Is it true that dark circles under the eyes come in types, each needing a different fix?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
"I've got dark circles from lack of sleep," people say. But there are at least three kinds of under-eye circle (クマ, kuma — the Japanese word also means "bear"), and their causes and fixes are completely different. Some disappear with sleep, some can only be hidden with concealer, and some are beyond what any cosmetic can do. Japanese beauty counters sort them by colour — blue, brown and black — and that is a useful place to start.
Telling the three apart, and what to do
| Type | Colour | How to tell | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue (circulation) | Blue to purple | Fades when you gently pull the lower lid down. Darker in the morning, on cold days, after poor sleep | The skin under the eye is the thinnest on the body, about 0.5 mm, and the veins beneath show through. Sluggish blood flow makes them look darker | Sleep, warmth (a hot steamed towel), less eye strain, check for iron deficiency. Orange-toned concealer to cancel the colour |
| Brown (pigmentation) | Brown to yellow-brown | Colour does not change when you pull the skin. Does not change when you look up either | Friction (rubbing the eyes, rough cleansing, eye make-up left behind), UV, rubbing from atopic dermatitis or hay fever | Stop rubbing (most important), press eye make-up off with a dedicated remover, sunscreen, keep using a brightening (bihaku) active ingredient (quasi-drug, a Japanese category between cosmetics and medicines). Improvement takes months |
| Black (shadow) | Black to grey | Fades when you look up, or when you raise your face to the mirror. Fades in bright light | Sagging, a bulge of fat (orbital fat) or a hollow under the eye casts a shadow. Age, heredity | Cosmetics cannot address this in principle. Highlighter make-up to lift the shadow, cosmetic medicine (hyaluronic acid filler, fat procedures) |
- Mixed types are common: brown plus blue, for example, with black added as you age. Use the two tests (pull, look up) to work out your own proportions before choosing what to do.
- How thin the under-eye skin is: about 0.5 mm (roughly a third of the cheek), with few sebaceous glands, so it dries out easily. The point of eye cream is moisture and less friction in this area; no cosmetic is permitted the claim "makes dark circles disappear".
- Practical ways to stop rubbing: remove eye make-up first, with cotton buds and a point remover; press, do not rub, when washing and towelling; use eye drops for hay-fever itching (rather than rubbing); do not pull hard on the under-eye skin when putting in eye drops.
- Lack of sleep and blue circles: poor sleep → weaker circulation and more visible veins. Around 7 hours' sleep, less phone light before bed and a hot steamed towel for 1 minute in the morning change how many people look during the day.
- Anaemia (iron deficiency) is one cause of blue circles. Iron deficiency is common in menstruating women; if it concerns you, have a blood test.
- Concealer colours: blue → orange tones, brown → yellow to beige tones, black → light beige plus shimmer (highlighter). Thick layers settle into fine lines, so apply thinly, several times.
- When to see a doctor: if one side suddenly darkens, or there is swelling or pain, see an ophthalmologist or a dermatology clinic.
[Verify] The thickness of the under-eye skin (about 0.5 mm) is a standard figure from dermatology. Check the permitted scope of brightening (bihaku) active-ingredient claims against the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare quasi-drug approval records.
Misunderstanding 1｜All dark circles are from lack of sleep
Only blue circles darken with lack of sleep. Brown circles are friction and UV, black circles are shadow, and sleep changes neither.
Misunderstanding 2｜Eye cream makes dark circles disappear
No cosmetic is permitted the claim "makes dark circles disappear". Moisture and less friction help prevent brown circles, but black circles are out of reach in principle.
Misunderstanding 3｜Massage improves circulation, so it works on every type
It can ease blue circles for a while, but the friction creates brown ones. Warming the area without pressing is safer.
Misunderstanding 4｜Brown circles fade quickly with brightening cosmetics
Pigmentation takes months to improve, and if you are still rubbing, it comes back. Stop the friction first.
Misunderstanding 5｜Pile on the concealer to hide them
Thick layers settle into fine lines and emphasise the shadow. A thin layer of the right colour for your type, plus light, looks more natural.
---
Sources
- Japanese Dermatological Association, "Dermatology Q&A: dark spots and pigmentation" [皮膚科Q&A：しみ・色素沈着]
https://www.dermatol.or.jp/qa/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Scope of efficacy claims for quasi-drugs" [医薬部外品の効能又は効果の範囲] (brightening active ingredients: suppress melanin production and prevent dark spots and freckles)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/
- Japan Cosmetic Industry Association, "Using cosmetics correctly: make-up and cleansing" [化粧品の正しい使い方：メイクアップ・クレンジング]
https://www.jcia.org/user/public/knowledge/usage
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Cosmetics are not medicines and are not meant to diagnose, heal or prevent any condition. If your skin reacts, stop using the product and see a dermatologist.
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