Quit Looking Tired! 10 Tips for Naturally Reducing the Appearance of Puffy Eyes

It can be disheartening to get ready for a big event—a job interview, first date, or wedding—and look in the mirror, only to see tired, puffy eyes looking back.
Whether or not you’re really tired, you probably don’t want to look it. What can you do to lessen the appearance of tired, puffy eyes? Here are a few tips.

What Causes Puffy Eyes?

Puffy eyes may seem like a skin issue because that’s where it shows up, but it's actually something that’s happening under the skin. The eye area is one of the most sensitive and thinnest places for our skin so it can tell us a lot about what is actually happening internally.
Puffy eyes are actually a form of edema, or water retention, that shows up under the eyes and that can be caused by a lot of different things.
Waking up with puffy eyes is really common because as you’re horizontal for several hours, excess water tends to settle there.
Bad/not enough sleep is one reason for puffy eyes, but it isn't the only one. Allergies, sinus problems, dust and pollution can increase inflammation and water retention around the eyes along with smoke, too much heat or air conditioning, and eye strain (including reading in the dark, staring at a computer all day, and being in lights that are too bright)—things that make your eyes water!
Some medications can cause eye puffiness because they can affect the natural balance of water in the system, be it dehydration or water retention. I know it’s counter-intuitive to think of dehydration as a cause of puffiness but it totally can, since when we’re dehydrated our bodies start to preserve the water that we do have and our eye sockets are a place we can hold some extra water.
A fluctuation in the body’s hormones, blood sugar, or hemoglobin can all be attributed to puffy eyes too. I’ll take the opportunity here to remind you that our bodies are a set of systems all working together and all fed the same way, through the blood. When it comes to water retention and excavation, that’s a job for our kidneys, which they do while they’re cleaning toxins from our blood and helping to keep our levels balanced. Fluctuations in our body chemistry affects our kidneys, which in turn affect our water balance and can cause puffy eyes.
As we age, our eyes also have a harder time adapting to all these conditions, which means we may notice puffy eyes more often than usual. Add to that the fact that our skin around the eyes starts to weaken and thin, and puffiness becomes much more visible.

Tips to End Puffy Eye Woes

If you experience puffy eyes regularly, you may want to take a trip to the doctor, just to make sure the rest of your health is ship-shape.
Here are our top ten tips for reducing the appearance of puffy eyes so you look more awake and ready to go.

Drink plenty of water

Try lemon water first thing in the morning and throughout the day. It’s refreshing and will help hydrate you. Dehydration is one of the main causes of puffy eyes, and is especially common first thing in the morning.

Rose water

Rose is naturally soothing. We love it so much we use it in a lot of our products. For puffy eyes, soak two cotton balls in the rose water, then wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or so, until chilled. Then remove the plastic and place the cotton balls over your eyes for 5-10 minutes. You can also simply dip two cotton balls in chilled rose water.

Cucumber slices

These really do work! A combination of the coolness, along with the vitamin C and caffeic acid in the vegetable, helps soothe skin and reduce the appearance of puffiness. Simply slice the cucumber and place the slices over your eyes for 5-10 minutes. You can also try chilled tea bags, as these will help to tighten and firm skin around the corners of your eyes. Another great one is sliced, chilled strawberries—they have natural alpha-hydroxy acids that help smooth the look of your skin while reducing the appearance of puffiness.

Anti-Aging Eye Cream

Use this product regularly and you’re likely to see a reduction in the appearance of puffy eyes. We use green tea for antioxidant protection as well as gotu kola to tighten and firm. Use it on all the skin around your eyes, morning and night, to lessen the look of dark circles and puffiness.

Avoid artificial sweeteners

Sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin have been implicated in some studies as potentially causing fluid retention. If you regularly have puffy eyes, try cutting back on diet soda drinks and see if it helps.

Wear sunglasses

Not only do they protect your eyes from UV damage, but they can shield your eyes from the glare of the sun, wind, dust, and other environmental conditions that can encourage puffy eyes.

Check your thyroid

Some people with consistently puffy eyes may have thyroids that aren’t performing as they should. Check with your doctor—a simple blood test can tell you.

Getting enough iron?

Iron deficiency anemia is another cause of fluid retention—check your iron levels. Most post-menopausal women don’t need extra iron, but if you’re pre-menopausal, an iron shortage may be a factor in puffy eyes.

Egg whites

Beat a couple egg whites stiffly, add a drop or two of witch hazel, and apply around the eyes with a brush. Leave on 5-10 minutes. You should feel a tightening sensation, and when you rinse off, your eyes may look much better.

Avoid salty snacks

Sodium encourages water retention, so if you notice your eyes getting puffy and baggy after lunch, rethink that bag of potato chips.

By Annmarie Skin Care