Eye puffiness is something that most people have experienced in their lives. It can be caused by a variety of things. Among the most common are stress, a lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, allergies and a long cry. Many folks place cool cucumber slices or tea bags onto their eyes to combat the swelling. I tend to prefer using one of the following methods instead:
Gel Mask
One of my favorite ways to reduce inflammation around the eyes is with a gel mask. Granted, wearing one may make you look like a female Musketeer but it is effective. I typically store my gel mask in the refrigerator. I have, however, put it into the freezer for use on those days when I am looking like something found at the bottom of someone’s shoes. You can generally purchase a gel mask for $5 to $10 depending on the retailer.
Dandelion Root Tea
Based on my experience, drinking a few cups of dandelion root tea can go a long way in reducing eye puffiness that is caused by water retention. I like drinking the dandelion tea better than I do taking diuretics because it is natural and tastes good too. You just brew it like you would any other cup of tea. A box of dandelion tea bags will tend to cost you $5. After you drink the tea, you may want to put the used tea bags into the refrigerator for a few minutes. Once the bags get cold, take them back out and place them onto your eyes for a bit more soothing.
Sea Breeze Astringent
Applying cotton pads that have been soaked in astringent sometimes helps to reduce under eye swelling. I like to use Sea Breeze astringent but I know of others who prefer to use Witch Hazel. I tend to favor the Sea Breeze because it is what I grew up using. It sells online for roughly $8 a bottle.
Eye Cream Massage
I have found that gently massaging the swollen areas around my eyes with an herbal based eye cream also tends to help minimize puffiness. I prefer eye creams that contain grapefruit oil and Vitamin E. Sometimes I will make my own creams using a blend of essential oils. Other times I’ll just break down and buy a jar of readymade eye cream for around $25. If you want to make your own, you’ll need an $8 bottle of grapefruit oil, an $8 bottle of Vitamin E oil and a $10 jar of cream base.
Killeen Gonzalez’s parents were licensed cosmetologists. They owned and operated a full service beauty salon.
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