How to Get Rid of Undereye Puffiness & Bags
When you’re sleep deprived, it’s hard to hide. Not only are you likely to fumble through your monologue at an audition, you’ll look far-to-weary in front of a camera and your physical appearance will inevitably give it away. Dark circles are easy to spot.
If you have a lot on your plate and you’re struggling to find time to manage everything, it’s easy to forget to get eight hours. It’s important, however, to keep up with your self-care and consider your health before you run yourself into the ground. In the meantime, there are ways to reduce the visibility of puffiness and dark circles. Here are some tips:
Drink more H20. Dehydration can lead to dark, puffy bags. Since water makes up most of your body weight, upping your intake will naturally detoxify the system. If regular water seems all too boring, try adding fruit or cucumber slices, flavored, or sparkling water to your daily routine. These options will keep things interesting and won’t increase your caloric intake.
Remove makeup before bed. If you sleep with mascara, shadow, and eyeliner on your lids, this can lead to irritation or even an infection, which, in turn, induces puffiness and redness. By the time your A.M. alarm goes off, your eyes will have taken a beating. Sleeping in makeup exposes your skin to free radicals, dries it up, and speed up the aging process. Make sure to wash it off before your face hits the pillow.
Up your Vitamin C intake. Vitamin C is great for fending off bugs, especially during cold and flu season. However, it does so much more than that! Eyelids weaken as you age, and the eye area can start to sag. Increasing your C intake will help your body absorb more hyaluronic acid, which can become depleted as the years go by. A supplement will do, or you can eat more C-rich foods such as kale, strawberries, or oranges.
Soothe swollen areas. To heal puffiness, apply caffeinated tea bags or a lotion that contains caffeine, which decreases swelling. A refrigerated eye mask or chilled cucumbers will also do the trick. Or, you can use a cold, wet washcloth. For best results, apply under your eyes for 10-15 minutes.
You should also consider decreasing your daily intake of salt and dehydrating beverages, such as coffee and soda. If you work out, up your water intake even more. Make sure you’re drinking at least 8 glasses every day. A few simple lifestyle changes and products can make a world of difference. When you can, though, catch some z’s!
