Part 1 of 3: Eyes & The Three Bads - Dark Circles

Dark circle, fine lines and puffiness. These are the three big baddies when talking about the eyes and aging.

When I look into my magnified mirror, I seem to take the most time looking at the delicate skin around my eyes. And I am always searching for newer and better eye products (and always go back to Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado and Cryste Marine Firming Eye Treatment) I have tried many products, I hear many claims, but what exactly can a girl do?

At first, I thought I could write one article. However, the information and possible cosmetic treatments for the three bads is voluminous. So I am breaking the topic into a 3-part series. Let's tackle "dark circles" first.

According to Katie Zezima who wrote the June 12, 2008 New York Times article entitled "Putting 'You Look Tried' to Rest" there are not a lot of products that are effective. " ...considering the glut of products on the market with a variety of active ingredients, Dr. Persing said, “If there are that many of them available, that usually means they’re not terribly successful.”Clinique uses whey protein in its All About Eyes Rich cream ($27.50), because it increases collagen production, said Dr. Mammone. But in independent medical research, whey protein has not been proved to plump up skin. (Clinique is also experimenting with various peptides, or linked amino acids, to treat dark circles.) Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Eye Treatment ($50) uses vitamin C, which minimizes melanin, and chestnut rose extract, which the company says thickens skin’s texture, said Blair Bloom, the company’s executive director of education and training."

Since the skin surrounding the eye area is 5 to 10 times thinner than the rest of our face, it seems that most cosmetic companies working to add volume and thickness are on a good track. But there must be more to do about this, so I spent about a day just looking into the dark circles question and their causes.

Causes of dark circles are varied. According to Mayo Clinic dermatologist Lawrence Gibson, M.D., "Almost everyone gets dark circles under their eyes from time to time. Dark circles under eyes usually are temporary and not a medical concern. You may be surprised to learn that fatigue usually isn't the cause of dark circles. Instead, the most common cause is nasal congestion. When your nose is congested, veins that usually drain from your eyes into your nose become widened (dilated) and darker. Another cause of undereye circles is eyelid swelling during sleep. When you lie down, gravity can cause fluid to collect in your lower eyelids. This swelling may create the appearance of shadows below your eyes. In addition, dark circles can result from chronic skin conditions, such as atopic eczema. Dark circles can also run in families. Over-the-counter products may help diminish dark circles under eyes. Look for skin creams that contain vitamin C or K, alpha hydroxy acid and kinetin. Treatment for chronic and severe undereye circles is directed at the underlying cause, if known, and may include bleaching agents and laser therapy."

In addition, I have discovered other causes:

1. Genetics and Heredity. Specifically, excess pigmentation in the skin causes dark circles for African-Americans, Southeast Asians and those of us with Mediterranean descent, who inherit darker pigmentation in the dermis layer of the skin, which creates a blue-black hue below the eyes. Also for women, changes during pregnancy and menstruation may cause blood vessels to dilate.

2. Medications: And I will include birth control pills in this category, along with hormones may also cause blood vessel dilation.

3. Sun. Yes, sun damage to the eye area may exacerbate dark circles.

4. Stress and lack of sleep. The temporary and occasional dark circles or more pronounced circles are created by too little sleep, stress and drinking alcoholic beverages.

Okay, now that we have covered most of the causes, how to we cover the dark circle? Covering seems to be the most common "remedy" and concealers with green cover up the reddish hue from excess blood vessels and yellow covers dark pigmentation. Most people color correct first, then add a concealer before applying foundation. I find this unworkable for me for several reasons. First, I don't like to wear a lot of product, much less 3 individual products for just under my eyes. Second, it doesn't seem to stay on anyway. And third, hey, that's a lot of money if you include the eye preparation creams! I apply brightener, then color correct and conceal followed by Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado which is non-migrating. I find doing this creates a natural look that blends the corrector and concealer very nicely.

If the circles really bother you, you can try laser treatments. But I will cover this in depth in August with a series on facial lasers.

But what's the bottom line? The one thing I hear from most people is Vitamin C formulated for proper absorption. There are many products with Vitamin C and in varying amounts.

Currently I am using Kiehl's Line Reducing Eye Brightening Concentrate (here's the link with the product details: http://tinyurl.com/5g3wg2 ) which contains 10.5% Pure Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) and is reasonably priced at $40. About 2 years ago I tried Murad's Lighten and Brighten Eye Treatment (at $75), but I wasn't happy with the results, plus it contains hydroquinone (which some people claim is ultimately too harsh for your skin).

There is one company who products has good ratings and that is Cellex-C . Oddly enough they have an eye product for brightening that doesn't include vitamin C. It's called Cellex-C Under-Eye Toning Gel ($39) and is a roll-on with proprietary plant complexes. I like the roll-on delivery system because you don't waste any of the product on your fingers. The ingredient list is: Water, Cornflower Extract, Glycosaminoglycans, Betaglucan, Kigelia Africana Extract, Zinc Sulphate, Azulene, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Extract, Thyme Extract, Olive Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Oil, Peppermint Extract, Cucumber Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20. However, they sell eye creams with Vitamin C and I wonder if it is possible to get away with just one under eye product.

By the way, from what I can uncover, Cellex-C does not use animal testing nor animal by-products. I am going to personally test this product and will report back to you.

Tomorrow, we in Part 2, we talk about fine lines. And right now, I'm going online to order the Cellex-C Under-Eye Toning Gel.