How To Get Rid Of Puffy Eyes And Dark Circles

Dark circles and puffy eyes unfortunately, are a common issue faced by many. Often a sign of a lack of sleep, dark circles and puffy eyes can be quite a pain. While there are a myriad of home remedies and creams on the market to reduce puffy eyes - which is the one for you? 

If you're new to skincare, we understand it can be quite overwhelming - which is why we're here to help you understand puffy eyes and how you can reduce them. 

What Are Puffy Eyes?

As mentioned, puffy eyes are typically the result of a lack of sleep. However, what exactly are they? This swelling is caused by fluid retention, also known as oedema, and you will be glad to know that this is more of a cosmetic concern than a medical one. 

Why Do We Get Puffy Eyes?

While a lack of sleep is often the most common cause for puffy eyes, there are several other factors that can result in dark circles. Unfortunately, age and genetics do play a part in puffy eyes. However, this does not mean there is nothing you can do to prevent or reduce them (we will get to this bit later). 

Alternatively, you may have noticed dark circles forming during periods of stress. 

Here's a list of the most common reasons for puffy eyes: 

• Lack of sleep
• Allergies
• Smoking
• Heredity 
• Fluid retention (typically when you wake up or after having a salty meal)

Apart from the reasons we listed, puffy eyes may also be the result of several medical conditions such as sinus congestion or thyroid conditions. Should you suspect your puffy eyes are caused by a medical condition, we urge you to seek a doctor's opinion. 

Alternatively, puffy eyes may be caused by a high-sodium diet. As we know, sodium can cause your body to retain water, which is a primary cause of puffy eyes. 

As such, we recommend that you cut back on foods such as: 

• Processed or packaged food
• Fast food
• Alcoholic and carbonated drinks
• Sauces and seasonings
• Lunchmeat
• Soups

How Can You Reduce Puffy Eyes?

As stated earlier, puffiness of the eye is associated with oedema around the eyes and can be rectified by fluid movement to clear the area around your peepers. 

If you're prepping for a special occasion or just want to brighten up your eyes, we suggest the following methods to reduce puffy eyes. 

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep helps in treating puffy eyes and returning them to their rightful state. A good night's sleep helps detoxify your body and flush out all the waste your body produces throughout the day. An adult requires 6-8 hours of sleep for their body to work appropriately and effectively. In other words, you're not doing yourself any favours by skimping out on your sleep. 

One needs to take certain considerations before going to sleep, avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before sleep, stop drinking alcohol before bedtime, and finish your meal 3 hours before bedtime. It is also recommended that you avoid screen time at least 1 hour before going to sleep.

Prop Yourself Up

Use pillows to elevate your neck and head high enough to avoid fluid accumulation around the eyes. You will be surprised how much this simple trick can help reduce puffy eyes. If you ever needed an excuse to invest in additional pillows, this is it! 

Take Care of Your Allergies

Anyone who has experienced them understands how much of a pain allergies can be. Take the time to understand your triggers and how you can reduce them. Alternatively, consider seeking medical advice if your allergies aren't responding to over-the-counter medication. 

Addressing your allergies will not only help you feel better, but you will look better too! 

Drink Enough Water

This may sound counterintuitive but to combat fluid retention, you must ensure you are giving your body enough water. This means sticking to a strict hydration intake. Ensure you are getting 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. 

If you find this difficult, invest in a large enough water bottle and divide it by 8 with a permanent marker. List hourly intervals and make it a point to drink the stated amount each hour. We promise your body, and eyes, will thank you later. 

What Skincare Ingredients Are Best for Puffy Eyes?

If you have found this article then the chances are you've been doing your research. Certain skincare products and home remedies can help you reduce the puffiness surrounding your eyes. 

To help you, we've split this list into two; home remedies and creams available commercially. 

DIY Remedies for Puffy Eyes

These include:

• Cold compress

Cold compress can come in the form of eye masks, a clean cloth with ice cubes, ice rollers, metal/ silicone cold rollers, chilled cucumbers, refrigerated spoons  etc. The logic here is that Cooling the area lessens inflammation and swelling by reducing blood flow. 

• Green Tea Bags 

Steep some green tea bags in hot water for a couple of minutes. Squeeze out excess water before placing them in the fridge for an extra enjoyable experience. Once they've had some time to chill, place them over your eyes to reduce puffy eyes.

• Frozen Coffee Cubes

Caffeine not only helps wake you up but also helps reduce the puffiness surrounding your eyes. As with the green tea bags, the cold also alleviates puffiness. 

• Coconut Oil & Olive Oil 

Both oils are great for moisturising and massaging the area surrounding your eyes. 

• Aloe Vera
• Arnica oil massage

You can find these things in your home quickly, and surprisingly, you will feel a noticeable difference after using any of them on your puffy eyes. 

Commercial Creams

When on the hunt for store-bought eye creams to reduce puffy eyes, look for ingredients such as Vitamins E and K, aloe vera, arnica oil, caffeine, coconut oil, and olive oil. Do be careful that since the skin under our eyes is thin, it will not be able to handle thick creams that can cause milia. Ingredients that work are those that not only reduce puffiness but are vasoconstricting as well (like caffeine) to softly penetrate the layers of your skin under the eye. It then reduces redness, swelling, and extensive fluid from pooling around the eyes,

You will find that most of the recommended ingredients are those we have listed in the home-remedy section as well. 

FAQs

How Long Does it Take for Puffy Eyes to Go Down?

Depending on the cause of your puffy eyes, it can range from several minutes to several days. While this may sound disheartening, identifying the cause of your dark circles will help you understand the best way to reduce your puffy eyes. 

Does Moisturiser Help With Puffy Eyes?

Yes, a well-formulated moisturizer with at least SPF 30 is very effective in treating puffy eyes.

Is Hyaluronic Acid Good for Puffy Eyes?

Yes, hyaluronic acid is good and is an essential ingredient in the commercially available creams, helping moisturise the delicate areas of the eyes, de-puff them, and providing comfort to the eyes.

Do note that hyaluronic acid is a humectant, meaning a substance that retains moisture. This means that you do need to have another ingredient applied to your skin in tandem with HA, aka HA needs to be applied to damp skin or be in a product that has another active ingredient. Or else, it may have the opposite effect - instead of moisturising your skin, it can dry it out. Think of it as a sealant for moisture, so if you use it right, it’s ability to absorb 1000x its weight in water will do you right. 

What Active Ingredients Should I Look For To Reduce Puffy Eyes? 

Ceramides, Squalene, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate  Caffeine, Retinol, Peptides. Some of these ingredients also help with improving appearance of sunken eyes or dark circles, as most of these symptoms overlap.