Dark circles under the eyes: causes and what helps

Dark circles are not one thing: some are pigment, some are blood vessels showing through thin skin, and some are shadow from the shape of the eye area or puffy eyelids. That is why one cream cannot work for everyone, and the first step is to know which type you have before you buy anything for it.

By Amina, the skincare expert on the SOLEMOSA team · 23 October 2026

Why do I have dark circles even when I sleep well?

Because sleep is not the only cause. DermNet notes that dark circles are more common in people with a genetic tendency and in people with non-white skin, and that they are a common complaint even in teenagers. Your dark circles may simply be part of your skin and the structure around your eyes, not a sign of tiredness.

Lack of sleep makes them more visible, but for most women it does not create them from nothing.

What types of dark circles are there?

According to DermNet, the dark look under the eyes comes from one or more of these:

• Extra pigment in the skin: often after sun exposure, eczema or allergic reactions around the eyes, or rubbing and scratching.
• Thin, translucent skin that lets the vessels show, giving a bluish or purple tone.
• Loss of fat around the eye (a hollow tear trough), which creates a shadow.
• Puffy eyelids, sometimes linked to hay fever.
• Shadow from the bone structure of the eye area, made worse by tiredness and dehydration.

How can I tell which type I have?

There are signs that narrow it down — they are not a medical diagnosis. A brown circle whose colour barely changes is often pigment. A bluish circle that looks lighter after a cold compress is often vessels; DermNet notes that cold compresses reduce the look of prominent vessels. A circle that changes with the direction of the light is often shadow.

Many women have more than one type at once, which is what makes guessing hard and a clear photo more accurate.

Is there a cream that gets rid of dark circles?

DermNet is frank: many remedies on the market lack evidence. Pigment that sits deep in the skin responds poorly to topical products, and eyelid skin is sensitive, so stronger products can irritate it — and irritation itself darkens the circle.

In other words, a cream can help one type at most. If your circle is shadow or hollowing, no cream changes the shape of the bone. Many women spend on eye creams before knowing their type, and then decide that «nothing works».

Does sun protection make a difference for dark circles?

Yes, especially for pigment-type circles. DermNet lists sun exposure among the causes of pigment under the eyes, and sun protection with sunglasses among the measures that help. The NHS advises sunglasses with wraparound lenses or wide arms.

Eyelid skin is thin and sensitive, so anything you put around it should be gentle and tested first, because irritation around the eye can darken a circle instead of easing it.

What actually helps?

The general measures DermNet lists: enough sleep, an extra pillow to raise your head and reduce eyelid puffiness, a cold compress for swelling and visible vessels, sunglasses and sun protection for pigment, and a light-reflecting concealer to camouflage.

The most important step for pigment-type circles: stop rubbing. A woman with itchy, allergic eyes who rubs them every day creates new pigment every day, and any cream ends up chasing the rubbing. And before putting any new product around your eyes, test it first — the AAD advises testing a new product on a small patch of skin for 7 to 10 days.