Every mom has experienced sleepless nights and the puffy eyes that follow. Or maybe a big cry or an extra evening cocktail and then poof! You end up looking a little rough the next morning. Our Guest Geek post this week is full of tips to get your eyes looking sparkling for those upcoming holiday parties. And many of these suggestions work well for dark circles too.

If you’ve got one drink too many or a few hours shy of getting enough sleep, you’ll probably notice your eyes becoming more swollen than usual. There are many reasons why your eyes can get swollen, with fluid retention being the most likely culprit. Puffy eyes can make you look older and it’s not surprising why. This condition most commonly afflicts the aging population, although there are several factors why it happens. Apart from surgical and nonsurgical procedures, there are surprisingly easy tips that you can do at home to get your peepers in top condition once again.

To get rid of unsightly bloating of your upper and lower lids, get your hands working, raid your kitchen, and prepare to do the following sweat-free steps: 

Use a Cold Compress or Eye Masks 

Cold temperatures constrict the blood vessels and may therefore reduce your eye problem. If you have ice packs in the kitchen, pop them in the refrigerator for a few minutes and then place them on your eyes. It’s better to have eye masks that you can chill so that it fits the unique contours of your face.

If you don’t have either, wet a clean washcloth with cold water and place it on your skin, occasionally applying mild pressure on your eyes. You can also prepare for this by freezing two teaspoons overnight, adding enough water to wet them, and placing them on the affected area for a few minutes.    

Apply Chilled Eye Serum

Besides the calming and soothing feeling, an eye serum contains several compounds, such as caffeine, chamomile, and cucumber, that may help fight eyelid bulging. This is one combination that’s hard to beat in taking down eye swelling. Apply on your eye area using gentle tapping strokes to minimize inflammation and promote skin tightening.

Try a Gentle Eye Massage

You’ve read earlier that liquid retention is the main culprit for eye puffiness. You can help minimize retention by performing a double tap massage on your peepers to encourage lymphatic drainage functions.

For the uninitiated, the lymphatic system is a complex network of tissues that help the body get rid of toxins. It also manages fluid balance and supports the immune system in fighting off infections. There’s lymphatic drainage around your eyes, which you can tap gently using your index and middle fingers to aid in reducing puffed eyes.     

Use Coffee Grinds and Oil Mixture

Caffeine does wonder in promoting blood circulation and brightening your skin. It may also effectively reduce puffed-up eyes from staying up late or drinking too much alcohol. Reduce eye inflammation by mixing coconut oil and coffee grinds for much-needed moisture. Gently massage around the eyes and let it rest for a few minutes more before cleaning the mixture off with clean water. 

Try Cucumber Slices to Soothe Puffy Eyes 

Applying cucumber slices on your eyes may help reduce puffiness. It’s believed to provide several other benefits too, such as giving off a cooling effect and hydrating your peepers. Cucumber also has a compound called lignans which can minimize inflammation and tyrosinase which helps brighten the skin around it.      

To prepare, wash your face and take out a chilled cucumber. Slice two pieces and put them on top of your eyes until they’re at room temperature.

Place Used Tea Bags on Your Eyelids

Like cucumber slices, used tea bags are rich in antioxidants and caffeine which may help minimize under-eye bags, dark circles, and swelling. The caffeine found abundantly in tea can penetrate the skin, making it more effective in encouraging circulation and reducing slightly swollen lids. To use, steep two bags and leave them inside the chiller for about 30 minutes. Then, you may place them on your eyes.   

Use A Face or Eye Roller

Using face rollers to reduce puffiness around the eye area may yield positive results. It’s believed that they’re capable of spreading accumulated fluids around this section.

Besides massaging the affected area, you may also place the beauty tool, often made from a crystal like jade, metal, and plastic, inside the refrigerator to chill prior to using. On the other hand, eye-rollers are mostly made from a metal ball placed on a plastic applicator. To use, massage around the face or the eyes. You may also apply chilled eye serum, cream, or gel to further optimize its effects. 

Conclusion

Understanding the reasons for eye puffiness is essential in learning how to prevent frequent eye swelling from happening. Stress, aging, excessive salt and alcohol intake, and allergies may trigger abnormal fluid retention, causing our upper and lower eyelids to bulge.   

To prevent puffiness in the future, it helps to:

• Get high-quality sleep
• Treat allergies
• Avoid too much salt
• Drink more water, but not when you’re about to sleep
• Increase potassium intake
• Raising your head slightly while you sleep

If symptoms such as pain and discharge accompany eye puffiness, call your physician right away to receive medical care.