Excerpts from some articles as below :

Dark Circles:

Dark circles under the eyes can be for some just a cosmetic nuisance but for others they can cause depression and irritation due to the fact that they can make you look tired, washed out and often older than you deserve.
If you are affected then you are just one of the many. These days it is a problem that is widely complained about by a vast majority of the population yet often people find it difficult to know how to treat it.
To treat dark under eye circles firstly it pays to know what the cause is. They occur when delicate capillaries around the eye area break, causing cells to 'leak' tiny amounts of blood. The capillaries around the eyes sit close to the surface of the skin and therefore the combination of thin, translucent skin and leaking capillaries sitting close to the surface give the appearance of a dark blue-black colour - thus, the dark under eye circles.
There are various reasons you could be suffering from dark under eye circles. The first reaction by many is that it could very well be due to lack of sleep. However, many of us get plenty of sleep with little or no effect on the dark circles under the eyes.
What else then can it be? Could it be that the answer can be found in your day to day habits: smoking, drinking too much alcohol, a high salt diet, or simply being hydrated because you do not drink enough water? These can all have an effect on dark under eye circles.
Lifestyle changes can have an impact believe it or not. Even something as simple as lowering your sodium intake or taking multivitamins can have an effect.
The vitamin K is said to help treat under eye circles and so eating plenty of green vegetables is the order of the day One eye cream that contains the Vitamin K is Eyederma and it is fast becoming popular in both the US and the UK. Specifically manufactured to reduce the effects of both dark circles under the eye and bags under the eyes it may well be worth a try to help reduce the effects of these depressing and irritating problems.
However, another reason that's not so simple to deal with is the heredity factor. Do other members of your family have dark circles under their eyes? If so, your under eye circles may simply be genetic - which can also mean that they can be harder to treat. Try investing in a good concealer they can work wonders and of course can be effective in a matter of seconds. However, be careful not to choose a concealer that's too light for your skin colour as this only achieves a reverse effect, drawing attention to the unnatural colouring under your eyes. Apply the chosen concealer all around the eye, not just beneath the eye, finishing off with a light dusting of translucent powder to help the concealer last longer.
It is important that you never make comparisons between your own eyes and those of the models we see in the films and magazines and on TV. You must know that they are all airbrushed! Get them pictured down amongst the supermarket shelves, pushing a trolley and then see how different they look!!.
No unfortunately dark under eye circles are just a part of life for many of us these days so if you want a quick cheap fix , dab on a bit of concealer – and most important don't lose any sleep over it, you’ll only make it worse!.

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Puffy Eyes, Bags under Eyes:

One cause of that puffiness under your eyes you see in the mirror in the mornings can be because of fluid retention that occurs normally during sleep, it may be worth trying to raise your pillows a little to elevate your head to prevent the gravitational redistribution of fluids.
However, there are other factors to consider for instance you may find your eyes seem to be puffy during pregnancy and hormonal changes to do with mensturation can also lead to the retention of fluid. These conditions can cause swelling around the eyes to be more prominent.
Excess amounts of salt in your diet can encourage fluid retention, don’t rely too heavily on ready made meals and take-away foods, they often have high salt contents and of course are known to contain preservatives that prolong shelf life.
Over indulging in alcohol and tobacco can cause a build up of toxins in your body and surprisingly can lead to fatigue and hormonal changes that create fluid retention.
Allergies can also cause your eyes to become swollen, puffy looking and red.
If you are dehydrated, that can also be reflected in the appearance of the skin around your eyes. Don’t wait until you become thirsty to take a drink by then you may well have already become dehydrated.
One of the more popular beliefs is of course that any problems to do with the appearance of our eyes are because of lack of sleep and there is truth in that. Sleep deprivation and interrupted sleep cycles are often common causes of bags under the eyes or dark circles under the eyes. Get to sleep at reasonable hours and ensure you get not only seven or eight hours of sleep but good quality sleep too. Not only will your eyes appear brighter but you’ll fell a lot better too.
Some of the more common home remedies for bags under the eyes or puffy eyes are; Placing A cold compress near the eye, the coldness constricts the blood vessels, preventing the flow of fluid into the tissues.
Sliced cucumber or potato can also provide short-term relief.
Reduce eye puffiness and maintain clear, moist skin by altering your diet to include foods full of natural vitamins such as the vitamins A, C & E.
In many cases bags under the eyes are as a result of the natural aging process… with age the pockets of fat beneath and supporting the eyes start to bulge as muscle that holds them in place begins to weaken. Collagen the protein that holds the molecular structure of the skin in place and helps to make our skin appear firm and taught begins to break down with age and our skin starts to lose its firmness. These are factors that begin the overall aging process that we notice in the form of lines and wrinkles but they can also be a cause of what are known as baggy or puffy eyes. That loss of muscle support is going to accentuate bagginess as the pockets of fat known as orbital fat pads drop and begin to overhang slightly.
It does not matter what your age is if you have already developed a good skin care regime, premature skin aging will not affect you to a great degree. If you are reading this and you do not have a sensible regime my advice is to start today for tomorrow may be too late.
Bags under the eyes should not be confused with drooping eye lids which is a condition known as Ptosis that occurs when the muscles used to raise the eyelid are not strong enough to function properly, perhaps because of damage/trauma to the muscle. Ptosis can often seem worse when tired muscles are not at their most efficient due to tiredness. Some people may have the condition from birth but is normally more common in the elderly, as muscles in the eyelids begin to deteriorate. one eye or both eyes may be affected.
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Skin Care:

There is an important relationship between nutritional intake and skin health. It is well known that Vitamins have beneficial effects on the appearance of the skin and for their antioxidant properties. Studies show that the vitamins C, E, A, K, and B complex all help improve skin health and appearance and can improve overall health too.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C protects against those free-radicals that can damage the cell formations that make up the structure of our body and our skin, damage caused by sunlight, smoke, and air pollution.
. Vitamin C found in citrus fruits, berries, kiwi fruits and green leafy vegetables works as an antioxidant to neutralise the affects of free radical damage protecting both collagen and elastin that support the skin’s structure making it plump and flexible.
Vitamin E —Just like vitamin C, this potent antioxidant helps reduce the harmful effects of the sun on the skin and can also help reduce wrinkles to make your skin look and feel smoother. (Be aware, though, that some recent research warns that large doses of vitamin E can be harmful). Used in a cream, lotion, or serum form, vitamin E can soothe dry, rough skin. Those foods that are naturally rich in vitamin E include nuts, such as almonds, vegetable oils, seeds, wheat germ, spinach and other dark, green leafy vegetables. Another bonus with Vitamin E is that it's good for your hair too.
Vitamin A. Vitamin A maintains and repairs skin tissue, the average diet will provide sufficient amounts of vitamin A, but if levels drop even a little below par, you'll probably see some skin-related symptoms, including a dry, flaky complexion. Alcohol and coffee can deplete your vitamin A levels.
Skin care companies have been turning to vitamin A derived ingredients called retinol or retinyls for use in anti aging skin care products. The prescription treatment is called Retin A, and it's used primarily as a treatment for acne. The good news is that vitamin A can be found in carrots, mangos, sweet potatoes, spinach, dried milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.
Vitamin B. Biotin found within the vitamin B is a nutrient often recommended for strengthening hair and nails. Without adequate amounts, you may end up with dermatitis (an itchy, scaly skin reaction) or sometimes even hair loss. However, deficiency is extremely rare.
When you are becoming stressed at any time and stress does affect your skin, your body will need extra amounts of vitamin B as they are necessary for the smooth running of the nervous system. Good sources of vitamin B are liver, fish, bananas, milk, eggs, oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain cereals and soybeans.
Creams containing B vitamins can give skin an almost instant healthy glow while hydrating cells and increasing overall tone at the same time. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe dry, irritated skin. | Vitamin K. Helps improve blood flow and lack of this vitamin found in turnip, greens broccoli, cabbage cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, liver and soya can be the cause of dark circles under the eyes.
Eye creams containing the vitamin K such as Eyederma can help effectively diminish dark circles under the eyes and minimize the appearance of broken capillaries or "spider veins" by strengthening the blood vessels beneath the thin skin around the eyes and preventing further leakage.
Omegas 3, 6 & 9 are the three important groups of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s). They are important because if eaten regularly together with fruit and fresh green vegetables, they can benefit both our health and our skin. These EFA's should form a greater part of our diet than they do but today we eat less and less of them and thereby dismissing the help they offer towards fighting off the premature aging of our skin. However, having said that it is important to get the right balance of these fats, too much of one without the other is not good for us. A healthy balance is suggested as four to five parts of omega 3 and one of omega 6. Too much of the omega6 group of fats alone can lead to health problems and many of us today are guilty of using oils in salads, spreads containing oils and oils for cooking.:

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