As someone who’s had dark undereye circles since kindergarten, I know how frustrating – and stubborn – they can be. I want to dive into the science behind how dark circles form, so that you can better understand your own skin and how to take care of it.

There are four main causes of dark circles under eyes, and each should be addressed differently:

1. Literal shadows: depending on how your orbital bone is shaped, your dark circles may be shadows caused by the contours of your face.

How to treat: concealer is your best best - skincare can’t change your bone structure.

2. Eye bags: there are ligaments under your eye that attach to the top of your orbital bone. Over time, the skin under your eye starts to sag over that ligament, which stays tightly tethered, causing the eye bag phenomenon.

How to treat: treatments from a dermatologist are the only long-term solution.

3. Blood pooling: the area under your eyes is highly vascular, with lots of little capillaries carrying blood. Sometimes, the compounds that give blood its red color can leak out of those capillaries and pool under the eyes. Since under-eye skin is so thin, you can see that pigment more clearly.

How to treat: ingredients that help clear pooled pigment (like the ones in Lipid Gold Eye Cream!) can reduce these dark circles under eyes.

4. Hyperpigmentation: in those already prone to hyperpigmentation, inflammation and irritation around the eyes can cause melanin-based darker skin. These dark circles will be brown rather than purple, red, blue, or pink.

How to treat: prevent irritation in the first place by using a nourishing eye cream like Lipid Gold Eye Cream, and/or use hyperpigmentation-fighting ingredients.

I always believe knowledge is the most important part of skincare, so I hope this has helped you understand your skin better!

-Alli Reed

Founder & Formulator, Stratia