3 Ways to Wake Up Tired Eyes
Let’s paint a picture: you’ve had a big night out, a late night with the kids, or just couldn’t sleep -- and suddenly you find yourself bleary eyed, puffy, and wishing you could muster some energy.
We’ve all been there, and it can leave you looking and feeling wholly out of it.
The good news? There are lots of effective (and simple) ways to wake up even the most tired of eyes. Here’s what you should know.
First Thing’s First: What’s Going on with Tired Eyes?
If you’re going to effectively banish those tired eyes, you have to know what’s causing your dark circles, puffiness, and expression lines to begin with.
Dark Circles
Most people attribute their dark circles to fatigue or lack of sleep. But it can be much more complicated than that as additional factors often contribute to dark circles, including:
- Age: As you get older, you lose fat and collagen in your face (it starts in your 20’s). This can lead to thinner skin with less padding and more pronounced dark circles.
- Allergies: Any kind of allergic reaction can cause the blood vessels around your eyes to enlarge, creating -- you guessed it -- a blue or purple hue.
- Eye strain: If you’re straining your eyes to get some paperwork done, look at your phone, or work on the computer, it can also cause your blood vessels to enlarge, making your circles more prominent.
- Dehydration: Poor hydration will always lead to a more sunken and deflated appearance -- and that will always make your dark circles pop.
- Genetics: Listen -- sometimes we’re just not handed the dark circle genetic lottery. And if you’ve been dealt a bad hand, they’ll always get worse with age.
Puffiness
Anyone can have eye puffiness - but it will get worse with:
- Age
- Allergies
- Smoking
- Heavy drinking
- Fluid retention after a long sleep or a high-sodium meal
- Hereditary factors
Expression Lines
Fine lines, expression lines, and crow’s feet naturally creep up with time. That said, these physical signs of agings are exacerbated by external factors like smoking, exposure to pollution, sun damage, and free radical damage.
Tackling all of these concerns can be quite a task, but is doable. Here are some tips and tricks that can help.
3 Ways to Wake Up Tired Eyes
1. An Anti-Aging Eye Cream
It’s not just marketing -- the right eye cream can truly make a world of difference when it comes to waking tired eyes. But it’s all about incorporating active ingredients that are proven to treat dark circles, puffiness, or fine lines. These include:
- Matrixyl 3000: A blend of protein peptides, Matrixyl 3000 can help rebuild collagen production and reduce wrinkles by up to 45% (which, in turn, can also help dark circles).
- MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): MSM is a natural compound found in all living things, and it’s essentially the “glue” that holds our tissues together and strengthens them. It inhibits the breakdown of collagen, reduces inflammation, and makes cell walls more permeable -- which, in turn, helps nutrients flow through more easily.
- Hyaluronic Acid: This gel-like water-holding molecule retains over 1,000 times its weight in water, making it the ultimate moisturizer for tired eyes.
- Caffeine: Caffeine works as a natural stimulant, reducing eye puffiness by increasing blood circulation around the eyes.
- Vitamin C: This powerful vitamin restores delicate eye skin by fighting free radicals and environmental aggressors (it can even reverse their effects). This strengthens, tightens, and firms skin over time - oh, and it adds moisture too!
You’ll find all of these active ingredients (and more) in our Restoring Eye Cream. Use it every morning and evening for the best results. Most guys notice a significant improvement - in skin texture, appearance, and smoothness - after a few weeks of regular use.
Pro tip: For a cooling sensation that soothes your skin even more, trying putting your eye cream in the fridge.
2. Try The Spoon in the Freezer Trick
This trick is an oldie but a goodie -- and it really works. Put a metal spoon in your freezer. On days when your eyes look especially puffy, gently massage the back of the spoon over the area of concern. You’ll notice an instant decrease in puffiness. Why?
The cold of the spoon will cause the blood vessels around your eye to constrict, which will combat the expansion caused by allergies or lack of sleep. Additionally, it will reduce blood flow, which can quell additional swelling and fluid retention.
3. Throw on Some Cucumber Slices
This may seem like some kind of 90’s movie spa trope, but it actually works! For one, cucumber is naturally rich in vitamin C. What’s more, research has proven that cucumber can help:
- Cool the skin
- Hydrate eye tissue
- Reduce dark circles (thanks to high concentrations of vitamin K)
- Reduce inflammation (thanks to compounds called lignans)
- Brighten skin by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme that’s involved in melanin production
Cucumbers can also help extract toxins and remove waste materials from the eye area. Not too shabby!