Camouflage: everything you need to know about dark circles under eyes

© Viktoriia Kosareva, 2024

ISBN 978-5-0064-3912-2

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Viktoriia Kosareva is an expert in permanent makeup, camouflage, and tattoo removal. Head of her own studio Victoriya Kosareva in St Petersburg. Certified trainer in permanent tattooing and aesthetic camouflage. Speaker at conferences and master classes. Prize-winner of the First International Camouflage Championship. Author of articles in the journals APNI, Bulletin of Science, Innovative Science, Current Research, Medicine. Sociology. Philosophy. Applied Research, Universum: Medicine and Pharmacology, as well as author of publications for magazines and lifestyle periodicals such as Komsomolskaya Pravda [The All-Union Leninist Young Communist League Truth]. One of the top 15 permanent makeup artists in Russia according to the Only Names project.

My path to becoming a permanent makeup artist began both interestingly and banally. During maternity leave, many women tend to think how to change their lives. That is what happened to me too. I was thinking about what I wanted to do when my children had grown up and started kindergarten. Before maternity leave, I used to work in an office, but I didn’t want to go back. Considering possible employment spheres, I realised that I wanted, firstly, to work with women, it sparkles me. And, secondly, that I was interested in the beauty industry. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the eyes of a woman who likes her reflection in the mirror. I myself often noticed in a beauty salon, as a client, how the inner feeling changes when a woman, satisfied with the work of the master, leaves the chair.

That is when the idea of trying something new popped up. I started working with classic permanent makeup areas and did well. Aesthetic camouflage came next, as I would be often asked to paint over a scar or do something with circles under eyes. Having researched this topic, I realised that camouflage was the future, and I was not mistaken.

Today there is no doubt that camouflage is a sought-after service. Having started studying this topic, I came to understanding that the world of permanent is not restricted by only eyebrows, lips, eyelids; it’s much bigger. Camouflage, i.e. a method of correcting defects in skin tone, allows a person to eliminate many cosmetic imperfections; it seems to me one of the most promising areas of permanent makeup. In my opinion, it is more than just makeup. People often come to me for tattooing over scars, and I understand that this is not only a desire to hide aesthetic flaws and feel more confident, but also to get rid of the memories of the experienced pain caused by this scar.

Today, after several years of practice, I often speak in industry conferences on the topic of camouflage and always see great interest in the eyes of listeners and experts. Speakers at such events mainly talk about classic areas of permanent makeup, such as eyebrows, eyes, while camouflage is a quite little-known topic, therefore arousing great interest.

Today more masters of aesthetic camouflage get employed, which promotes competition. In my view any master who is passionate about their craft only approves of professional development stimulated by competition. I myself do a lot of work to ensure that there are more high-class permanent makeup artists.

As a certified trainer, I train masters myself; over the years of practice, I have taught approximately 30 specialists from various cities of Russia. At the same time, I stay in touch with each student and provide support if necessary, but there are especially memorable cases. For example, not long ago I had a student from Moscow, a wonderful woman, who decided to obtain a new job and conquer the beauty industry at the age of 50. I helped her master all areas of permanent makeup, and she did a great job. An inspiring example.

Apart from training, I constantly publish articles dedicated to techniques and effects of under eyes camouflage, as well as about the safety measures. There are many difficulties in permanent makeup; the industry is constantly developing, new pigment formulations are being developed, and methods of applying them are being improved.

Chapter 1. PROBLEMS OF THE ISSUE

Many women ruminate about the role that appearance plays. People talk about the importance of a personality over appearance a lot as well as about the fact that beauty is relative and that the body and facial features have nothing to do with success; but statistics still state the opposite. In the modern world, every person has an opportunity of building any career. A striking example of this is the model Winnie Harlow with vitiligo or Valentina Yasen who successfully began her modelling career at the age of 60. These women are undoubtedly an inspiration and role models to look up to. However, it is difficult to argue that if a person considers themselves beautiful, if they are not embarrassed by any imperfections in their appearance, they feel confident, coping with difficulties more easily and achieving success. And the well-known Russian proverb which states that you meet a person by their clothes and see them off by mind only makes matters worse.

According to opinion polls, only 20% of women and 11% of men in Russia consider themselves beautiful, while 40% of women and 37% of men are dissatisfied with themselves. At the same time, as many as 36% are dissatisfied with their skin to a certain extent [2].

As for the international market, according to a survey by One Poll (an international market research agency specialising in PR surveys, consumer insights and opinion polls), in spring about half (49%) of women feel less confident than usual being unhappy with the condition of their skin after winter.

Noticing a more or less objective (not far-fetched) flaw on their body, a person is embarrassed by themselves and tries to hide the “problem’ area in various ways such as clothing and cosmetic treatments, which causes a loss of self-confidence. Life would be so much easier if those flaws disappeared on their own. Which, naturally, does not happen. Despite the fact that most often other people either do not pay attention to the “flaw’ or consider it a distinctive feature, a person develops complexes, which cannot but affect the quality of life and self-perception. Perhaps it is for this reason that cosmetology, correction of appearance in particular, from wrinkles to scars, has become more popular lately, expanding the range of services.

According to the research by Allergan company, in 2019 more than 73% of respondents confirmed their willingness to spend money on aesthetic medicine services. The analysis concludes that the vast majority of respondents (about 14,500 clients and 1,300 doctors from 18 countries, including Russia) believe that to look attractive is a must at any age, and that to get better looks one must use professional services. Also, the survey showed that respondents are ready to invest in beauty treatments, since they are value for money.

At the same time, one of the most common and major aesthetic problems are dark circles and under eye bruises. Perhaps everybody has faced this blemish at least once. Moreover, many women and men constantly deal with this problem due to stress, fatigue, and lack of sleep. Some have dark circles under eyes all their lives, which is attributed to the individual body features: blood vessels are located close to each other or a lower eyelid is thin causing blueness. Some people don’t mind their dark circles and are not embarrassed by them. When the circles are congenital, they can even suit many people. Unfortunately, few are able to accept this feature; complexes appear, which significantly affects a mental state of a person.

According to a sample in research published in the Annals of Dermatology journal, 68% of participants reported having this problem. Interestingly, the clinical visualization of dark circles was 97% [5].

In connection with this, dark circles treatment is particularly sought-after. Thus, employees of various beauty salons and clinics providing similar services note that dark circles camouflage is one of the most popular services [6].

Dark circles or bruises under eyes are a popular name. In science, this concept means a change in the shade of the epidermis in the area around eyes from flesh-coloured to grey, purple, bluish, or brown. It is impossible to hide dark circles with any foundation, powder or even a concealer. Therefore, the most effective, fastest and, perhaps, the only way to solve the problem would be aesthetic camouflage.

Dark circles under eyes are not solely an aesthetic problem, it also affects the mental state of a person. Often getting rid of this defect leads to a whole avalanche of changes in a person’s life. Not only do they gain self-confidence and own their charm, but also many become more open-minded and sociable, which leads to major changes in life.

I would say that over almost seven years in this job I have had some very curious cases. I once camouflaged under eyes circles of a client, and the result impressed her husband so much that he also approached me for the treatment. I am delighted when women bring their mothers and grandmothers to me, which is a very frequent case. This proves that camouflage is universal and can improve a person’s quality of life, regardless of their gender and age. I am sure that it is the future. The natural trend will always be relevant, and this is exactly the essence of camouflage.

Chapter 2. DARK CIRCLES UNDER EYES

Dark circles must not be mistaken for bags under eyes. The latter are caused by edema: due to subcutaneous fat being thinner and looser under eyes in comparison with other body parts, fluid accumulates faster and more actively, which is why swelling is observed when water is retained in the body. However, bags and circles sometimes occur simultaneously.

The skin under eyes is very thin, delicate, and contains many small capillaries. When capillary permeability is disrupted, dark colour occurs. The thinner the skin under eyes is, the higher the likelihood of dark circles is.

Dark circles have different causes, from banal lack of sleep to serious health problems. So before contacting an aesthetic medicine specialist for camouflage, you should understand the cause and try to deal with it yourself or with the help of specialists.

Feedback:

After the first treatment the circles under eyes became much lighter, did not completely go away. The skin looks great, no redness and flaking, crow’s feet around the eyes are smoothed out due to the soothing component. I don’t know what is added to the cocktail injected in the skin, but the look has become much better. Thanks! Anna

Chapter 3. CAUSES OF DARK CIRCLES UNDER EYES

Dark circles cannot be found anywhere except for under eyes. It is due to the skin here being very thin (about 6 times thinner than compared to the rest of the face), which is why the vessels located under eyes can be visible. But if such an explanation were the only one, literally everyone would have dark circles throughout their life.

In reality, it is much more complicated. For some the blue under eyes is visible all the time, for others it occurs sometimes or rarely; in some cases it appears unexpectedly to remain. There is a long list of causes of this problem which can be divided into several large groups.

According to the Federal State Budgetary Institution NMIC TPM [National Medical Research Centre of Therapy and Preventive Medicine] of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, thinning of the fat layer is the most common cause of dark circles. Skin of lower eyelids is separated from orbicularis oculi (a facial muscle situated just beneath the eyelid skin) and blood vessels by thin hypodermis. It gets thinner with age. Sometimes orbicularis oculi and blood vessels become visible even through the thickest skin. The muscle has a dark red colour, the vessels are more cherry-coloured. The colour of under eyes circles depends on what is more visible: vessels or orbicularis oculi [7].

Genetics

A person might live with dark circles under eyes almost since childhood. They may get enough sleep, exercise, eat healthily, avoid any bad habits, but the colour of the eye area still remains the same. If this happens, especially if their relatives also have darkening under eyes, then most likely it is a matter of genetics.

Hereditary dark circles may be caused, firstly, by special face structure, skeleton, and muscles. For example, people with very deep eye sockets tend to have greyish eyelids, which is explained, among other factors, by light and shadows distribution on the face. Secondly, those whose facial skin is thin and/or light by nature encounter dark circles much more often, which is related to skin structure. The thinner it is, the more noticeable the vessels, capillaries, and vein walls are. It is also worth noting that people with dry skin type are also more likely to have dark circles, which is again due to skin structure and the fact that dehydrated skin often looks grey.

Fatigue

Tiredness, chronic lack of sleep and physical exhaustion are one of the most common causes of dark circles under eyes. Obviously, your skin (as well as the body) won’t be “grateful’ for overwork or lack of sleep; on the contrary, it will become pale, lifeless, dull, with an ill-looking shade from grey to swampy. Moreover, the bigger fatigue is, the more groggy look a person has, and it is the eyes that give out the problem first.

The skin around eyes is generally thin, and more obvious paleness caused by fatigue makes underlying capillaries more visible, contributing to the “blue’ effect. In this case, any treatment will be meaningless: the person must take action themselves: change the daily routine and reduce stress level, improve sleep and rest.

Eye strain

Long hours of any screen time (computer, smartphone, TV), reading in insufficient light put extra strain on eyes making the skin darken. Again, this is due to vessels and capillaries becoming more visible because of muscle spasm.

Makeup

This encompasses excessive skin exposure to various substances. For example, decorative cosmetics and/or skin care products that do not match the skin type and age can also provoke the appearance of dark circles. In addition, abuse of treatments including various beauty injections with side effects significantly weakens skin and makes it duller.

One must remember that natural and salon tanning, neglecting sunscreen, especially during the strongest sun activity, also result in sad consequences. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet light stimulates melanin secretion, which affects colour of skin in general and of under eyes in particular. The skin does not have time to recover and dark circles appear as a response.

Bad habits

Smoking and alcohol abuse has a detrimental effect on health, including skin condition. Over time, face gets a tired look, losing elasticity and ability to resist harmful substances. In this case bruises under eyes become one of the most noticeable features.

Frequent and excessive consumption of fast food, canned food, coffee, and some seasonings also affects skin health and can provoke dark circles appearance. The use of products containing sugar, especially refined, as well as trans fat, has a particularly negative effect on skin condition. According to the research of one of the cosmetic companies producing care cosmetics, sugars destroy cells from the inside, slow down collagen synthesis, which leads to early ageing. Circles under eyes are exactly the first sign of excessive sugar consumption.

Natural causes

This group includes age-related changes. By around the age of 50, skin becomes less fresh, collagen and elastin, responsible for firmness and elasticity, are not produced as actively as before, making vessels on eyelids visible.

Another cause of eyelids getting darker with age has to do with subcutaneous fat. This is the lower layer of epidermis, which sits on muscles and capillaries. There is no such fat in some body areas, so, for example, the colour of lips differs from that of the rest of the face. There is subcutaneous fat in lower eyelids, but it is very thin. With age, this layer becomes even thinner, resulting in the bruising effect. By the way, it is also sometimes observed in infants: their subcutaneous fat has not grown yet.

Diseases

Dark circles under eyes can be a symptom of a number of diseases. That is why a person suddenly develops these circles, it is important to consult a doctor. Diseases causing under eyes bruises comprise, for example:

• Allergies, including pollinosis and conjunctivitis, which may result in small swelling and redness, creating grey or purple circles under eyes.

• Osteochondrosis, a disease when structure of intervertebral discs is disrupted, which leads to serious malfunctions not only of musculoskeletal system, but also of other body systems. Other symptoms include: tinnitus, dizziness, numbness of fingers, impaired vision, eye floaters, frequent pains and burning sensations in the neck, a “lump’ in the throat.

• Sinusitis causes circles to appear due to inflammation and swelling of sinuses for being located close to eyes. The following is also observed: swollen nose and excessive nasal discharge, a constant feeling of an unpleasant sweet smell, a bad sense of smell, a strong cough in sleep and other unpleasant symptoms in the respiratory tract.

• Skin hyperpigmentation: this ailment most often provokes the appearance of yellowish circles. However, it can be prevented even on prone skin. Deep moisturising is required as well as creams or concealers with high SPF protect, both chemical and physical, to ensure complete protection. Meanwhile, to lighten skin under eyes, one should use products consisting vitamin A, C and niacinamide (a form of niacin, vitamin B3).

• Thyroid gland disorders: hyperthyroidism (hyper-function, i.e. excessive activity of the gland) or hypothyroidism (hypo-function, i.e. insufficient activity of the gland) also lead to dark circles under eyes. By the way, thyroid disorder is often confused with increased fatigue and exhaustion which are symptoms of the disorder.

• Serious pathologies: circles under eyes (not necessarily dark in colour) can be a symptom of kidney, heart, or adrenal gland pathology; cholecystitis, iron deficiency anemia, helminthiasis, cancer, etc.

Determining the colour of the skin under eyes is just one step in diagnosing a disease. If a doctor spots ill-looking dark circles in the patient, they can give them a referral for various examinations, such as:

• general or/and biochemical blood test

• blood test for trace elements and/or hormones

• general urinalysis

• stool test

• chest X-ray

• X-ray of the cervical spine

• bronchoscopy

• electrocardiography

• echocardiography

• kidney ultrasound

• thyroid gland ultrasound

• heart ultrasound

• neck and head vessels ultrasound

Perhaps, with tests results a general practitioner will refer a patient to a specialist, for example, to an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist or gastroenterologist for further examination and a prescribed treatment plan.

In this case a permanent makeup artist will not be able to deal with circles under eyes, as first of all the primary cause, the disease, should be eliminated. Once it is done, the artist can correct the remaining blemishes. It should be said that camouflage copes with hyperpigmentation and its consequences easily, significantly improving the quality of life of the client.

Other causes of dark circles under eyes:

There are factors which cannot be attributed to any of the above groups. These are causes such as:

• drastic weight loss: with significant weight loss in a short period of time, skin loses its tone and elasticity, metabolic processes are disrupted. It is important to note that significant and rapid weight loss can also be a symptom of a serious pathology;

• lack of eye care and the area around eyes, which leads to thinning of skin, loss of elasticity and signs of premature ageing;

• improper drinking regime: insufficient water intake leads to accumulation of salt in the body, which causes swelling, including area under eyes. Excessive drinking in the evening also provokes edema;

• eating salty foods in large quantities causes swelling;