Puffy Eyes: What To Do

by Valerie Gladstone — August 8, 2007

Have you been munching on tasty salty food, sipping Cosmos (or beer or wine or anything alcoholic), and/or crying about that special (Not) guy and then, naturally, not getting enough sleep? Then you may very well have been experiencing some mornings with those dreaded puffy eyes. Other than turning to a diet of lettuce and soymilk, deciding on a life of celibacy, or avoiding mirrors until nighttime, there are a few solutions.

To help avoid puffiness:

• Before bed, have a large glass of water or a cup of chamomile, black, or green tea to help flush out your system.
• If your puffiness comes from tears or allergies, try an over-the-counter antihistamine before going to sleep.
• Sleep with your head elevated so that fluid doesn't pool around your eyes, and get on your feet as soon as possible (yeah, right, just what you feel like doing when you've hardly slept).

To improve your appearance:

• Dip two tea bags in cool water and put them in the freezer. After 15 minutes, remove them, lie down, and put them on your eyes so that they cover your lid and under-eye area. Leave them on for 10 minutes and then rinse the skin.
• Put a moisturizer on your face that has at least one anti-inflammatory ingredient because when your eyes are puffy, the skin is often irritated too (Whole Emu Oil, 2oz. for $12.95, or Aveeno Ulta-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 15, 4oz for $5). Dab a tiny drop of a depuffing eye gel under your eyes and on your lids (Origins No Puffery, $20). After a minute, apply a lightweight eye cream all around the eye (Olay Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream has cucumber extract and aloe vera, .5oz for $18).
• To hide the redness, apply a sheer concealer to the inner corner of the eyes. Cover your lids and right under your lower lashes with a matte eye shadow that is slightly darker than your skin color. Doing so helps make your eyes look less puffy. Curl upper lashes and apply two coats of black mascara.