The Four Types of Under-Eye Darkness
Type 1: Pigmentary Dark Circles
Appearance: Brown or grey-brown discolouration under the eye. The darkness is in the skin itself rather than below it. More pronounced in people with medium to deep skin tones.
Cause: Excess melanin deposition in the periorbital skin. Triggered by sun exposure, chronic rubbing of the eyes, post-inflammatory response (allergies, eczema) and genetic predisposition.
The pinch test: Pinch the under-eye skin and lift slightly. If the dark colour lifts with the skin and moves, the darkness is pigmentary (in the skin). If the colour remains beneath the skin when lifted, it is vascular.
Treatment: Same approach as treating hyperpigmentation on the rest of the face. Topical vitamin C, alpha arbutin, niacinamide and tranexamic acid address melanin production. SPF around the eye area prevents UV worsening of pigmentary circles. Retinoids at low concentrations (use specifically formulated eye-area retinoids if available) increase cell turnover and improve pigmentation over 12 to 16 weeks.
Timeline: Pigmentary circles take the longest to treat, 3 to 6 months of consistent topical treatment.
Type 2: Vascular Dark Circles
Appearance: Blue, purple or pinkish-red undertone under the eye. Often worse on waking and improves slightly as the day progresses.
Cause: The skin under the eye is the thinnest on the face (0.5mm, compared to 2mm on the cheek). Blood vessels show through the thin skin as a blue or purple cast. Genetics determines skin thickness in this area; thinner skin shows more of the underlying vasculature.
The pinch test: The darkness remains visible beneath the lifted skin and does not move with the skin.
What worsens vascular circles: Sleep deprivation (increases blood pooling in the periorbital area), alcohol (dilates blood vessels and increases their visibility), allergies (chronic nasal congestion redirects venous blood through periorbital veins) and cold temperatures.
Treatment: Topical caffeine temporarily constricts periorbital blood vessels and reduces the blue cast visually for 3 to 4 hours. Products containing peptides (Matrixyl, Argireline) applied consistently improve skin thickness over 12+ weeks by stimulating collagen production, which provides more coverage over the underlying vessels.
Topical treatment limitation: No topical product eliminates vascular dark circles because the cause is the underlying blood vessel visibility, not a surface condition. The most effective treatments are professional: laser (targeting blood vessels specifically) and injectable filler (which adds volume to the tear trough, reducing the concavity that creates shadow and makes vessels more visible).
Upload a clear photo of your under-eye area in natural light or describe the colour and pattern of your dark circles. The Skin Analyzer identifies whether your circles are pigmentary, vascular, structural or mixed, and recommends the specific topical approach and professional options for your type.
Identify My Dark Circle TypeAsk About Eye SkincareType 3: Structural (Hollow) Dark Circles
Appearance: Shadow created by a deep hollow (tear trough) between the lower eyelid and the upper cheek. Not dark skin; dark shadow from light falling into the concavity.
Cause: Loss of volume in the mid-face (fat pad deflation with ageing) creates a concavity below the eye that produces a permanent shadow. Also appears in people with naturally deep-set eyes or a prominent bony structure around the eye socket.
How to identify: The shadow changes significantly with lighting direction. In overhead light, structural circles appear deeper. In diffuse light from the front, they diminish. This change with lighting distinguishes structural from pigmentary (which does not change with light direction) and vascular (which changes minimally with light).
Treatment: No topical skincare product fills volume. The most effective treatment is hyaluronic acid filler injected into the tear trough by a qualified aesthetic practitioner. Results are immediate and last 9 to 18 months.
Topical alternative: Applying a concealer with a reflective or light-scattering formula creates an optical illusion of reduced shadow depth. This is a cosmetic solution, not a structural correction.
Type 4: Shadow from Under-Eye Puffiness
Appearance: Dark shadow below a puffy or swollen under-eye area. The puffiness itself creates a shadow directly below it.
Cause: Fluid retention, allergies, sleep deprivation, alcohol or sodium intake, genetic predisposition.
Treatment: Address the puffiness source (lymphatic drainage massage, cold compresses, antihistamines for allergy-related puffiness) and the shadow reduces with the swelling. Eye creams containing caffeine reduce temporary puffiness by constricting blood vessels and promoting lymphatic drainage.
The Makeup Approach by Type
Pigmentary circles: A concealer in a shade matching your skin tone or very slightly lighter, applied with a precise brush and set with a light dusting of translucent powder.
Vascular circles: A peach or salmon colour corrector applied beneath a standard concealer neutralises the blue-purple cast before coverage goes on.
Structural circles: Apply concealer in a shade that is 1 to 2 tones lighter than your foundation into the hollow itself. This reflects light back out of the shadow area and reduces the depth appearance.
Puffy circles with shadow: Do not apply highlighter to the puffiness itself; this accentuates the raised area. Apply concealer to the shadow below the puffy area and a slightly mattifying product on the puffy area to reduce its visible projection.