How can I still be waking up with puffy eyes, you may be thinking — I faithfully follow a 12-step skincare routine before bed that includes every good-for-your-skin product under the sun!
Sound familiar? Complex skincare regimens are all the rage, so you can’t blamed for associating them with positive skin outcomes. But there’s something about these routines that could actually be contributing to your puffy eyes. Along with the usual culprits, like salty food, not drinking enough water, and crying over that horrific breakup or sad movie, this is the worst nighttime habit that causes puffy eyes in the morning, according to skincare experts.
Your Skincare Routine Is Too Extra
It can be calming to follow a complicated skincare routine. You may imagine all of these amazing products and ingredients working wonder for your skin. But there is a such thing as too much of a good thing, and one unexpected place that could suffer because of your routine is your sensitive under-eye area.
“Puffy eyes are caused by using irritating products around the eyes,” says Dr. Nazanin Saedi, board certified dermatologist at Dermatology Associates at Plymouth Meeting in Pennsylvania. “So many people have numerous steps in their nighttime routine. These products can be retinoids and they should not be used near the eye.”
According to Valerie Aparovich, certified cosmetologist and aesthetician who is the Science Team Lead at OnSkin, over-using heavy-textured, oily eye cream is a major contributor to puffy eyes. “We strive to support the thin and sensitive skin around the eyes with as rich nourishment as possible to help it restore and remain resilient, but in fact, too thick cream formulas, applied in too large amounts, can lead to an unpleasant consequence – puffiness,” Aparovich says. “Thick creams, enriched with active nutrients and moisture, can overload the delicate area around the eyes. The skin can only absorb a certain amount of topical product and its ingredient molecules. The rest remains on the skin surface throughout the night, slowing lymphatic drainage and causing the retention of fluids. It can also increase the blood supply around the eye vessels. It all may result in eyelids swelling and under-eye bags as you wake up.”
What Can You Do?
If your cream causes puffiness, the first thing you should do is change it to a lighter alternative, Aparovich says. “Apply the cream around an hour before you go to bed; it will let the cells absorb it while you’re still active and reduce the risk of morning puffiness,” she says. “Also, you can remove the excess product if needed (by blotting the area with a matting paper sheet or cotton pad).”
Another big thing is to apply a reasonable amount of cream — usually, it’s a pea-sized scoop, Aparovich notes, saying you can consider lightly massaging your under-eye area with your ring fingers for better blood circulation and absorption of the product.
Additional Puffy Eye Tips
Dr. Saedi says sleeping with an extra pillow under your head can help with draining, and she also recommends using an ice globe. “My favorite is the Sonage Baby Frioz Ice Globes to cool and also help with the drainage of the retained fluid,” Dr. Saedi says.
Meanwhile, Aparovich is a fan of applying a gentle massage with a jade roller: “It will help depuff your eye bags, promoting lymphatic drainage, activating lymph flow, and eliminating fluid stagnation in the under-eye area. Safety tip: too much pressure will not make massage more effective but, on the contrary, increase swelling.”
Cooling hydrogel patches are also an option. “Cold speeds up the lymph outflow, helping fluid stores to drain out,” Aparovich says. “It also constricts the blood vessels, reducing the blood supply toward this area. I recommend using the patches containing hyaluronic acid or aloe vera, which are also soothing. You should stay in a horizontal position while the patches are on (for 10-15 minutes) to ensure the targeted effect. Consider storing them in the fridge to keep them cool.”
