It’s spring and that means patio drinks, late nights, humid weather, seasonal allergies and puffy eyes and dark under eye circles. We would say to go easy on the raspberry sangria and get lots of sleep but we know that’s not happening. Instead, here are a few tips to reduce puffiness and dark circles that won’t sacrifice your social life.
Keep your head up
When you lay in bed at night, blood and other fluids tend to pool under your eyes, which is why you wake up looking tired. Propping your head up with a couple pillows will allow the sinuses to drain and reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness, plus if you get used to sleeping on your back, you’re less likely to deal with skin issues from rubbing your face on your pillow. Win-win.
Reduce puffiness with caffeine
No, not by grabbing a cup of coffee (though you may still want to do that, too). For puffiness, use an under eye serum with caffeine. We love the Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller. Mint cools and soothes the area, caffeine constricts the blood vessels under the skin and the roller ball stimulates circulation, waking up all those cells under the delicate skin.
Cover dark circles with makeup
For dark circles, concealer is your best option. We love the Revlon Age-Defying Targeted Dark Spot Concealer Treatment. It not only covers dark circles but also increases collagen, which means thicker skin under the eyes, helping to prevent the visible signs of aging (something we really, really want to prevent).
Use a cool, damp cloth
If you wake up with dark, puffy eyes and don’t have any eye serum or concealer, hold a cool, damp cloth over your eyes for a few minutes. Just like caffeine, a cold compress will constrict the blood vessels under the skin and reduce puffiness. But, if you’re into the under-eye gels, try the Fresh Rose Hydrating Eye Gel Cream ($50) and up its soothing powers by popping it in the fridge before applying.
Take an iron supplement
If you have dark circles that just won’t quit, it could be that you’re iron deficient, which causes pale, thin skin. A simple solution? Take an iron supplement. You’ll probably notice an improvement in the health of your hair, skin and nails too, not to mention you’ll sleep better and feel more rested when your alarm goes off!
