How To: Soothe Puffy Eyes

The festive season has finally drawn to a close and we're all heading back to work; most of us slightly heavier than when we left! After a fortnight of over-indulging on food and getting less sleep than we should, it comes as no surprise that a few are suffering the puffy-eyed look of sleep deprivation.
There are plenty of remedies that can be bought over the counter, but for a cheap (and probably more effective!) alternative you should be heading to the fridge!

Not for a glass of cool wine or beer (that's how you got here remember), but instead for one of the following...

Cucumber
It's a cliche for a reason! All those women laying back with cucumber over their eyes are reaping the benefits of looking silly on camera in two ways. The puffiness will be soothed and reduced by the cold of the cucumber, while the high water content will help re-hydrate your eyes and prevent water retention. So grab a few slices from the fridge, pop them over your eyes and relax for 10 minutes. A quick nap wouldn't hurt either! ;)

Strawberries
Strawberries also have fab qualities that will help soothe those tired eyes. As with the cucumber, the cold will reduce the appearance of swelling for you. In addition strawberries also contain the natural ingredient alpha-hydroxy, which is used in many expensive facial creams to make the skin look younger and smoother. This time pop the slices underneath your eyes, directly on the puffy area, then relax for 10 minutes - nap optional!

Milk
It may sound odd, but a cotton ball drenched in ice-cold milk placed over each eye will do wonders for those tired bags! Keep your eyes tightly shut while they're in place for 10 minutes, then cleanse, tone and moisturise as usual.

Olive Oil and Tea Bags
Possibly the weirdest solution of the lot (and admittedly not from the fridge...) - place 2 wet tea bags in the freezer for a few minutes to make them ice cold. While they're chilling massage a small amount of olive oil onto your eyelids and place the tea bags over the top once they're ready. As with the other rememdies you'll need to lay back and relax for 10 minutes while it does the trick, then cleanse, tone and moisturise as usual.

Two tips to prevent bags from happening in the future...
- Drink plenty of water! Bags are often a result of water retention from dehydration, not just a late night. Keeping hydrated will stop your body from retaining water as it will have a constant supply anyway.
- Keep your facial products in the fridge. This will reduce any puffiness before it has a chance to become noticeable and may even increase the shelf-life of your products. Always check labels before just to make sure it's safe though!

Please note: The eye area is very delicate and you should only be using the lightest touch with any of these methods. It is also very sensitive so if you're in any doubt over any of the products mentioned above test them on the inside of your wrist or elbow first to check for an allergy. None of this information constitutes as medical advice and a GP should always be consulted if you think the cause is more than just a late night.