Along with the various changes that a woman’s body and skin undergo post-delivery, under-eye dark shadows are a definite factor that could undermine the mother’s confidence about her body-image. Hormonal changes and stress already lead to feelings of anxiety and nervousness, and a not-so-attractive face could make her feel worse about herself. Some of the reasons that could contribute to these unwanted marks under the eyes could be:

  • Moaning about Hormones: During pregnancy, there is a rise in the hormone progesterone which helps in keeping the skin thicker and reduces wrinkles. Now you know the real reason behind that pregnancy glow. However, post-delivery, the same hormone level drops along with a decrease in collagen (which is responsible for firm skin). This could lead to rapidly aging skin, and under eye circles.
  • Sleepless beauty: With baby’s erratic sleep patterns and feeding needs, a new mom may feel nothing short of a milking cow on 24/7 duty. While moms and moms-in-law advice that the mother must sleep when the baby does during the day, there is no magic potion for the skin as a good night’s sound sleep—a luxury the mother must forgo for a long time after delivery.
  • Back in action, too soon: Some moms who were working before delivery opt for ‘work-from-home’ early on after the baby’s birth. Others may be compelled to attend con-calls from home or complete reports. This means lesser ‘me-time’, working when the baby sleeps, more strain on the eyes, and darker under-eyes.
  • No, no noodles: New moms who are deprived of family support (moms/moms-in-law) suffer more from the dietary perspective. Exhausted after tending to the baby and its needs, they settle down for ‘easy-to-cook’ meals that are devoid of essential nutrients. A cup of instant noodles is surely going to be no good to the eyes and skin as a well-balanced meal of rotis, vegetables, dal, and rice. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that could do wonders for your skin. On the other hand, food high in salt like processed chips could add to the puffiness around the eyes. Moreover, the body needs at least 8 full glasses of water a day to keep itself from dehydration, and new moms often tend to ignore these basic needs which affect their skin. Especially for a breastfeeding mom, it is very essential to regain the lost nutrients through a nutritious, well balanced diet.

Chat conversation end Under-eye dark circles can play a huge role in demeaning a new mom’s perception about her body image. It’s not just the normal women like me or you who go through the under-eyechronicles. Hollywood and back home, Bollywood celebrities who have recently borne babies fight hard to conceal those dark circles too—it isn’t for no reason that they wear oversized shades always! Here are some natural remedies to get rid of the dark circles under the eyes:

  1. Almond oil: Rich in nutrients, almond oil is a magic potion for the tired eyes. Dab some of it under the eyes before hitting the sack and wash it off in the morning.
  2. Cucumber: Don’t reserve the cucumber therapy only for your spa treatments (which you probably won’t get soon with the responsibility of a new baby). Cucumber has excellent skin lightening and astringent properties. Chill a couple of slices and cover on your eyes for some time.
  3. Raw potato: A natural bleach, raw potato is readily available in any Indian kitchen! Grate a potato, squeeze out the juice, and apply it with a cotton ball under the eyes. Leave for 15-20 minutes and rinse off.
  4. Sleep: There is no other remedy as beneficial as a good sleep! Don’t hesitate to ask the services of a family member to take care of the new angel while you steal a few winks to rest those tired eyes.
  5. If you have tried the above with little or no results, or don’t have enough time to do any of the above, get Mamaearth’s Under Eye Cream which is a unique blend of all essential nutrients and minerals that will help you fight those under eye dark circles. The market is full of products for under eye dark circles. However, the skin gets more delicate post-delivery and easily prone to allergies and unpleasant reactions. Mamaearth is the first MadeSafecertified brand in Asia. Mamaearth’s Under Eye Cream is dermatologically tested on sensitive human skin for allergic reactions in highest standard lab QACS of Europe, and is the first brand in Asia to be MadeSafe certified as safe for sensitive skin.

Here is a quick look at what this magic cream would give to your skin and eyes:

    1. Vitamin C: Vitamin Cis extremely vital for the growth and repair of tissues in our body and since it is not stored in the tissues, it needs to be supplied externally. Mamaearth’s Under Eye Creamcontains 10% vitamin C which protects the skin from free radicals that develop due to exposure to the sun and pollution. Furthermore, Vitamin C aids the production of collagen which rejuvenates the delicate under-eye skin and reduces wrinkles.
    1. Hyaluronic Acid*: With pregnancy and delivery, the skin loses its moisture resulting in dryness and wrinkles under the eyes. Hyaluronic Acid has a unique property of holding moisture that makes the skin supple reducing wrinkles and dark circles.
    1. Caffeine**: Furthermore, our cream contains coffee seed extract— with its ability to tighten blood vessels in the eye area, reducing puffiness, redness and inflammation.
    1. Blend of Pfaffia, Marapauma & White Lilly***: Pfaffia or Suma as it is commonly called, is an herb originating from the jungles of Central and South America. It protects the skin from UV damage and prevents skin aging, thus reducing under eye circles. Marapauma helps you get rid of eye bags, and White Lilly extract hydrates and decongests, reducing skin dryness and inflammation.

If you are worried that you don’t have much time for a skin care routine, the good news is that you don’t need much time to apply this magic under-eye cream! Just dab gently around the eyes and massage in anticlockwise direction twice a day while cooing to your baby, or even breastfeeding! It can also be used under makeup. So, what are you waiting for? Make the ugly undereye circles disappear in a jiffy and bat those eyelids as your hubby sings, “Yeh kali kali aankhein!”