Getting a Handle on Dark Circles

I received the products mentioned in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.  

Despite the amount of sleep I get, I have dark circles under my eyes. They look worse when I'm sick. One of my greatest beauty expenses is on concealers to hide the dark circles, which never seem to work.

Reasons for Dark Under-Eye Circles

The thinnest layer of skin on your face is around the eyes, so those spots are vulnerable to puffiness and dark circles, according to WebMD. Other reasons for having dark circles under your eyes include:

• Genetics
• Thinning skin that naturally comes with aging
• A few too many alcoholic beverages
•  Allergies
• Illness
• Sleep deprivation
• Smoking 
• Dry skin 
• Not using sunscreen when you go outside

To tell if the dark circles are a result of natural pigmentation around your eyes, gently pull the around your eyes to the side. If the color of your skin looks blotchy, your dark circles are the result of excess (darker) pigmentation.

Remedying Dark Circles

One of the ways that WebMD recommends treating dark circles under the eyes is to use a moisturizer at least nightly. I thought I'd give it a chance with the InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Gel, which I had the opportunity to review.

InstaNatural states that it creates its eye cream is safe for all skin types and helps reduce the appearance of dark circles, sagging and puffiness. It creates the product in  an FDA-registered facility and the ingredients are 100 percent natural, 75 percent organic and paraben-, alcohol- and sulfate-free. Ingredients include hyaluronic acid, plant stem cells, and Matrixyl 3000.

The first thing that I have to say about the eye gel is that a little goes a long way, so the product will last you a long time. The product has a nice, light citrus smell and the gel feel refreshing around my eyes.

The gel does feel a bit sticky, so I let it absorb into my skin for a few minutes before applying my face moisturizer or makeup. InstaNatural says that you can use the gel as a moisturizer for your whole face, but I thought that it felt too sticky to do so. However, it did add adequate moisture around my eyes.

So, the big question is: Did it work? Yes, I believe it does. However, the eye cream does not work instantly. I used it twice a day for a few week and did notice an improvement. I'm sure that with continued use, I'll see even more improvements.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.