Cobalt eyeshadow might do wonders to make your eyes pop, but blue or brown under-eye circles? Not quite.

The issue with dark circles is that for many of us, they seem like permanent fixtures because they’re so difficult to remedy unlike, say, a dehydrated complexion. Those shadowy rings feel like a truth you need to accept then dab concealer over on a daily basis (don’t get us wrong—we’re all for a trusty concealer). But there is hope in tackling the actual problem—and it all comes from understanding why you get them in the first place, what exacerbates them and, most importantly, the specialized ingredients you need to target the various causes and triggers.

The Real Reason Why You Have Dark Circles

While everyone’s skin is unique, generally speaking from a physiological perspective, dark circles—especially those that really stand out—are caused largely by thinned skin and/or hyperpigmentation.

The eye area is innately the most fragile. In fact, while your skin is about two millimeters everywhere else on your body, the skin around your eyes is only about 0.5 millimeters, which makes it more “transparent” than other areas. (Think about how easily you can see your veins on your arms and legs; clearly, vessels will be a lot more apparent under your eyes.) This is true for everybody, even if you’re not innately prone to dark circles.

Under the skin, there’s a relatively small amount of subcutaneous fat, blood vessels as well as collagen and elastin, the two proteins responsible for firm, bouncy skin. Some people have thinner skin than most primarily due to genetics. But skin can also thin out with age, as the production of collagen and elastin decreases, making skin more lax and less thick. In this case, under-eye circles appear because the blood vessels underneath the skin are showing more prominently. The diaphanous skin and tissue only allow blue and violet light wavelengths to pass through, hence the pronounced color. The vessels can also appear more conspicuous if they somehow become damaged or if puffiness (fluids building up in the area) pushes vessels closer to the visible surface of skin. Many experts also believe that stress or lack of sleep, which then causes stress, can cause increased activity in the blood vessels, making them more noticeable.

There’s also hyperpigmentation, which is the development of dark patches or spots (typically associated with freckled discoloration when you spend a lot of time under the sun). This occurs when more melanin—the substance that gives you color—produces at a more rapid pace. Factors like overexposure to the sun, allergic reactions, hormones, using skincare treatments that cause a reaction and aging can trigger more hyperpigmentation, although it can also be due to hereditary disposition.

How to Brighten Dark Circles 

Although dark circles can partly be caused by two things you can’t help—genetics and aging—there are still steps you can take to ensure they’re the brightest possible. Make sure you’re getting good-quality sleep, managing your stress and avoiding potential irritants, such as parabens in topical solutions and triggers of hay fever, like pollutants. Most of all, make sure you protect your skin from overexposure to UV rays, which is the top cause of hyperpigmentation as well as aging.

Do You Really Need Eye Cream?

The short answer is a resounding yes—with one caveat: make sure your eye crème was intelligently formulated to target the causes and triggers we described above. Many people, understandably so, raise an eyebrow of skepticism at eye creams since many of them are simply smaller versions of regular serums and moisturizers. Many solutions that target the eye area might contain higher concentration of certain actives, such as vitamin C or a lightening ingredient, but to truly combat the dark circles you need a multi-pronged strategy.

Because eye creams have direct contact with the skin, with the right targeted ingredients you can help counteract the shadowy look as effectively as possible, particularly over time. We formulated our ILUMA intense brightening eye crème to do just that.

The ILUMA intense brightening eye crème addresses the main causes of dark circles on top of instantly blurring out their appearance. More than a simple disguise, this luxuriously silky eye cream helps combat both thinning skin and hyperpigmentation triggers by infusing brightening, anti-aging and lightening powers of a variety of physician-developed technologies and ingredients. Let’s take a look at some of the most powerful elements of this ultra-hydrating, radiance-boosting crème.

Our unique VECTORIZE TECHNOLOGY®, a brightening delivery system, delivers a special complex of ingredients that are time-release for up to 48 hours so you reap the benefits upon contact throughout the day and night. This helps make the formula penetrate deeper and, thus, more effective.

Read on to learn more about the other key ingredients we’ve whipped into this remarkable eye cream and the various causes of dark circles they target.

Ingredients That Target the Collagen and Elastin Slowdown

A patented tri-and tetrapeptide technology called SYN®-TC employs peptides (natural substances found in skin that help stimulate collagen production), improving skin firmness and elasticity while visibly reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

REGU®-AGE PF improves and protects microcirculation and the integrity of the collagen and elastin bundles and minimizes puffiness.

BV-OSC, the most advanced and stabilized form of Vitamin C, helps stimulate collagen production. And since it’s oil-soluble, it penetrates your dermal lipid layer more deeply rather than sitting on top of skin. Vitamin C is also well documented for its ability to brighten overall skin tone while protecting skin from aging factors due to its notable antioxidant properties.

Ingredients That Target Blood Vessels 

Eyeliss™ helps prevent under-eye bags by decreasing permeability of capillaries while promoting lymphatic circulation and improving firmness and elasticity.

EyeSeryl® decreases capillary permeability and puffiness while improving elasticity.

Ingredients That Target Pigmentation

Haloxyl has been shown to reduce dark circles by 19% and activate the elimination of blood-originated pigments.

Daisy flower blossoms possess a powerful capacity to inhibit a process called melanogenesis, which is when skin cells produce melanin.

Illumiscin prevents and actively works against producing age spots and pigmentation.

Ingredients That Target Aging & Dullness 

Beautifeye™ strengthens the skin structure and promotes a lifting effect (it’s even been demonstrated to diminish crow’s feet by about 34%). These mechanisms also help fade the look of dark circles.

Plant-derived stem cell technology protects own skin cells and helps prolongs their life.

Licorice extract is popularly known as a natural skin brightener, helping to lighten up the skin.

Together, these ingredients and technologies in the ILUMA intense brightening eye crème provide the nourishment but corrective action to combat dark circles with intention and with full force. Try it for clear, bright eyes!