Here's What Eye Brighteners Can And Can't Do For You

If you have people telling you that you look tired on a daily basis, even if you got nine hours of sleep the night before, you may want to consider an eye brightener. Given that the skin around your eyes is very delicate, it's often the first place to show signs of sun exposure, eye strain, allergies, or dehydration (via Healthline).

Luckily, you can combat dark under-eye circles with makeup, specifically concealer, but many prefer an eye brightening cream for a more subtle, natural look that won't feel cakey or emphasize your lines. Eye brighteners work by reflecting the light around you to make your under-eyes look more illuminated (via The LA Times). Given that dark circles often tend to worsen as you age due to fat, collagen, and elasticity loss, an eye brightener can really add a sense of youth to your face, making you look more awake and healthy. Many brighteners also color correct to cancel out the brown or purple shadow that many people find unfavorable on their face (via InStyle).

Although eye brighteners are a must-have for many people's skincare routines, they're not a cure-all for your face. Here's what to do when eye brighteners simply aren't enough.

Although eye brighteners can certainly make a difference in your appearance, no cosmetic product in the world can change your natural features, no matter how much you spend on it. Many people have naturally darker skin under their eyes due to their genetics and the structure of their faces. Some people have thinner skin in the area where their blood vessels are more apparent, and some may have been born with darker coloring under their eyes. "Dark circles can also be hereditary. Whether it's thinner skin under your eye or hyperpigmentation, some of us are just born with it," Amy Fan, general manager of Onomie, a makeup and skincare brand, told Byrdie.

If all the eye brighteners in the world don't seem to be working for you, you may consider heading to your local plastic surgeon's office for tear-through fillers. However, Glamour reports that these fillers can actually accentuate under eye darkness if it's due to hyperpigmentation.

Another option that's trending is under-eye tattooing; however, this can cause a lot of complications such as raised skin or discoloration. This procedure can be very hard and even dangerous to reverse, given a tattoo's permanent nature and proximity to the eyeball, and could even result in blindness (via Metro). Instead of taking the risk, stick with eye brighteners.