Tired of looking tired? Look well-rested and fresh with eye-brightening strategies. The skin around the eyes is very thin as compared to other parts of the body, and extremely delicate. It doesn’t take much for puffiness to appear. Allergies, stress, and a lack of sleep are common culprits, as they cause fluid to pool in the under-eye area, which leads to mild swelling (edema).
Over time, the skin naturally loses collagen and grows thinner, so regardless of what kind of skin you have or what good habits you maintain, veins will inevitably start to show through the thin skin around your eyes. Fat loss under the eye, broken blood vessels, and increased melanin — or hyperpigmentation — are the main culprits.
You may not have updated your routine in a while. But if you’ve noticed dark circles and puffiness around your eyes, you may want to consider switching things up.
A few lifestyle choices to watch out for include:
- Are you getting enough sleep? If not, keep on snoozing.
- Allergies don’t just present themselves in the form of pollen. Environmental sensitivities can definitely show up on your skin via puffy, watery eyes. Food allergies could also be the culprit behind those puffy eyes.
- Repeated rubbing and scratching the delicate skin around the eyes can eventually lead to a brown discoloration around the eye.
- Stress (physical or mental) is a significant killer of healthy glowing skin. Stress can be a significant factor that contributes to your eyes looking tired.
- Iron deficiency can also lead to pigmentation around the eyes.
- Smoking increases free radicals in the skin resulting in puffy eyes.
- A diet high in salt can encourage fluid retention, leading to puffy eyes (along with other parts of the body). Be sure to pay attention to sodium levels in your food, especially if you’re eating anything processed.
Natural and Effective Ways to Treat Dark Circles and Puffy Eyes
1. Cold Compress
In the morning or evening – or better yet, in the morning AND the evening – apply a cold compress for about 10 minutes. If you have a mask you can keep in your fridge and pull out twice a day, that’s the easiest way to try this dark circle reducing method. Just make sure to keep it clean and give it a good soapy scrub a few times a week.
2. Use gravity
Get gravity on your side by sleeping with your head elevated, and preferably on your back, to prevent excess fluid buildup.
3. Change pillow covers timely
Using the same pillow covers for a long time increases the chances of dust accumulation over them. This can be a reason for eye allergies, itchiness, redness, and puffiness. Change pillow covers regularly to reduce the incidence of such allergies.
4. Cold tea bags
The caffeine present in tea bags shrinks blood vessels and reduces fluid retention in tissues. This makes the skin around your eyes look vibrant and glowing. Cold tea bags cause skin tissues to shrink, leaving your eyes looking less puffy. Take two already soaked tea bags and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Remove and place them on each eye for 5 -10 minutes. Rinse with cold water and repeat 1-3 times a day to see effective results.
5. Chilled Spoons
A cereal spoon can come in handy for more than just eating breakfast. Chill two of them in a refrigerator for a few minutes, then lie down and place the back of each spoon over a closed eye (they’re the perfect shape for resting on your eyelid). Take a full 10 minutes to relax and let the area be soothed as the coldness constricts blood vessels; you should notice less swelling.
6. Cold milk
Milk contains lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid. Alpha hydroxy acids act as an exfoliant when applied to the skin, smoothing wrinkles, cleansing pores, and restoring the skin. Soak two cotton balls in cold milk and place them under your eyes for a natural remedy.
7. Rose Water
Rose water doesn’t just smell fantastic – it can also soothe and rejuvenate tired skin. Like cucumber, it’s a mild astringent, so it can work as a skin toner. Just soak cotton makeup remover pads in rose water for a few minutes, and then let the soaked makeup pads sit on your CLOSED eyelids. Leave them for about 15 minutes twice daily.
8. Reduce salt
Cut down on salt during the day and before bed. Extra salt = water retention. Drink plenty of water to keep your system flushed as this can also help prevent eye puffiness. Water itself will help remove toxins from the body but water displacement will cause puffiness
9. Raw potato slices
Try using sliced potatoes in place of cucumbers. They stay cool longer and contain an astringent that helps remove the water from under the eyes. You can also make a finely ground potato poultice by grating raw potato and placing it in a few layers of cheesecloth. Lay over the eyes and reap the benefits.
10. Always Moisturize
Many times, what may look like a dark patch around the eyes, in reality, is just dry skin. Moisturizing it twice daily will restore your skin and hydrate it, giving your eyes a fuller look. Use a good quality moisturizer that suits your skin type. You can even try massaging your skin with almond oil.