Nothing can change the way we feel about our skin in the morning faster than puffiness; usually puffy eyes. What causes eye bags? Often it’s fluid retention caused by an isolated incident, such as having a good cry, staying up too late, or simply sleeping weird on your pillow. 

Other causes of eye bags are more persistent, as with allergies, genetics, or lifestyle factors. Thankfully, there are a few simple things you can do to minimise or eliminate them completely.

Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Cubes

Tip #1: Adopt Good Skincare Habits

Small adjustments to a few habits can make a big difference when it comes to reducing puffiness around your eyes. Try tweaking these and see if they make a difference!

Sleep

Nothing beats a good night’s sleep! While you sleep, your skin cells are busier than ever, regenerating and re-oxygenating themselves. Your skin works incredibly hard during the day to protect itself against environmental stressors like free radicals and sun damage. 

Sleep gives your skin the rest it needs to destress as the stress hormone in your body, Cortisol, decreases. On the opposite end, a lack of sleep will contribute to fluid build up under your skin, and because the skin under your eyes is thinner, it shows up as puffy eyes. 

Another benefit of sleep is that your skin generates growth hormone while you sleep, which boosts collagen production and helps keep the skin under your eyes firm and youthful looking!

Hydrate

Drinking enough water goes a long way in reducing puffy eyes. It might seem counter-intuitive that more water would reduce fluid buildup under the skin, but it actually helps balance your body’s hydration levels and gets rid of puffiness!

Take off your makeup before bed

This is one of the single most important things you can do; not just for reducing puffy eyes, but for your skin health as a whole. Leaving makeup on can not only clog your pores, but it can increase oxidative stress and accelerate the signs of aging. 

Dermalogica PreCleanse
This cleansing oil is perfect for massaging away makeup at the end of every day for clear, radiant skin - no eye bags in sight!

Reduce alcohol intake

As if we needed another reason not to drink too much beer... But seriously: alcohol makes all kinds of problems worse (like hangovers), not least among them being puffy under-eye bags! 

If possible, try cutting back on booze for a few weeks before any big events like weddings or parties where photos may be taken; this gives time for all those nasty toxins from last night's fun to get removed in time!

Tip #2: Roll and massage

Often, puffiness around the eyes is nothing more than retained fluid that needs to be redistributed. Using a Jade Roller will help drain fluid and toxins from under your eyes, as well as tone slacking muscles. 

When the muscles around your eyes are more toned, it lifts the area and reduces under eye bags. It sounds almost too simple, but sometimes the simple solutions are the most effective! An ultrasonic eye massager is a high-tech way to drain fluid lingering in the area for a well-rested look. 

FOREO Iris Eye Massager
Take advantage of cutting edge, ultra-sonic technology to boost skincare absorption and reduce the look of dark spots with this massager from FOREO.

Tip #3: Caffeinate

If caffeine isn’t already a part of your daily skincare routine, it should be! When it is applied under your eyes in a serum, caffeine works to constrict the blood vessels so that they don’t leak fluid into the surrounding tissue. It goes to work quickly to tighten the skin and reduce puffiness under your eyes.

Tip #4: Keep it cool

Cold reduces swelling almost anywhere, including puffy eyes! You can keep your eye cream or gel cool, use an ice roller before applying your morning skincare, or try the Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Ice Cubes to soothe, refresh and eliminate toxins. 

Cool temperatures work almost immediately to reduce under eye puffiness, but has lasting results when used as part of a consistent skincare routine.  

Tip #5: Upgrade Your Eye Cream

A high quality eye cream can work wonders for under eye bags, some even reduce the appearance of puffiness within minutes!  Be warned though, using irritating ingredients will aggravate your condition. So, how do you know which products will help and which will hurt? 

Look for an eye cream or serum with high quality ingredients, such as Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, Peptides and Squalane.

Dermalogica Awaken Peptide Eye Gel

Best Skincare Ingredients to Reduce the Look of Puffy Eyes

Hyaluronic Acid is deceiving in its name. Instead of thinking of it as an acid, think of it as a million tiny sponges that sit near the surface of your skin to attract and hold hydration. There are very few ingredients that help hydrate as well as hyaluronic acid!

Vitamin C protects your skin against free radicals, as well as strengthens the elasticity, reducing the appearance of puffy eyes. 

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum
This lightweight serum from Estée Lauder is one of the best ways to prime skin for your eye cream, or tackle eye bags on it’s own thanks to an effective, nourishing formula. 

Peptides are naturally occurring amino acids in your skin. As we age or our skin is damaged by external stressors, and production slows down. There are 4 types of peptides that are commonly used, and possibly the most effective of these is signal peptides. 

Signal peptides set off a cascading enzyme reaction to stimulate production of Elastin and Collagen that strengthens those natural bonds in your skin.

Basically, they help restore your skin to its former radiance! Consistent use will reveal a noticeable difference in the appearance of under eye bags

Squalane is the naturally occurring form of Squalene, which is an oil that exists in your skin. It decreases as you get older, and adding it to your routine can have major benefits! It moisturizes and softens the skin under your eyes, balancing your skin’s natural hydration levels and reducing the appearance of eye bags. 

Clinique All About Eyes Rich
This eye cream from Clinique targets hydration, eye bags, and signs of aging with this antioxidant-packed, Squalane-enriched formula. 

How to Reduce Puffy Eyes - In Summary

While some techniques for reducing eye bags work quickly, the best results will always be seen with a consistent routine using high quality skincare. 

Looking for the perfect skincare routine for your needs? Try our skin analysis. You’ll get detailed tips for your skin, plus a free mini luxury skincare routine to try!