An article in The New York Times last month spelled bad news for women in search of gentle treatment for dark circles under their eyes. The story states that “roughly 53 percent of the 13,000 Clinique users surveyed by the company in 2006 cited under-eye circles and puffiness as their No. 1 beauty concern.” After plenty of research, the author reaches the conclusion that the only effective solution comes from the office of the plastic surgeon and a dose of non-invasive “filler.”

Bummer. The surprising thing about dark circles under the eyes is that they are not generally caused by fatigue. So although getting your beauty sleep is of course important, it may do little for those circles. So what’s an under-eye-circle boasting woman in search of a natural remedy to do? I’d suggest first looking at the causes. Here are the main culprits in the dilemma:

• The most common cause is nasal congestion, according to MayClinic.com. Who knew?! If veins that usually drain from your eyes into your nose are unable to do just that, they become dilated and then darken. So get your allergies in order, and see if that helps.

• Water retention during sleep can cause lower lids to swell, increasing shadows beneath the eyes, aka dark circles. Watch your sodium intake, drink plenty of water, and sleep with your head slightly raised on a pillow.

• The skin under the eyes is thin and delicate to begin with, and gets more so as we age–the thinner the skin, the more visible veins underneath the eyes become. Sun exposure exacerbates this, so be sure to use an all-natural sunscreen for delicate eye areas.

• Food allergies and/or sensitivities can create dark circles; hence the term “allergy shiner.” Do you have any food allergies or sensitivities? You may not even know it, some suggest that serious dark circles alone are reason to be tested for food allergies or sensitivities.

• At some point, you may have to thank dear old mom or dad; dark circles under the eyes runs in families.

• Sometimes anemia can contribute to dark circles, check out other anemia symptoms to strike it from the list.

• Dehydration. Drink enough water and herbal tea to make sure that you are not dehydrated.

• And finally, a plain old lack of sleep can make circles appear darker. So get your 7 to 8 hours in.

Try this Quick Fix for Under Eye Bags. If nothing else, reducing puffiness has a great effect on the appearance of shadows–and it feels great.