If you've ever suffered from dark circles, puffiness, or fine lines under your eyes, chances are you've searched high and low for a solution. Whether it's from sleepless nights, stress, or rubbing your eyes into oblivion, everyone knows how embarrassing those pesky dark circles can be. And no one ever wants to hear, “You look tired.”

But how do you deal with dark circles effectively in a way that feels comfortable? More importantly, how do you keep the delicate skin around your eyes looking its best on a busy schedule? In this blog, we'll go over a few of the root causes of dark circles and what you can do to prevent them. More specifically, we'll highlight how you can ditch pesky under-eye bags for good with the help of refreshing and rejuvenating eye masks from Red Aspen.

What Causes Dark Circles Under Eyes?

First things first, before we dive too deep into how to manage dark circles, it's best to go over what causes them in the first place. Now, it might be tempting to think that dark circles are due to one single preventable thing. A lack of sleep is an easy one, and you might promise yourself that you'll get more of it, thinking that alone can solve the issue. Rubbing your eyes too much is another good guess, so you might make an effort not to do that, as well. Everyone knows that your skin needs to stay hydrated, so you might even swear that you'll drink more water throughout the day.

While these are all great habits to keep your skin and face looking healthier, the truth is that dark circles can happen for a variety of reasons, some of them beyond your control. For starters, your eyes (and your face by definition), are among the first places to show signs of aging. The skin around your eyes is very delicate, so fine lines and wrinkles tend to show up quicker than on other parts of your body. Likewise, studies have shown that genetics and certain skin conditions like eczema or contact dermatitis can play a part in whether or not your dark circles are more pronounced, as these can cause the blood vessels under your eyes to dilate and show through the skin. Following that, hyperpigmentation, dehydration, and lifestyle factors can all factor in as well, with excessive alcohol use and smoking being some of the worst offenders for pesky eye bags.

Overall, there are a lot of common ways that dark circles can go from an annoying issue to an embarrassing problem. The key is to implement the right skincare products and lifestyle changes to make them more manageable.

Common Ways to Treat Dark Circles and Puffy Eyes

Given the variety of reasons you might find yourself waking up to dark circles and under-eye bags, it only makes sense that you'd seek out some proven methods to manage the issue. Thankfully, there are a few that can be bought online or over the counter, though they'll likely come down to personal preference. Here are just a few skincare products you might consider along the way. 

Face Sheet Masks

Everybody can appreciate a good skincare face mask. They've grown more and more popular with each passing year, and with good reason! Not only can they do wonders for your skin, but they’re amazing for relaxation and self-care. Full of skin-nourishing ingredients, the right face masks can also target several areas and skincare concerns at once, hydrating your skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and promoting better skincare habits along the way. 

To add that, the best face sheet masks benefit people of all ages and all skin types, from those who suffer from sensitive skin to those with acne-prone skin or dry and dehydrated skin. While using a face sheet mask comes down to personal preference (they tend to require you to sit still for 10-15 minutes while they work their magic), there's no denying how well they do what they’re designed to do.

Eye Creams

Another common skincare solution for dark circles and puffy under-eye bags is a quality eye cream. Like most products in this category, you’ll find that the best under-eye creams will be specially formulated for the thin and sensitive skin around your eyes. You’ll also notice that there are a lot of potential options, making it tough to narrow down the right eye cream for you. 

To make things more manageable, you’ll want to look for an eye cream that contains antioxidants as well as cell-communicating and skin-healing ingredients. These help to make the skin cells healthier, ultimately boosting collagen levels, lightening any visible discoloration, and restoring the skin barrier. That being said, eye creams do come with a caveat: they tend to feel thick and heavy. On top of that, you might not always want to rub a thick cream on the sensitive area around your eyes. If you’re among those who want something simpler but just as effective, the following product might be more to your liking. 

Under-Eye Patches

Like face sheet masks, under-eye patches, or “eye masks” as they’re usually called, have the benefit of being one of the easiest and most effective ways to fight dark circles and reduce puffiness around the eyes. They’re easy to buy (in bundles no less), easy to apply, and the best under-eye masks contain super skin-healthy ingredients worth gushing over. 

Naturally, one of the biggest things under-eye masks have going for them is how easily they can fit into just about any beauty routine. On top of the immediate soothing and refreshing boost to your skin, you can apply your eyeshadow with the eye masks already in place, watching as the masks catch all the fallout thanks to their felt texture. Best of all, you only need to keep the eye masks in place for 20 minutes or so, and you can massage the remaining eye serum into the skin afterward. This makes them a much more comfortable alternative to heavier eye creams that may cause your foundation and concealer to seep into the lines around your eyes, making fine lines and wrinkles appear even more visible.

What Is Red Aspen's Luxe Leopard Eye Mask?

With so many great things to say about eye masks, it only makes sense that we dive into the best eye mask on the market! As a standout among similar products, the Refresh & Rejuvenate Luxe Leopard Eye Mask from Red Aspen checks all the boxes for something you’d want to add to your beauty and self-care routine. It’s chock full of soothing, plant-based ingredients and vitamins to nourish and rejuvenate your under-eyes, making it a quick path to softer, more radiant-looking skin.

The Benefits of Red Aspen Luxe Leopard Eye Masks

There are a lot of benefits to Red Aspen's Luxe Leopard Eye Masks to your beauty routine. From super skin-healthy ingredients to their ability to help visibly reduce signs of aging, there's a lot to love! Here's a closer look at what you can expect when adding these ultra-glam eye masks to your everyday beauty and skincare routine.

A Do-it-Yourself Solution to Dark Under-Eye Circles

We've mentioned it above, but it bears repeating: the skin around your eyes is really sensitive. That means that no matter what, you'll likely wake up to dark circles, puffiness, or under-eye bags every once in a while regardless of your precautions. They're an annoying, but normal part of life. That being said, it's understandable to want your under-eye area to look its healthiest and most vibrant the other 99.9% of the time.

Thankfully, Red Aspen Luxe Leopard Eye Masks provide a DIY solution to dark circles and puffiness that you can apply from the comfort of your own home, beyond the typical cucumber slices. Not only can you wear them while you're multitasking during your morning or nightly routine, but key ingredients like bakuchiol serum, an ingredient rich with antioxidants and collagen-boosting properties, can help to provide brighter, more vibrant-looking skin in minutes! To add to that, eye masks tend to be much gentler on your skin than chemical peels, making them ideal for someone with sensitive skin.

An Easy Way to Fight Off Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Let's face it, there can be a lot of reasons you might start to notice a few extra wrinkles and fine lines on your face. From a decrease in collagen production due to aging, to family history, everyday sun exposure, or even using products loaded with harsh chemicals, it's not too difficult to understand why your skin texture might change over time.

It's a frustrating issue to deal with, especially when you consider that some treatment options can be laughably expensive. I mean, not everyone is blessed with the means to book a blepharoplasty! As an affordable alternative to eyelid surgery, Red Aspen under-eye patches pack a refreshing punch of pomegranate fruit extract and other ingredients to hydrate your under-eye area and provide a plumping, smoothing effect. The result is a visible reduction in unsightly under-eye bags, pesky fine lines, and wrinkles. Best of all, this applies regardless of your skin color, whether you're among those blessed with darker skin tones, a lighter one, or something beautifully in between!

Nourish and Shield Your Skin's Moisture Barrier with CoQ10 and Vitamin E

Whether you know it or not, your skin's moisture barrier plays a super important role in keeping you healthy. It's the first line of defense against environmental damage and free radicals, and it's key to keeping good things (i.e. water, nutrients, and vitamins) in your body and bad things (pollutants, bacteria, and irritants) out.

In short, you want to do everything you can to keep your skin barrier well-nourished and ultra-hydrated. This is especially true for the delicate skin around your eyes, where thinning skin is common due to many of the factors we highlighted above. While you might assume that your only saving grace is an expensive medical treatment, the truth is you don't have to break the bank for great skin! With the right ingredients, you can keep your skin's moisture barrier in perfect balance. Infused with a rich blend of Ubiquinone (CoQ10) and Vitamin E, Red Aspen's Luxe Leopard Eye Masks nourish and shield your skin's moisture barrier from the worst Mother Nature can throw at it. In turn, you're left with noticeably softer and healthier skin that's sure to turn heads.

A More Hydrated and Balanced Skin Tone

While there's no such thing as a perfectly even skin tone, every girl understands the value of a balanced one, whether that's achieved naturally or through the use of everyday cosmetics. After all, a little color adds valuable shape and dimension to your complexion, and while you're exercising your right to self-care, it never hurts to look into different ways to keep your skin tone looking fierce and flawless!

By adding high-quality eye masks to your beauty routine, you can gift yourself firmer, healthier, and more radiant-looking skin with very little effort. Better still, you'll have everything you need to manage a more balanced, harmonious complexion from Sunday to Saturday!

Pro Tip: For the most luminous, post-facial flow, be sure to combine Red Aspen eye masks with our dual-sided Aspen Quartz Face Roller. As part of our Skincare with Love™ product line, the quartz roller can be used to massage your face and neck and help drain the lymphatic system. This stimulates blood flow to promote happier, healthier skin along the way.

An Easy-to-Use Skincare Solution

As mentioned above, one of the greatest things about Red Aspen eye masks is how easy they are to incorporate into your existing morning or nightly beauty routine. Whether you're looking for a forever eye mask or you're just looking to give them a quick trial, here's what the application process looks like at a glance:

How to Use Red Aspen's Luxe Leopard Eye Mask

Step 1. Start things off with fresh, clean skin. Be sure to use your favorite facial cleanser.

Step 2. Open the plastic holder and remove the clear and white plastic backing from the eye mask patches.

Step 3. Apply masks to the under-eyes and enjoy an immediate soothing and refreshing boost to your skin. 

Step 4. Enhance your everyday makeup routine by applying your eyeshadow with the eye masks in place. You'll quickly notice that the masks catch all the fallout thanks to their felt texture.

Step 5. Keep the eye masks in place for 20 minutes, then remove and massage the remaining eye serum into the skin. Voila! Visibly brighter, healthier, and more youthful-looking skin!

Exercise Your Right to Better Self-care and Skincare with Nourishing Eye Masks from Red Aspen

All in all, there's a lot to love about eye masks and how well they work alongside your favorite beauty products! As an industry leader with a passion for high-quality cosmetics, Red Aspen thrives on helping everyday women achieve healthy, happy, and radiant-looking skin.