Home Remedies for Puffiness Under Eyes
Under eye puffiness is a temporary condition caused by fluids that build up in the areas under your eyes as you sleep. Though they go away after a while, they are troublesome because they can make you look old and tired in the morning when you should look refreshed and ready to take on your day.
Fortunately, there are many ways to remedy puffy eyes that can found right at home.
Cold Compresses
The best way to encourage drainage is to apply cold to the eye area. This works in the same way that ice helps to inhibit swelling. Apply the cold compress is while standing up, which may seem awkward, but you've got give the fluid somewhere to go, for ten to fifteen minutes.
Cold spoons also work
Before you go to bed at night, put a couple of spoons in the refrigerator. In the morning, hold the spoons to your eyes for a few minutes. Because metal can get colder than your average wet towel, this method works a little faster. The down side is that the spoons can feel too cold, and this can make the regimen a bit hard to stick to.
The tapping method
This is as easy as tapping lightly on the delicate skin under your eyes from the inside corner to the outside. While this method requires little time or preparation, the results are not as effective as some of the other methods listed here.
Cucumbers and Tea Bags
Cucumbers and cold tea bags are an effective way to reduce puffiness. The tannins in tea acts as an anti inflammatory while the cucumbers help to cool and firm the eye area. The problem comes in application - we've tried standing up for ten minutes with cucumbers on our eyes, but we just felt silly. If bags are a problem, tea bags work quite well. If you're trying to combat dark circles, go for the cucumbers.
Adjust the way you sleep
If you want to target the cause of under-eye puffiness, try changing the way you sleep. Elevate your head with one or two pillows (depending on their thickness) and sleep on your back. This will ensure the fluid that usually pools in the area under your eyes can drain as you sleep - eliminating puffiness at its source!
Drink water
It almost sounds too easy, but serious puffiness could be a result of too much sodium, which causes dehydration. If you really want to target those puffy eyes from the inside, reduce your intake of fast and processed foods, which are loaded with sodium, among other bad-for-you ingredients, and down some water.
Keep your eye serum in the refrigerator
This is a tip I got from my sister, who always looks like a million bucks. It's as simple as storing your favorite eye gel or serum in the refrigerator and applying it every morning after your shower. Most serums have cooling effects of their own (our eye serum contains cucumber extract and Aloe Vera gel) and keeping it in the refrigerator magnifies those powers.