Skip to main content

Deflate Those Bags!

Dear Kate, I'm plagued by nasty, puffy skin below my eyes. How do I get rid of them?
Julie T.

Dear Julie,
Puffiness around your eyes is caused by many factors; allergies, sleep deprivation, alcohol, too much salt in your diet and even a blubbery bout of tears! Different though they are, all these things have one thing in common, they are all irritants which will cause any excess fluid to settle temporarily under the skin. Unfortunately as we grow older our skin does thin causing this problem to be even more apparent. Skin around your eye area shows any fluid retention far more than any other bit! If you have partied a little to hard and overindulged in way too many dirty martinis (salty olives + vodka equals mucho puffiness!!) you can do your bit to combat the inevitable. When you get home drink, drink, drink; water that is! Drinking water will help your skin flush out your system. If allergies or a broken heart are the cause, pop an antihistamine before bed. Whatever the cause it is always good to plump up the pillows before you get into bed. Sleeping with your head slightly raised will help prevent excess fluid from pooling around your eyes.

To Soothe Away Puffiness
Take two chamomile tea bags (chamomile has a wonderful anti-inflammatory action and it is oh so soothing!) Dunk them in cool water, pop in a plastic bag and put in the freezer for about 15 minutes or so. Then remove the tea bags, retreat to your bed ensuring that your head is elevated, close eyes and place each tea bag so it rests on the eyelid and under eye area. Now comes the tough part; relax for a good 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and then gently rinse skin with tepid water.

Be Gentle
When eyes are puffy they are irritated. Avoid any product containing AHA's, BHA's or Retinols. They're goal is to kick start exfoliation, which irritates skin and increases the swelling. I formulated my Argan Eye Balm specifically to soothe the delicate skin around the eye and combat puffiness. Argan oil is a rich, nutrient packed oil that helps moisturize and rejuvenate delicate skin, while a dash of Roman Chamomile essential oil with its gentle anti-inflammatory action and power to calm even the most sensitive skin ensures that delicate skin is soothed and restored.

Depuffing Facial Massage
Use the flat part of your finger, just below your fingertips. Place finger on either side of nose (around sinus area). Gently (and I mean gently, this is your lovely face we're dealing with!!) massage skin in a circular motion, pushing skin slightly upward as you go. Working upwards and outwards (use your cheekbones as a guide; work slightly above them directly on the fleshy parts) along the cheeks and then ending at the outer eye area. Gently sweep back to nose and begin again. Repeat 5 times. This gentle kneading action will help to push built up fluid out of the skin tissue so it will drain (depuff!) faster.

Popular posts from this blog

Rosacea - An Introduction

Rosacea has to be the number one skin condition I get questioned about. It affects so many and can be a stressful and really upsetting condition to deal with. So I'm devoting the next few posts to share some information that I hope will help you to take control and make some better choices for your skin. What Is Rosacea? Rosacea is an inflammatory skin disorder linked to the vascular system (hence the redness). It’s characterized by reddening of the skin (and sometimes swelling). It generally appears on the face (usually around cheeks & nose in a tell tale butterfly pattern ), forehead, chin, ears & neck, but can also appear on the chest & back. It’s a condition that at the start can be easily misdiagnosed; sometimes the redness is taken for an allergic reaction to skincare, sunburn or even acne. It’s a grown up skin condition as it tends to strike the over 30’s. Those with fair or Celtic skin types are most likely to suffer from Rosacea and women are more susceptible ...

STORE CUPBOARD SPA - Illuminating Yogurt Exfoliator

This is a fabulous treatment to help brighten and zing up your skin. It's particularly effective at banishing ashy skin and boosting radiance. It also works wonders at unclogging horrid pores and clarifying skin prone to congestion & breakouts. Yogurt is a terrific natural skincare ingredient as it's chock full of gorgeous lactic acid which not only acts as a gentle exfoliant but also has a gentle bleaching action making it rather fab at brightening dull skin. Plain old white sugar is also perfect for skin as its not just rich in glycolic acid (just like lactic acid, this is a natural alpha hydroxy acid) to gently banish those horrid dead skin cells but its gentle enough not to tear or damage skin.  Here's What You Need a teeny little bowl  3 tbsp of natural yogurt  2 tsp of granulated sugar (nothing fancy just the regular stuff) Step One - Mix together the yogurt & sugar in a small bowl.  Step Two - Gently massage the mixture into...

Tinted Moisturizer, Does It Cover?

Dear Kate, I'm not entirely convinced a tinted moisturiser will give the coverage I need, what do I do? Nicola T. Dear Nicola, Summer is on its way and the last thing you need is that horrid, heavy foundation feeling. Tinted moisturizer will give you a lovely sheer finish that will look flawless if you follow my foolproof action plan for a not so natural, natural look! Step One - Tools of the Trade Any base product will look so much better if you apply with a foundation brush. But the secret to a great foundation brush is price, cheap ones work great! Oh dear, I've shocked you. There is a reason behind my cheapness (trust me I speak from experience), pricey, natural bristle brushes really soak up the base whereas with the not so natural bristle foundation brush, the product just sits on it and transfers easily to your skin and provide great coverage. Step Two - Application Dot the tinted moisturizer on forehead, nose, cheekbones and jawline. With foundat...