Have you tried depuffing tired eyes with facial massage?
If you regularly suffer from swollen or puffy eyes, facial massage could be the answer! Read on to find out how this short and simple daily routine may be able to help improve the appearance of your undereye area - all in under 5 minutes.
Facial massage: how does it work?
Whether or not we tend to suffer from bags, puffiness, or redness around the eyes depends on a combination of factors, from genetics to lifestyle to our unique facial structure. However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do to give our eye contour a little DIY boost!
Just like any other form of facial massage, eye massage techniques are great for helping to tone and stimulate the eye contour. This delicate area is particularly prone to puffiness and/or swelling as a result of its highly elastic skin, which is far thinner than the rest of the face.[1]
When practicing facial massage, the aim is to stimulate microcirculation around the eye contour. This helps to improve blood flow, opening up blood vessels and fighting fluid retention - responsible for that puffy-eyed look so many of us struggle with first thing in the morning. The best part? You can adopt these techniques for brighter, more wide-awake eyes from the comfort of your own home.
[1] Dhanalaxmi UR, Pralhad SP. Evaluation of clinical efficacy and safety of under eye cream in the treatment of under eye dark circle and pigmentation. J Indian Med. 2009;103:115–20.
Choose the right product… and apply it correctly
First things first - picking the right tools for the job! It goes without saying that ingredients are crucial when selecting the right eye cream for you, but the texture of your chosen product is just as important. When treating your eyes to a little extra TLC, try and opt for a cream with a gel or fluid feel to avoid dragging or pulling on the eye. Apply a little more product than you normally would to help make your movements as smooth as possible.
Massaging the eye contour: a simple tutorial
Start by locating your lymph glands - responsible for draining excess fluid from the body - on either side of your face. Begin by lightly pressing the tips of your fingers up from your jawline before sweeping outwards towards the temples. This will help to effectively decongest any excess water that may have built up under the eye contour’s thin skin.
Next, using around one-and-a-half to two times the amount of product you would normally apply, place a dab of product on the tip of each of your ring fingers - when compared with the index or middle fingers, these apply far less pressure on the under-eye area. Gently tap from the inside of the eye (around the tear duct) out towards the tail of your eyebrow, making sure to press the product into the skin with small circular motions.
Used repeatedly, this technique will help your eye area to tone up, leaving less free space for fluid to build up. Result? Eyes that are less prone to puffiness, swelling and bags first thing in the a.m, so you wake up feeling - and looking - fresh-faced!
La Rédaction