How to Reduce Puffiness Around Your Eyes

The eyes are the window to your soul, they say. It’s also the window to your diet and lifestyle – and whether you’re keeping your wellness in check. Dark circles, fine lines, or puffiness around your eyes, for example, can reveal last night’s ramen and tequila combo, or your measly three hours of sleep.

And as much as puffiness around your eyes can look cute (aegyo sal is in now, yes?), too much can be a cause for worry. Here, we get down to the details on what causes puffiness around your eyes – and how to alleviate them.

Don’t confuse puffy eyes with eyebags. Puffy eyes, also called periorbital edema, is the swelling around the eye area (this can include the eyelids!) caused by fluid buildup. This condition is likely temporary and often caused by allergens or lifestyle factors like diet and sleep. Bags under the eyes, on the other hand, are caused by fat deposits in the undereye area and can become more visible as skin sags and thins with age.

To better understand how you can address or manage puffy eyes, know more about the more common causes of puffiness around your eyes below:

You’ve likely heard of how salt can cause water retention in the body; that applies to the area under your eyes, too. That bag of chips or too-good-to-resist can of Spam – a high-sodium diet in general – can be causing the puffiness around your eyes.

Pet dander, dust, mold, and pollen are common allergens that can cause a reaction. A change in the environment can trigger irritation, too. This can lead to the dilation of the blood vessels around your eyes, resulting in visible inflammation and swelling.

Awww, but of course! While crying is a very normal way to let your emotions out, it can also leave you with puffy eyes. This happens when fluid accumulates around your eye area, making it look swollen.

Sleep deprivation causes low blood circulation which isn’t good for your overall health – as well as your skin, and your puffy undereyes. Sleeping while lying down can cause fluid retention in the undereye area, and this can be aggravated due to poor blood flow when you lack sleep.

This also explains why puffiness around your eyes becomes more noticeable when you wake up in the morning and it gradually decreases throughout the day. Gravity and your daily movements help promote blood circulation and lessen swelling.

Thinning, weakening, or sagging skin that comes with age make puffy eyes more visible. Your genes also play a huge role, as they dictate how skin laxity changes as you age.

Puffy eyes are temporary, and the good news is there are plenty of ways to prevent or reduce them. Read on for a quick list of eye de-puffing tricks below:

Remember having a bukol as a kid? You’d instinctively ease the pain – and swelling – with an ice pack. The same concept applies to dealing with puffy eyes. A cooling agent – be it an ice pack, cool cucumbers, or even cold metal spoons – can help soothe puffiness around your eyes as it constricts the veins that cause visible swelling.

Always, always, prioritize your beauty sleep! A good night’s sleep prompts your body to rest and recover. It can help regulate blood flow and avoid fluid retention in the undereye area. Without rest, the muscles around your eyes can weaken and sag, resulting in swollen eyes.

Water can help fluid move between the veins, which, again, can lead to better blood circulation and less puffiness around your eyes.

Hardworking eye creams, such as POND'S Age Miracle Ultimate Youth Eye Cream can help strengthen the skin under your eyes with its Hexyl-Retinol, a powerful combination of hexylresorcinol, retinol-C, and niacinamide that help fight signs of aging. What it does is promote skin renewal and skin repair that can help lessen visible signs of undereye swelling and inflammation.

You can also power up your undereye care routine by applying your eye cream with a roller, which can help decrease fluid buildup causing puffiness around your eyes and promote lymphatic drainage. It’s similar to how gua sha de-puffs your face!

Caffeine can help reduce puffiness around your eyes as it relaxes your blood vessels. As an antioxidant, it can help lessen inflammation and aid in blood flow, too.

Keep these in mind and worry not about puffiness around your eyes – so you’re prepped and primed to conquer the day, bright-eyed and ready.