Can under eye masks help dark circles?
I was unfortunately blessed with hereditary stubborn dark circles that refuse to give up the ghost. I’ve tried almost every dark circle treatment under the sun. Jade rollers, eye creams, under-eye masks, full eye masks, changing my sleeping position, the list goes on and on!
If dark circles run in your family there’s nothing you can do to completely banish them, but there are ways to lessen them so don’t give up hope quite yet!
Eye strain from extended screen time and not enough sleep can cause the blood vessels around your eyes to dilate which cause those pesky dark rings. Lack of sleep can also cause fluid to build underneath your eyes, causing them to appear puffy. As a result, the dark circles you see may actually be shadows cast by your puffy eyelids!
Using a cooling gel under eye mask like this 24K Gold Eye Treatment will brighten dark circles, soothe irritated eyes and depuff any bags. This cooling effect can also help reverse dilated blood vessels which are the main cause of dark circles.
Try chilling your under eye mask in the fridge for 30 minutes beforehand for an extra boost of cooling! Refrigerated eye masks will help dark circles vanish before your eyes *ba dum tss*
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How long should you wear under eye patches?
I recommend wearing under eye masks for at least 25 minutes. I’ll chuck on a pair while tidying up the house, soaking in the tub, or even while I’m just watching tv. You can also use a jade roller to gently massage the excess serum into your under eye area after removing the mask.
How often can you wear under eye masks?
Under-eye masks give almost instantaneous results so it’s best to use them frequently. You won’t continue to see a change in the appearance of your under eye appearance for more than a day from application so it’s best to use these 2-3 times a week to reap the full benefits. These aren’t miracle workers that will permanently change your under eye appearance. They’re lovely to use before a big event or date night to quickly perk up your peepers!
Are under eye masks worth it?
Yes, but not all under eye masks are created equal. I recommend that you look out for masks formulated with ingredients that benefit anti-inflammation, elasticity, and boost collagen production. The mask pictured below is the 24K Gold Eye Treatment Mask. You can find it here on Amazon. I suspect the gold was included because it’s a trendy buzz word, but it is also formulated with hyaluronic acid, collagen, and glycerin. These are all awesome ingredients to have in an under eye treatment!
Collagen benefits skin elasticity and helps to fight fine lines, while hyaluronic acid boosts water retention. Glycerin may not sound glamorous but it actually acts an emollient, making under eye skin moist, soft and supple.
Can you re-use under eye patches?
Very few brands are truly re-usuable. The only one I have run across is Talika’s Eye Therapy Patches which are a rather steep $49.00. They claim you can use each pair up to three times but that still comes in at $2.72 per use which is too rich for my blood.
My under eye masks of choice come in at 33 cents per pair and when you use a fresh mask each time you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination and you could even wear them to bed and not worry about tracking down a runaway mask.
Can you sleep with under eye masks?
If you’re using a gel eye mask like this one go for it! If you’re a side sleeper it might not work very well, but if you sleep on your back like me it’s a great opportunity to give your eyes some extra pampering.
I do not recommend sleeping with fabric eye masks. Gel masks don’t dry down but if you leave a fabric mask on for too long it will completely dry down. Once it gets to that level of dryness it can actually start sucking moisture back out of your skin which is something we all need to avoid!
You also can’t wear sheet masks overnight for the same reason. Cloth masks will always dry down completely, but gel masks will stay tacky and continue to moisturize your skin throughout the night. If you want to learn more about to how to get the most out of your sheet masks check out my guide here.
What’s the best under eye mask to help dark circles?
You will need to be on the lookout for cooling and soothing ingredients. Here’s are some dark circle zapping ingredients to watch out for:
- Collagen
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Rose or Cucumber Extract
- Retinol
- Vitamin C
- Caffeine
- Kojic Acid
What’s your go-to solution to fight those dreaded raccoon eyes?