10 Tip for Reducing Puffy Eyes from Lack of Sleep or Bloating

You’d think getting an adequate amount of rest and eating a healthy diet would make under-eye puffiness disappear, but alas, we still see bags underneath our eyes. Under-eye changes are inevitable as we all age (dark or bluish discoloration, depressed appearance, puffiness, bags, etc.). Identifying the cause of your under-eye change is required prior to determining how to help treat it. Under-eye puffiness is usually due to the accumulation of fluid in the periorbital area. Allergies are also a common cause and sleep deprivation, dehydration, salt, and alcohol consumption can all contribute. And the anatomy of our own inherent drainage system (lymphatics) can also play a role.

And while there is no one simple fix, that doesn’t mean that under-eye puffiness is not treatable. So since we’re tired of people asking if we’re tired, we compiled the best puffy-eye remedies. Keep scrolling for what they had to say about how to get rid of puffy eyes—stat.

1. Use a Cold Spoon

Leave two clean teaspoons in your freezer, and on puffy mornings, simply press them against your eyes for a few minutes. This can be done with a spoon kept in the freezer (wet it prior to applying it to each under-eye area for a few minutes) and will help constrict the vessels and reduce inflammation in the area.

Putting anything cold, such as a clean teaspoon can help alleviate puffy eyes as the coolness of the spoon helps constrict the blood vessels. The puffiness, due to fluid retention, can be reduced quickly with a burst of cold temperature, while the pressure of the spoon (especially with a gentle massaging motion) can activate the body’s natural response to drain the pooled fluid under the eyes.

2. Use Depuffing Patches with Caffeine

While we couldn’t do without our morning java jolt, caffeine has also become a star player in skin care products and an important ingredient for the eye area in particular.

As a first step when I notice my eyes are looking puffy, turn to depuffing patches with caffeine.

3. Try an Eye Mask or Apply an Astringent

Everyone is jumping on the eye mask bandwagon. Why? They pack a powerful lineup of ingredients to de-puff, soothe, and hydrate.

But if eye masks aren’t you’re thing, try applying an astringent, such as Witch Hazel, as using this can help decrease any inflammation. You can apply on a cotton pad and put on your eye area for about 10 minutes.

4. Try a Gentle Double Tap or Facial Massage Technique

Did you know that the way you apply eye moisturizer affects the state of your under-eye area? Rubbing cream or moisturizer on your eyes can cause them to be puffy. Instead, try lightly tapping the area of your eyes and massaging the pressure points to encourage lymphatic drainage.

For more significant puffiness, try a gentle facial massage technique. Always use some sort of facial oil for things like promoting accelerated lymphatic drainage.

Starting with your neck to get the drainage started, drag the backs of your knuckles down along the sides of your neck. Then, work your way up your face, sweeping your fingertips outward from the center of your face to your ears. When you reach your eye area, you’ll want to make sure that you have your fingertips gliding across the bone just under your eye with a feathery touch.

5. Address Allergies

While we welcome spring with its blooming flowers and pleasant weather, we could do without the allergies that accompany it. If you have seasonal or other allergies, it is very common to have extra puffiness under your eyes. If you notice a seasonal change in your eyes, try an over the counter antihistamine such as Zyrtec or Allegra daily during the time of year when your allergies are heightened.

6. Grab a Tea Bag or Cucumber Slices

If you’re looking for a DIY household hack solution, you do have a few other options as well: Cold cucumber slices are fantastic to calm weary, puffy eyes, and a wet, cool teabag not only soothes your eyes, the tea itself—with anti-inflammatory and mild diuretic qualities—also helps to pull the swelling and fluid out from under your eyes, to fix the puffiness at the source.

Drop two tea bags (unprocessed green or black tea is best) in a mug of hot water for a minute, let cool to a safe temperature, and then apply to eyes for three minutes. The natural caffeine in the tea will immediately help constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling. 

7. Make Lifestyle Changes

While lifestyle changes might not necessarily sound like the quickest way to alleviate puffy eyes, making small adjustments to certain routines and habits will lead to lasting results.

If you are sleep deprived, it usually makes puffiness worse. When you are dehydrated your body tries to hold on to all the fluid it can which could contribute to under-eye puffiness. As for sleeping more upright, how quick and easy this trick is, an often overlooked fix to de-puffing the eye area that yields amazing results for your face and complexion. To incorporate sleeping elevated into your sleeping routine, simply add an extra pillow to help allow the fluid to drain easier at night.

8. Apply an Eye Cream or Serum

When shopping for under-eye remedies, look for a good moisturizing eye cream with ingredients such as green tea, caffeine, niacinamide, peptides and other antioxidants which can help reduce inflammation and constrict blood vessels to reduce puffiness. Chill the serum since, as we learned earlier, the cold will constrict blood vessels and reduce inflammation.

For an all-natural way to soothe and de-puff eyes, turn to cold aloe vera gel which boasts anti-inflammatory properties. Keep a bottle in your fridge, and then apply it just like you would eye cream.

9. Improve Lymphatic Drainage

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee, and cacao plants. In skin care, it helps to stimulate blood flow and decrease puffiness, as well as works to dissolve fat, which makes it a choice cellulite treatment.

The under-eye area is one area on the body where our natural drainage system (lymphatic system) for excess fluid is not the best, some suffering worse than others. There are different ways to accomplish [drainage] including ice rollers (dual action by helping to massage and directly cool the area), jade rollers, etc. However, frequently rubbing the skin in this area can result in discoloration and a wrinkled appearance.

10. Try an Eye Treatment with Your Facial

If at-home options are not working for you, consider a trip to the spa to help you wake up tired and puffy eyes. While we all struggle with puffy eyes, sometimes eye puffiness is unavoidable and a natural bodily function and in that case, the puffiness will likely subside within a few hours on its own, which is especially the case when you overindulge in alcohol or another treat.

So no need to pass on that after-work happy hour or forgo your afternoon fika, just make sure to refreshen your eyes up with a regular facial!

Call or book your facial appointment online with Botanica Day Spa today!

Love,

Gen