IMAGE: Jutta Klee/ableimages/Corbis Images
I’m a guzzler when it comes to water, so whenever I wake up in the morning ━ I sometimes find my eyes all puffed up. If I’m just heading to work, I couldn’t be bothered. But if I’m ready to paint the town red, the temporary eye bags do annoy me to bits.
Unlike dark eye circles which can be hidden by a good concealer, puffy eyes are a lot harder to hide. Whether the puffiness is caused by all-night crying or an allergy, these are the tried and tested methods I use to de-puff my eyes as quickly as possible.
TIP ONE: HOT STEAMY BATHS
If you haven’t developed a habit of showering in the morning (I’m judging you), this is one reason you should. Morning puffy eyes are mainly caused by water retention in the body, so one of the fastest ways to get rid of the excess water is to kick start the body’s circulation.
Drinking a warm cup of beverage might help (albeit slowly), so I prefer to douse my entire body with warm water to get things moving along. My weapon of choice? A really hot shower.
With surging temperatures, the shower will kick start your body’s circulation and drainage of excess water retention. So while you enjoy your steamy hot bath, your eye bags slowly lose the water it has retained ━ giving you puff-free eyes once you’re done!
TIP TWO: ICE IT DOWN
I’ve written about how spoons work wonders in calming down eye emergencies. But if you aren’t fond of the dinner table object, you can opt for ice-cubes instead. Although I have to admit it’s a tad messy, ice-cubes provide the ultimate cooling down de-puffer for tired eyes.
Simply glide an ice-cube over each puffy eye (with your eyes closed, of course) and let it work its magic. The cold temperature works to relax the sensitive skin, allowing the bags to slowly lose the water it’s retained.
TIP THREE: MASSAGE
Massaging the delicate area around your eyes will help ease puffiness. There are several schools of thought about this technique though; Some say that massaging is a strict no-no as it tugs at sensitive skin, eventually making it looser over time. But there are others that swear by its effectiveness in preventing dark eye circles and fine lines.
I think the trick is to finding the right massage. I’m afraid of pulling my skin as well, so what I do is use two of my fingertips to gently roll over my eye area. If the swelling is very bad, I double it up with Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate. The newcomer in Fresh’s anti-ageing Black Tea range, this eye serum is said to be superb in restoring hydration and elasticity. The eye serum contains a blend of antioxidants (such as blackberries and noni fruit juice) that target free radical damage and ageing skin.
Simply apply it on your fingertips and gently massage from the inner corner of your eyes, slowly working your way to the temples. Your eyes will feel instantly hydrated, while the cream works to erase fine lines and wrinkles over time.
Whether you choose to opt for a steamy hot shower or a simple massage, these tips will ensure that you’ll never have to leave home looking like a puffer fish.
Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate, $139, is available at all Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.fresh.com and www.sephora-sea.com, and follow the brand onFacebook and Sephora Singapore on Facebook and Twitter.