Sometimes you look as tired as you feel and the dead giveaway in the face are swollen eyelids. “The number one cause of puffy eyes is water retention,” shares Melanie Cruickshank, founder of Toronto-based
DaLish Cosmetics. There are natural ways to avoid sleep-deprived, swollen lids—think regular hydration, exercise and sleep patterns. That, and developing a
daily eye skin care routine for the delicate skin in the eye area. Cruickshank shares her best skin care tips on treating puffy eyes and ways to practice good, regular eye care.


1. Drink plenty of water.

We all know that foods with a high concentration of salt contribute to water retention. “You want to flush that out,” Cruickshank says. After indulging in fried foods, be sure to hydrate with lots of water—on the night of and the next morning—to help reduce any facial bloating. (Note: crying helps too.) Keep in mind that alcohol is very drying, so follow up a glass of Merlot with a cup (or two) of water.


GALLERY: The best anti aging eye creams

2. Sleep well.

We know—clocking in the recommended eight hours a night isn’t always possible, but there are ways to fake a night well slept. “My number one trick is potatoes,” says Cruickshank. Instead of placing cucumber slices over eyelids, try potatoes, which have naturally astringent properties. Keep peeled and sliced potatoes on hand in the fridge, and place over puffy lids for 10 minutes to decrease swelling. “They’re naturally cooling,” she adds.


3. Invest in a daily eye skin care routine.

Yes, it
is worth buying a separate eye cream and adding it in to your daily skin care regimen—morning and night. “Like brushing your teeth, you should moisturize twice a day,” she advises. Because the skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the face, you need a cream specifically formulated for that delicate area. Try DaLish Cosmetics Ultra Defense Day to Night Eye Cream. Apply in a gentle tapping motion—never pulling or rubbing—using your ring finger. “Start from the under eye and apply up to the brow bone,” she says.


11 best products to cure PUFFY EYES

More ways to develop a skin care routine to treat puffy eyes on the next page…

puffy-eyes-page-two.jpg4. Try natural eye skin care secrets.
Remember when women would apply hemorrhoid cream to reduce puffiness and bags under the eyes? “Every generation has their beauty secret!” says Cruickshank, laughing. Try tea bags instead—applying green or black caffeinated tea will constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling.

After steeping your morning tea, pop the leftover bags into the fridge and apply cooled over eyelids. “Make sure it’s caffeinated,” says Cruickshank. “This will help tighten the skin around the eyes and prevent crow’s feet.” The antioxidants found in chamomile tea, she adds, can help to reduce redness and inflammation around the eye.

5 things to know about switching to NATURAL SKIN CARE

Another signature trick Cruickshank recommends involves placing cold metal spoons on sleepy eyes: keep several on hand in the fridge and apply to closed lids on the ball of the eye to reduce swelling.

EYE CARE 101: Your daily routine

5. Add in a face oil.
Specifically, Argan oil as a twice-weekly facial treatment. “It’s hydrating and has anti-aging properties,” says Cruickshank about the miracle Moroccan oil that promotes collagen production and is gentle enough to use on the delicate skin around the eye. And of course, puffy eyes.

READ MORE:
11 best products to cure puffy eyes

Your ultimate eye skin care routine

10 best anti aging eye creams
5 signs that you have sensitive skin