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Got Dark Circles? This May Help

This story was originally featured in Youngish, our new beauty newsletter for women who aren't old, but aren't exactly young either. Sign up here for weekly updates.

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A funny thing happened after last week’s newsletter went out. I started getting messages from various people, ranging from my BFF to my dance class buddy to a kind Internet stranger who sends hype emojis whenever I post an Instagram story. (Thank you for that, btw.)

They all asked the same question: Does that undereye stick you recommended actually work?

It should be noted, that other than having great taste in newsletters, the only thing these people have in common is their age range. All of them are in their 30s but at vastly different stages of their lives. A few of them are married or have live-in partners; a few others are what my friend’s kid calls “single Pringles.” Some are parents of small children; others are still clubbing on the weekends. A handful live in the 'burbs; a couple live in Da Big Apple. We may have different responsibilities and lifestyles, but we’re all united by dark circles.

So, back to the undereye stick and whether or not it works. Here’s what I’ll say about it: It does exactly what it says it’ll do, which is “instantly neutralize dark circles.” Notice the word neutralize here. It doesn’t say it’ll cover up dark circles or get rid of them in any way. It says it’ll neutralize them or make them a smidge less obvious, and it delivers on that promise.

And since we’re on the topic, having dark circles isn’t solely caused by fatigue or a lack of sleep (though it is one of the more common culprits). There can be different reasons behind your perpetual raccoon mask including dehydration, allergies, good ol’ genetics and, of course, aging.

Just as there can be different reasons behind dark circles, there’s no single fix for them either (no, not even that $200 eye cream made from an immortal plant that only grows 30,000 feet above sea level). Nor are they something that needs to be fixed, IMO.  

But if they bother you or you don’t want your well-meaning (?) mother-in-law to make another comment about how “tired” you look, there are some short-term things you can do to soften their appearance—like swiping a lil’ neutralizing stick over them. Again, I prefer neutralizing over a full coverup job because it’s less likely to crease or cake as it wears. Also, it takes less time to blend, and time, as we know, is at a premium these days.

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Jenny Jin Headshot Vertical 2023

Beauty Director

Jenny Jin is PureWow’s Beauty Director and is currently based in Los Angeles. Since beginning her journalism career at Real Simple magazine, she has become a human encyclopedia of...