Pro-Backed Tips for Puff-Free Eyes
Drugstores and beauty counters are brimming with fancy-looking eye creams and serums claiming to “erase” under-eye puffiness and wrinkles. If only that were true.
In reality, these eye products can help but they’re not going to give you line-free peepers. So why pay the ridiculous prices some brands demand when you could just as easily indulge in a few holistic hacks that work just as good? They’re natural, affordable, and in some cases, even eatable!
From almond oil to aloe vera, here are some simple yet powerful ingredients that can fade eye puffiness and lines without emptying your purse and pockets.
WHAT CAUSES EYE PUFFINESS AND WRINKLES?
As Dr. Natasha Sandy puts it, “As early as 25, your collagen and elastin production decreases, causing skin to become loose, saggy, and puffy.”
In other words, that’s the age when you really need to start putting together a routine if you want to maintain youthful skin. But “putting together a routine” doesn’t imply spending a fortune on luxury eye serums. You can actually get similar results from ingredients that just might be lying around your home.
There are actually a ton of natural ingredients out there that you can use to address fine lines, wrinkles, and puffiness. It’s not just waaay cheaper than the designer creams – it’s way more fun too!
INGREDIENTS THAT WORK
Green Tea Bags
Not unlike our morning cup of comfort (coffee!), green tea is another caffeine-rich beverage with a myriad of benefits. One of them, according to a study, is calming inflammation when applied to puffy eyes.
“It helps protect skin from environmental stressors and can aid in firming and tightening the skin due to the caffeine present,” says Los Angeles makeup artist Allie Renee.
Give it a try for yourself by applying cold green tea bags directly to your lids. It should feel really soothing and comforting. Plus, you’ll notice that puffiness going down in no time.
Coffee
Coffee does for eye wrinkles what green tea does for puffiness. Thanks to its high caffeine content, it stimulates circulation and delivers powerful antioxidant properties to the eye area, helping both to prevent and reduce wrinkles. You can either drink it daily or apply it directly to the affected area. Your face, your choice. Both ways help.
But it can work just as effectively at targeting puffiness – when you freeze it. Between the caffeine and the ice, these cubes will constrict blood vessels around the eyes, reducing swelling.
Vitamin C
Salty foods just happen to be everywhere and oh boy, they’re tasty, but they’re also responsible for causing water retention in the body. And it’s water retention that swells up the eyes.
According to Dr. Sandy, “If you have a lot of salt in your body, then the water is going to move towards the area where there is more salt to decrease the concentration of that.”
The good news is, vitamin C helps immensely in counteracting this, as it’s water soluble and anti-inflammatory. This amazing antioxidant works wonders for brightening the skin and de-puffing it. So start feeding your body with bell peppers, mandarins, pineapple, and broccoli. Oh, and cut down on your salt intake while you’re at it.
Almond Oil
From dark circles to fine lines, almond oil is your go-to. That’s because it’s loaded with the fatty acids linoleic and oleic acid which help to hydrate and support the barrier function of the skin.
It really is a superfood – both for your body and your skin. You only need to apply a small amount using your index finger, dabbing it gently around the eyes.
Aloe Vera
Another excellent de-puffing ingredient. Research shows that aloe vera is full of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and inflammatory properties that could ease eye puffiness. Although you may already know that from your past experiences with painful sunburn because aloe vera is a key ingredient in many sunburn gels and lotions.
If you have an aloe vera plant at home, try applying some of the leaves’ contents to your skin – focusing mainly underneath your eyes. Alternatively, purchase the leaves from your local grocery store to make a DIY eye de-puff mask. Trust us, it’ll be fun and the results will be so worth it.
Cucumber Juice
We’re all familiar with the cucumber slices beauty trick, but we’re going to remind you of it anyway – because all these years later, it’s still super effective!
Studies indicate that the juice of cucumber can lessen swelling and stimulate antioxidant activity. That’s because cucumbers are rich in folic acid and vitamin C, which stimulates cell growth and fights off environmental toxins that cause tired or puffy eyes. Plus, they have a high-water content which helps to moisturize the area around your eyes, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness.
Dermatologist Suneel Chilukuri suggests applying cold cumber slices directly over the eyes and letting them stay there for 5-10 minutes. The cold temperature and the cucumber juice serve as an anti-inflammatory compress to soothe swelling.
Water
The most basic ingredient of all and yet, one of the most effective.
Staying hydrated is the easiest thing you can do to enjoy smoother, softer skin without any puffiness.
Sip herbal teas throughout the day and keep a glass of water by your desk at all times to remind yourself to drink up.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, TRY A NATURAL, VEGAN ANTI-PUFF EYE CREAM
Like Truly’s Eye Candy Anti-Puff Eye Cream, formulated with a blend of hyaluronic acid, sea kelp, and coconut oil to revive tired eyes.
If you’re not the biggest fan of DIY beauty treatments, there’s nothing wrong with heading to the store (or the net!) and purchasing a pot of eye cream. Just make sure you look for the right ingredients that make an impact on puffiness and wrinkles – or whatever skin goal yours is.
Dermatologists recommend seeking out mild retinols to stimulate collagen production without irritating the delicate skin around the eye area. We also suggest looking out for soothing, antioxidant-loaded ingredients such as caffeine, aloe vera, green tea, coconut oil, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid.
