can be found in many beauty supplements today, along with other cutting-edge ingredients to help fade dark spots and smooth fine lines. Not sure where to look? Here are 13 of our best-voted beauty supplements to help get you started.

The takeaway

One common cause of dark circles under the eyes is skin dehydration. Of course, drinking water is the first step to encouraging brighter under-eyes in this case, but reaching for science-backed skin hydrators like astaxanthin is next up.

And if you're not sure what's causing your shadows in the first place, check out our guide to learn more about dark circle causes and remedies.

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

What Is Meditation?

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins

Box Breathing

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

What Breathwork Can Address

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

Nutrition | Rich Roll

What to Eat Before a Workout

Nutrition | Rich Roll

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Nutrition | Sahara Rose

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Love Languages

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Related Videos (10)

What Is Meditation?

Box Breathing

What Breathwork Can Address

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

What to Eat Before a Workout

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love Languages

Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

More On This Topic

more Lifestyle
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.