Top 10 Tips to Reduce and Eliminate Eye Bags Effectively
Plagued by dark circles or puffiness? The under-eye area is sensitive, and as we age, looking like you’ve had a full eight hours of blissful sleep becomes a challenge. It’s no wonder we all want to know how to reduce under-eye puffiness.
The good news? There are changes we can make to our lifestyle or skincare routine that will firm and hydrate the eye contour. Meaning? Less time covering up puffy eyes, more time flashing your bright, shiny eyes to the world.
As a pioneer in skincare and aesthetics, Dr. Cat has spent decades studying the skin and formulating anti-aging skincare that helps to eliminate eye-bags and give you a brighter, more refreshed look.
Read on for top dark circle and eye bag solutions that’ll give your under-eye area a true glow up!
1: Hydrate, Hydrate, and Hydrate
Staying hydrated is always essential for optimum skin health, and this is particularly true for the sensitive eye area.
The skin tends to hold on to water when your body is dehydrated, which can cause the skin below the eyes to appear dull and saggy, contributing to dark circles and eye bags.
So drink up! Aim for 8-10 glasses of water a day; it’s a sure-fire way to looking brighter and perkier on a Monday morning.
2: Catch Up On Those ZZZ’s
One of our tried and trusted tips for reducing eye swelling is to get a good night’s sleep.
Try to prioritize your bedtime over other tasks. As tempting as it is to binge your favorite show before bed, blue light (such as light from TV screens, laptops, cell phones) suppresses melatonin, the hormone that induces sleepiness.
So avoiding screens for one hour before bedtime can help you to drop off more easily, and squeeze in more of those precious ZZZ’s!
Also consider how you sleep. If you’re prone to eye-bags, you may want to give elevated sleeping a try. Sleeping propped up on a couple of pillows can help minimize fluid pooling in the eye area, resulting in a less puffy appearance.
Our secret weapon? MD GLAM’s Hyaluronic Acid Night C-Complex is a game-changer for tired, puffy eyes.
Dr. Cat credits it as the “Fountain of Youth.” This deep-penetrating moisturizer goes beyond skin-deep, working to smooth, firm, and boost collagen production while you get your beauty sleep. And come morning? You’ll wake up with eyes so fresh, you’ll be ready to take on anything!
3: Pass (up on) the Salt!
Salt and salty foods are common culprits of water retention (aka the dreaded bloat), which can increase swelling around the eyes.
Instead of the salt, try:
- Collagen supplements
- Foods with vitamin A, like carrots and peppers
- Foods rich in vitamin C, like strawberries and cauliflower
- Snacking on pineapples (which contain Bromelain)
- Drinking pineapple juice
4: De-Puff with Cold Compresses
Want your eye bags gone in an instant? Try a cold compress. They work to alleviate the appearance of dark circles by shrinking blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the area to lessen inflammation.
Apply anything cold to your eyes, like:
- An ice pack
- Frozen bag of vegetables
- Refrigerated spoons
It’s a temporary fix, but certainly helps to quickly decrease bags and swelling.
5: Use Quality Eye Creams and Serums
There are a myriad of skincare treatments out there that are jam-packed with wonderful ingredients to tend to all your under-eye needs. Using quality skincare is essential for under-eye bag prevention.
But which one is right for you? If you are thinking of investing in a quality eye cream or serum, look for products that contain the following:
- Hyaluronic acid: A thirst quencher for dehydrated eyes, hyaluronic acid attracts water, and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water.
- Caffeine: A powerful tool to brighten and depuff, caffeine reduces vascular congestion, reducing fluid under the eyes and giving you a wide-awake look.
- Vitamin C: This mighty antioxidant brightens the eye area, boosts firmness, and helps to reduce puffy eyes and fine lines, making it a must-have ingredient in anyone’s skincare routine.
- Retinol: This vitamin A derivative is a holy-grail collagen-booster that does wonders for eye bags. Since the eye skin is so thin, it needs a high-performance eye serum like our Retinol-C Intense Eye Serum to absorb into the skin and smooth out wrinkles, fine lines, and puffiness.
6: Try Facial Exercises
Yoga: good for the body and the face? Facial exercises (facial yoga) can help strengthen the muscles in your face and around your eye area. Think of it as a downward dog for drooping eyes.
Ready to give it a try in front of a mirror?
- Make a C around your eyes using your thumbs and index finger.
- Make sure your index finger is over your eyebrow and thumb against your cheek.
- Shut your eyes, and slowly squeeze your eyelids close together.
- Relax the tension without opening your eyes.
- Repeat squeezing and relaxing your eyelids 25 times.
Do this consistently for a few months and watch your eyes transform.
7: Defend Against Allergies
Feeling itchy? Allergies are increasingly common as the seasons change. The result? Congestion, irritation, itchiness and fluid build up, all of which can make you look a bit puffy.
If you’re prone to seasonal allergies, taking a daily antihistamine can help reduce allergy-induced eye bags. Antihistamine eye-drops are perfect for popping in your handbag for on-the-go under eye rejuvenation.
8: Try Some Helpful Home Eye Bag Remedies
Giving your eyes a little bit of TLC doesn’t need to break the bank. Here are two of our favorite natural treatments for eye bags:
- Placing a cool slice of cucumber over your eyes for five minutes is one of our favorite home remedies for puffy eyes. The high water content means cucumbers act like a natural ice-pack and will leave the eye area looking restored and hydrated. Plus, it turns your bathroom into an at-home spa.
- Tea bags are another cupboard staple to give your eyes a lift. They’re rich in antioxidants and caffeine which boost circulation, sooth the eye area and tighten the blood vessels under the eyes. To amplify the effects, boil two tea bags, chill them in the fridge, then remove them and pop them under your eyes for 5-10 minutes for an instant de-puff!
Smoother skin that doesn’t cost a fortune? Sign us up.
9: Cosmetic Procedures
You’ve tried DIY remedies, splurged on luxury skincare, and still can’t tame the puff. We hear you. A surefire way to eliminate eye bags? Cosmetic procedures, and fortunately, there are several options.
Non-surgical Procedures
- Hyaluronic acid filler injections help create a smooth transition between the under eye area and the cheek while increasing collagen and giving your skin a gorgeous, dewy glow.
- Laser resurfacing can remove surface layers of wrinkly skin in the under-eye area, stimulate new collagen growth, and reduce puffiness, resulting in firmer skin.
Surgical Procedures
- An eyelid lift or blepharoplasty is one of a few permanent and surgical eye bag removal methods. It’s a same-day procedure where the surgeon corrects the bags and tightens the muscle and skin to create a smoother appearance.
Once stitches are removed and swelling calms, the under eye bags are gone. A transformation with no downtown? Voila!
10: Make a Few Lifestyle Changes
Stress affects cortisol levels, which in turn increase the appearance of bags and puffiness. If you find you’re reaching a boiling point and want to reduce puffy eyes, try meditation or physical exercise, which can help dodge the dreaded burn out. Time to schedule that HIIT class or go for an afternoon stroll to de-stress.
Smoking is another culprit for under eye bags. Nicotine restricts your blood vessels, depriving your skin of the nutrients it needs to repair damaged cells. Other chemicals in cigarettes actively destroy both collagen and elastin, which can cause persistent eye bags and give you a fatigued look.
With a few simple shifts, you’ll know exactly how to reduce under-eye puffiness and ramp up your glow factor!
A Brighter You Awaits with Dr Cat!
Eliminating your under eye bags won’t happen overnight, even with a full eight hours. Following our expert tips for reducing eye swelling is a great start. And don’t forget to pamper your under eye area with a good eye cream. The results? A refreshed, brighter, restored you.
After all, those gorgeous eyes are worth it!
Our goal at Dr. Cat plastic surgery is to guide you toward your ideal outcome. Whether through skincare or cosmetic procedures, Dr. Cat is here to help you look younger, more refreshed, and dewy eyed.
Ready for eyes that sparkle every day? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Cat!
