It happens to the best of us. Binge-watching your favourite K-drama for days on end, one too many drinks before bed, or just plain exhaustion from tending to work and family can give you puffy eyes often lasting longer than you’d like. And for many people, ageing and genetics can be blamed for sagginess under the eyes. 

While the best treatment for dark circles and puffy eyes is sufficient good-quality sleep, there are various ways you can refresh those peepers in a pinch. Bookmark this article so you can give one of these DIY treatments a try on the days you need some SOS.

1 | Go for a run

This is undoubtedly one of the quickest eyebag treatments there is out there - and the best part? It costs nothing. There are few things like a good cardio workout to get that blood circulation going so the puffiness subsides pronto. If you don’t have the luxury of time to hit the tarmac, try a 20-minute HIIT workout on YouTube (or our favorite at-home channel Alo Moves) to sweat those puffy eyes away.

 

2 |  Give your peepers a cold compress

It’s basic science. Lower temperatures make blood vessels constrict and thus reduce the size of those bags. After washing your face, soak a towel in iced water and press it over your eyes for 10 minutes—think of it as extra snooze time in the morning. For that extra kick, store your eye cream in the fridge and apply it after the cold compress. You’ll look and feel much more awake.

3 |  Use eye cream with caffeine

Caffeine is known to constrict blood vessels for depuffing and is a common ingredient in eye products. Look for it on the ingredients list and make sure you have this in your beauty stash.

4 | Skip salt

Forget about having that fried beehoon or nasi lemak for breakfast. Salt is known to cause fluid retention and will make puffiness worse. Want to look and feel healthier? Down a warm glass of lemon-infused water and get in a fibre-rich breakfast like oats or salad. Some experts believe that constipation could cause eyebags so good bowel movement can help!

5 |  Use an eye-roller

A gentle massage can get circulation going around the eyes and reduce the size of eyebags. Pop that eye-roller in the fridge prior to use for better effect.

6 |  Turn on the air purifier

People with sensitive noses or allergies can suffer puffy eyes more often due to congestion and inflammation. Treating the allergy is half the battle won. For some people, a daily antihistamine does the trick while others are fans of therapies like nasal sprays and the neti pot. Discuss with your doctor the best option for you.

7 |  Try retinol

This anti-ageing ingredient is a hit among dermatologists for its ability to increase collagen production so your skin appears firmer and less likely to suffer premature sagging—a big cause of eyebags. If you are new to retinol, the vitamin A derivative may irritate the skin so you may want to use the product only a couple of times a week as a start. 

If DIY-ing your way to perky peepers isn’t quite for you, book yourself The Reset Facial and add on the uber pampering eye treatment and massage. Our expert facialist will be with you in as little as two hours. We’ll see you soon for your first refresh :)