I recently received this question from a Facebook Fan: What can I do for my puffy eyes?
She explained that there was a recent death in her family. She had been crying nonstop and it had reeked havoc on her eyes. I knew all about cold water compresses and cucumbers slices, but turned to that wonderful Duchess of Dermis for some professional advice. Here is what this miracle gal, Michelle Martel, had to say on the topic:
Cold Compresses (This is one of the best ways, it will create vasoconstriction of the vessels)
Applying something cold to the eye area can help constrict the vessels and reduce the swelling. It also is a good way to inhibit inflammation and take care of the redness. Splashing cold water onto your face probably is the easiest way to cool down the eye area, but you also could apply cold compresses. Cucumber slices, cold teabags, or a tea towel wrapped around a bag of frozen peas could do the trick. You also could place a face cloth in ice water, wring out the excess water, and apply the cloth to your eyes (This is one of my favorite ways and I use cloth diapers.) The trick is to replace whatever you’re using once it gets too warm, so be sure to keep enough cucumber slices, teabags, or a bowl of ice water handy.
Sleep It Off
This is one of the best ways to ensure you get rid of puffy eyes after crying. It’s best to sleep with your head elevated so that fluid can’t accumulate around the eyes. A good night’s rest will not only leave you refreshed but also help give the sensitive eye area time to rest and rejuvenate.
So to recap the 3 most important things to do:
1. Cold compress (not too cold) and to replace them before it gets to warm.
2. Get sleep and sleep with your head elevated (very important to sleep with your head elevated so the fluids don’t drain
around them and in them)
3. Try not to rub them to much so you do not stretch the skin, blot the tears, do not rub them.
The above solutions are great for temporary puffiness, but will do little to improve your appearance if you have excess eyelid skin or fat. In extreme cases, puffy or drooping eyelids can even partially obscure your vision. Cosmetic eyelid surgery — known as blepharoplasty — can correct these issues and give your whole face a refreshed appearance.
I’ll explore surgical options in a future posting, so stay tuned.
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Mary Kay Firming Eye Cream is my automatic “Go-To” for quick fixes. but another one of their great products for tired or strained eyes is the Indulge Soothing Eye Gel. Let me know if I can help you get those items.
Hi, someone told me that use 1 or 2 stiff egg whites and apply with a brush under your eyes. The skin will feel tighter and thus reduce the puffiness 🙂
Hi ML,
There are a number quick-fix temporary solutions to our beauty woes. I still think one of the best ones for puffy eyes is cool compresses or cool cucumber slices placed over the eyelids. But keep in mind these solutions don’t have a long lasting effect. They work for a short time, but then the puffiness will return in short order. I have heard of using beaten egg whites as a facial mask, even before applying make-up to make it last longer, but not specifically for puffy eyes. If you try applying the egg whites under your eye, let us know how it works for you.
A good night sleep is a must for puffy eyes.. thanks for sharing the tips! 🙂
Yes, Valerie, i totally agree with both your comments. A good night sleep always makes a difference. Perhaps that’s why they call it “Beauty Sleep”.