'I tried bizarre TikTok potato hack to banish my eye bags – it was a real journey' – The Mirror
With thousands of expensive skincare products on the market promising to de-puff our peepers, can the humble spud really do the trick? Mirror writer Niamh Kirk puts the strange hack to the test
Potatoes are one of the most versatile foods on our plates – but can you incorporate them into your beauty routine too?
In the world of skincare, dark circles are one of the biggest bug-bears, with endless products on the market promising to reduce the dreaded purple tinge and puffiness. But instead of forking out £50 on a fancy eye cream, TikTok beauty buffs are turning to the humble spud to awaken their complexion.
TikTok is full of weird and wonderful life hacks, and I am all for new beauty tricks that save pennies. But even I was unsure about this latest craze – a potato belongs in the oven, not on my mug.
But it turns out there is some method to the madness, as the bizarre trick is backed up by science. Tater in hand and sleepy eyes at the ready, I tried out this anti-ageing secret to see if it actually works.
For this experiment, I ditched my trusty Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue cream for a golden spud. The science behind the hack is that potatoes are that they are packed with vitamin C, azelaic acid and niacinamide – three powerhouse ingredients you'd find in high-end skincare. So not only are they great when they're made into chips or roasties – they could well be the cure for unwanted eyebags.
I sliced my Maris Piper potato in half and headed into the bathroom. Frankly, I am glad I live alone as I'm not sure I could have justified the unusual beauty hack to anyone who saw me, it's definitely not an Instagram-worthy self-care photo opportunity either. I put my embarassment aside for the purpose of illustrating this review, however.
As I cradled my spud, I wondered how this would work logistically as it doesn't strike me as the easiest product to carry around – it's hardly something you can just chuck in your toiletries bag either.
When applying, I quickly realised I should have cut the potato into much smaller pieces as not only was it quite awkward to hold, but it covered a lot more than just my under eyes. It was a strange experience. The spud was quite soothing and cooling on my skin as it was cold, but it also felt so wrong.
The tater then left a strange tacky residue on my face that then went a little stiff once dried from the starch. I wasn't sure if I should then put my moisturiser over the top, so I left it for the first night.
Let's address the elephant in the room here: the smell. Granted, my usual eye cream doesn't have much of a scent, but the potato – as expected – gave a rather potent whiff of soil. I don't know what I was expecting, but the earthy, nutty smell wasn't very pleasant.
The phrase 'Potatoes and dark circles' has gained a whopping 1.9 billion video views on TikTok, with countless videos of people rubbing raw potatoes under their eyes on the platform. Dr Stephen Humble, founder of the skincare range Dr Humble Clinical Skincare and Medical Director of Hedox Clinic Harley Street, gave an insight into why it could actually work.
"In theory, this does actually make sense. With a raw potato, it's high in vitamin C, it's got azelaic acid and it's got niacinamide in it as well – and this can reduce pigmentation. The negative is you've got dirty, raw potato; it's messy, it doesn't smell that nice. you're wiping it on your face and it can be quite a hassle," he explained.
"I would of course choose an eye cream every time over a potato! The eye creams available on the market have all gone through rigorous testing and formulating to directly target under eye area and pigmentation."
I decided to try the potato hack for a week to see if I could notice the effects and admittedly, I actually think it did help. After seven days, the skun under my eyes felt more taught, and I do feel like they may look a little brighter. Potatoes contain hyaluronic acid, a hydration-boosting ingredient packed into in many serums and moisturisers.
It's said that the vitamin C, B6, zinc, sugar and starch all found in potato juice can help reduce inflammation and dark patches as well. I am happy to see that it may have slightly worked, and my bank balance would thank me for finding a much cheaper option, but I think I will stick to my regular eye cream to save the embarrassment and the hassle of having to chop up a potato every day to use.
There are hundereds of TikTok videos of people trying the viral hack, and many TikTokers share their thoughts. One person said: "I use it all over my face. really does work, While another added: "Potatoes are great for dark spots, lightenings underarms too for example! Will not work if you have dark circles due to thin skin or veins though."
If you're on a budget and don't mind a starchy glow, the humble potato might be your new beauty weapon.
Do you have a story to share? Email niamh.kirk@reachplc.com
