dark under eyes...

i have always had darkness under my eyes and i always have to use make up to cover it.. but doesn't work completely.. i don't know if it is lack of sleep or something else..

does anyone have this problem or know anything to help?? i see a lot of creams for this but don't want to get them if they dont work.. any suggestions???

Hmm.. I have them too, and I've just always had them, so I doubt it's from lack of sleep (I sleep 10 hours a day). I use Mabelline's True Illusion Cover Up Wands (They're not called that, but that's what I think they're like). I tend to go about 2 shades later because they're super easy to blend, and then it evens out and blends into my skin color, and the dark under my eyes aren't even noticeable anymore.

it could be due to dehydration, but some people just have it naturally..if you are sleeping well and drinking lots of water you will just have to deal with it.
you can buy 'corrector' pencils or cream which is a yellow colour...sounds strange but it cancells out the bluish tinge and covers it much more effectively than concealer. if you try it, just be sure to blend it really well, as it could look a little strange if you have too much on!
this article has some good tips, and a link to an example of the concealer...

http://www.dermadoctor.com/Newsletter.asp?NewsletterID=133

well i heard on tv someday to place a steel spoon in a fridge and when it becomes cold enough, just place it over the circles , i dont it works for u or not, i tried that, it helped me.

sometimes due to tension , we have dark circles!

I have dark circles under my eyes as well. I've had them since I was a kid,(now 30), I was told by an allergist/dermatologist that it is what's called "allergy eyes",my mother always called  it Racoon Eyes,how nice!I dont get puffy eyes though unless i have eaten too much salt the night before-going out to eat or something.

Anyway, not putting mascara or eyeliner on the bottom(under eye area)will help to not draw attention to it,i only use the makeup on top lid,I like the look better now that I am older too. Sometimes I use a shimmer or white shadow with an angle applicator -where you would put the eyeliner-under the eye,and i use it in the corners as well,it really makes them brighter-but you are going for natural,not fairy-looking,so not too much or too light,depending on your skin color.

Also,After i cleanse my face in the morning,i tone,and then i use a moisturizer with spf,and i really put a good amount,around the eyes and i lightly massage the area under my eyes,if you do this, it will circulate the blood in the vein under the eye that makes it look so dark,and it will help it to appear less dark.I have tried eye gels,creams,serums etc but the best thing i found is rest, try to destress and take time out for you,and lots of water.I drink lemon water constantly-no sweetener,it does help.

And concealers tend to make it look worse so i only dab lightly(don't cake it on) with my makeup sponge at the outer area of my eyes with my regular color concealer( i use neutrogena-very light feeling),not in corners,it will look much more natural! Hope this helps you.

What is the name of the cream, and where can i get it? I'd be willing to try it if it works. Thanks

what worked really surprisingly well for me was  vitamin e undereye cream from the body shop (it comes in a pink tube). it was really effective in taking away the dark circles (mine was primarily just  darkness-not puffiness). I would, however, caution against using any of their other vitamin e products. I was so enthusiastic about the results I got from that one, that i bought a vitamin e face cream from the same line and broke out, heh. But the undereye cream is very light and smooth-not nearly as rich as the face stuff. good luck! :)

Alyssa, that is very interesting. I have been wondering if I am low in something anyway, because of the way I feel all the time. Its not uncommon for me to be cold in the summer and things like that. I have been trying to eat much healthier, its hard though, I have such a busy schedule, I'm lucky to eat at all. I work, go to school, and have two kids, It's really too much but I know it will pay off once I am done with school and I will enjoy my "free time".

Since, akiz's post, I thought that I would try something I already have in my house, which is pure almond oil that has vit E in it as a preservative. I have been toning my face with witch-hazel which my mom was always an advocate of(she actually kept hers in the fridge,and it had to be Dickenson's)works good for bruises too, anyway, if you tone with that and I put it on papertowel squares and put it on my eyes, it feels great.(cold of course). Then i massage a small amount of the oil around my eyes, sinuses, temples etc. and its helping my circulation,it appears less dark afterward, it is temporary but I am hoping that with repeated massaging every day, it will be less temporary.

Rhyse, do you use it as a toner too? When it is cold(refridgerated) it just feels so good on the skin, especially when its summer time,very refreshing. And yes, defitely much less expensive. The almond oil was $6 and change, for an 8oz. bottle at my local health food store.In the morning,my skin just glows and its so soft.

Cool. Got another tip for you. If you don't know already, brown sugar makes a wonderful body scrub. Instead of spending $20 for it at the store with added chemicals and fragrances, just keep some brown sugar-not the box stuff called sugar in the raw, use the stuff that comes in a bag-like you use for baking, keep some in a tupperware in your bathroom cabinet, when you want to use it, you'll have it all ready, use it in the shower because it is a little messy, rub it on your body and/or face and it will just melt once it hits the water and it will remove dead skin and just leave it glowing.

I try to do it once a week if i have time. Particularly in the summer when i wear shorts.But its good for winter skin too. And much cheaper than bath and body works. Think you will really like the almond oil. Oddly its helping clear up my face, you wouldnt think an oil would do that but maybe the vit E in it or massaging it in every day is doing it,not sure.