How To Get Rid Of Puffy Eyes

With 22 muscles working up to 10,000 times a day, protected only by the thinnest, driest, most fragile skin on the body, it’s no surprise that your eye area is the first to show signs of age. Before you even begin to see lines, loss of elasticity can be measured in the skin. And while the weakest part is the upper eyelid, the real problems appear below the eyes, with a recent study showing that the delicate skin directly beneath can appear to be a staggering 10 to 20 years older than that on your cheeks, and generally shows signs of aging more quickly than other facial features.

Abandoning your eye creams and using your normal skincare around the eyes is just not enough: the eyes need specific products. Choose light-textured gels and creams (heavier creams can cause puffiness) that are absorbed easily to hydrate this ultra-dry skin – everyone will benefit from more moisture here, as very often those fine lines are from dehydration, not age. Our favorite featherweight formulas include Westman Atelier’s Eye Activator (the targeted equivalent of her famous Skin Activator that sits exceptionally well under makeup), Dr. Loretta’s Tightening Eye Gel for a nearly instant smoother under-eye finish, and Estée Lauder’s super silky Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Crème for a sheer hit of moisture while you sleep.

Eye masks are brilliant and can transform the look of your eyes – they’re an opportunity to literally trap active ingredients against the skin, boosting absorption. Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Everything Eye Patches are an excellent option for all concerns in the eye area, but are particularly effective at tackling puffiness alongside Révive’s Instant De-Puffing Gel Eye Masks, while MZ Skin’s Anti-Pollution Illuminating Eye Mask is loaded with antioxidants and detoxifiers that hydrate, brighten and soothe the skin.

“The product makes up 70% of results, while 30% is how you apply it,” says A-list aesthetician Joanna Czech. “Work around the eye, using the fingertips to press and release – this microscopically opens up the skin, allowing the cream in, so, when released, the skin holds the cream like filler.” To lift the upper eyelids, she advises: “Start at the inner ends of the brows, and firmly pinch and hold for 20 seconds – on a scale of discomfort, you should feel an eight. Work outwards along the brow. Then repeat, but this time pinch and pull the brows out and up. Do this three times daily and you’ll see the results,” says Czech.

Beyoncé’s go-to makeup artist, Sir John, swears by prepping his client’s skin with cryoballs taken straight from the refrigerator or plunged in a bucket of ice. Likewise, Kate Moss is a fan of a facial ice-plunge to reduce puffiness, which works a treat to tighten the skin around the eyes. Czech also always keeps two dessert spoons in the fridge, which she says “are excellent to press around tired, puffy eyes”. Whatever your method of choice, a few seconds of skin-tightening, deflating cold therapy will work nearly instantly to drain any stagnant lymph around tired, puffy eyes.

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