There are multitudes of reasons for the development of dark circles under the eyes, and the most frequently talked about are lack of sleep, heredity, and aging. Other factors have also been added to the ever-expanding list and can include simple problems such as sinusitis, eczema, hay fever, or serious issues such as improper kidney or liver function.

Despite the root cause, the real problem is the thinness of the skin under the eyes. Because of it's almost translucent texture, blood and tissue is visible through the skin and appears as dark purple circles.

Elasticity of the skin diminishes with age, and the skin under the eyes begins to fold and sag. These "bags" only increase the appearance of dark circles under the eyes so, with aging, comes the inevitable dark circles.

While a change of lifestyle can help, it isn't always possible to overhaul our diets, schedules and sleeping patterns in hopes that the dark circles under our eyes will vanish. Thankfully there are remedies available.

• Cold tea bags and cucumber slices help to relax the skin, decrease the size of blood vessels, and brighten the eyes. A 15-20 minute treatment each morning should bring about some improvement within a week.

• Keep a couple of spoons in the refrigerator. When you wake up in the morning, apply the spoons to the eyes for about 10 minutes. It's a temporary solution, but it's a quick perk-up for tired looking eyes.

• Multi-peptide creams, vitamin E, and oxidants are available in many of today's beauty creams. Look for products that are full of natural ingredients, and don't shy away from products that boast extracts from many of the foods we eat. Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are high in necessary anti-oxidants that will help draw toxins out of the skin.

• Some less common, but useful, natural extracts are ivy, cornflower, butcher's broom, and horse chestnut. Look in your local health food store for these items.