What Causes Puffy Eyes and how to manage it

The eyes are very noticeable features. When we look at other people’s faces, we tend to notice their eyes at first. This explains why many of us get constantly conscious on how our eye area looks like. One of the most common eye concerns is having puffy eyes. Puffy eyes can involve a lot of different causes along with it. This particular skin condition also comes in different forms – from mild to severe.

1. Allergies – allergic conjunctivitis, also known as “eye allergy” can be triggered by various elements. One of the most common symptoms of many types of allergies is swelling which is why puffy eyes can also be a result of an allergic reaction. Kris McGrath, MD, also explains "Puffy eyes and dark circles around the eyes are caused from nasal and sinus congestion interfering with blood flow through the veins around the eyes,".
2. Hormonal Changes and Aging – hormones are quite inimical in terms of many physical changes. When hormones are disrupted due to certain circumstances, puffy eyes can also occur. In addition to hormonal changes, aging is also one reason why the skin experience changes. The skin in the eye area is very thin, which is also one reason why it easily gets affected as one ages.
3. Stress and Lack of Sleep – this is one of the most common causes of puffy eyes that we usually can’t avoid. Daily activities can truly cause stress, resulting to lack of sleep. This also involves vitamin deficiency which causes puffy eyes to occur.
4. Consumption of Excessively Salty Food – too much salty food in your diet hinders moisture retention. This also disrupts your body from delivering hydration to the skin and therefore results to unhealthy skin texture.
5. Lack of Moisture/Dehydration - moisture is vital for the skin to maintain its firmness and elasticity. Without proper hydration, the skin is going to sag and dry out. As the eye area is very sensitive, loss of moisture can drag the skin down and result to puffy eyes.

Eye Cream as Treatment to Puffy Eyes

Dr. Farid Mostamand, founder of Ageless Derma, mentions: “The most alarming aspect of puffy eyes for beauty-conscious people is that it can lead to premature aging that manifests through the emergence of wrinkles, lines, and crow‘s feet. Fortunately, there are now many good anti-aging skincare products to counteract these visual assaults on our faces, necks, and hands; specifically, there are now eye creams that effectively combat the signs of aging and diminish dark circles and puffiness around the eyes. A good eye cream is a beauty necessity.” This explains how important it is to treat puffy eyes immediately. Incorporating a very good eye cream to your daily skincare regimen is essential to keep your eye area healthy. Eye Creams are specifically formulated to treat the sensitive skin around the eye area with superior care. Look for eye creams that are richly-infused with essential vitamins and minerals that are highly beneficial to the skin.

Here are some of the best anti-aging ingredients that you should look for in an eye cream in order to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes.

• Coenzyme Q10
• Sodium Hyaluronate
• Vitamins A, K, E and C
• Retinol
• Peptides

These ingredients can work in perfect synergy to keep your skin firm and healthy. In addition to this, antioxidants are quite significant to treat dark circles and dullness which therefore improves your eye area’s complexion.

Covering Puffy Eyes with Gentle Makeup Products

Of course, eye creams are meant to be used religiously for it to take effect. If you are currently suffering from puffy eyes and you need a quick solution to hide it, there are ways for you to do so. You can easily hide puffy eyes using any concealer lighter than your skin tone. However, if the cause of your puffy eyes is something you can’t really determine; whether it’s from allergies or stress, it’s wise to go for the safe side. Make sure you use cosmetics that are 100% safe and gentle to prevent aggravating your puffy eye condition.

Take a look at the ingredients list and avoid ingredients like alcohol, mineral oils and fragrance as these agents can make your puffy eyes worse. Look for all-natural alternatives like mineral and organic cosmetics to make sure you are being gentle to your skin. As what we have previously mentioned, the eyes have very thin and sensitive skin so using the wrong cosmetic product can only make things worse (especially when you are dealing with allergies).

Quick makeup tip for hiding puffy eyes: Do not conceal the entire bag by applying concealer over it! Use a concealer which is a shade lighter than your skin tone and take an appropriate amount using a flat concealer brush. Puffy eyes create a shadow right under the bag itself. Determine where the shadow is and trace the lighter concealer along in it to get rid of the shadow. Set it with finely-sifted mineral powder to make it last the entire day.