Soothe, De-Puff, and Brighten Allergy Eyes

Do you suffer from allergy eyes ? Do you wake up in the morning with dark circles and a puffy face? Do you wish you could send those eye bags packing? Sadly, it happens to us all from time to time. The key is to know how to minimize the swelling and hide the problem. Here are a few ideas to deal with dark circles and puffy eyes.

A puffier pillow for less puffy eyes. When you sleep, fluids can pool around the eyes, especially if you have allergies. If you sleep on a puffier pillow, the fluid won't hang around as much. This should help prevent, or at least reduce, the puffy darkness around your eyes. Elevate your head just enough to prevent the fluid from pooling around your eyes, but not so much that you get a neck ache.

Depuff. There are so many ways to depuff those bags under you eyes. You could place a pre-cooled, already-been-steeped teabag on each eye for a few relaxing minutes in the morning. I prefer to use green tea bags for the extra antioxidants. The caffeine and the tannin in the tea will help remove some of the puffiness. Or, you could chill two spoons in the freezer for a few minutes and then put one on each eye. Don't forget the old fashioned cliche-worthy trick of putting a cucumber slice on each eyelid. It feels soothing and smells fresh. If you need a tougher remedy, you could try a soothing eye gel from any major skin care manufacturer. Look for one with ingredients such as cucumber, lotus flower, caffeine, and kiwi. You could even keep it in the fridge for a cooling effect. For a temporary fix, people really do use Preparation H to lose the bags under the eyes. It shrinks the enlarged blood vessels and makes the area appear less puffy. If you try this remedy, keep a tube dedicated for just your eyes. Don't share it with, um, 'other' body parts, please.

Brighten. Many large cosmetic companies are now making a brightening eye cream just for you. They help lighten the area, remove puffiness, and prevent dark circles from getting worse. Look for ingredients such as Vitamin K, soybean, and rice for the most effectiveness.

Conceal. Concealer is your best friend when it comes to dark circles. Choose a shade that is just slightly lighter than your natural color. Apply it sparingly in the inner corner of the eyes, and anywhere that is dark or shadowy. For best results, use a tiny, synthetic concealer brush to apply just a bit of concealer at a time. Dab with your fingertips and blend well! Add more if necessary.

Foundation. Continue with your foundation as usual, just be careful not to wipe off any of the concealer in the process. Apply a light dusting of powder over top and your dark circles should be out of sight.

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