You might feel refreshed, but your under-eyes often tell a different story. Puffiness and dark circles have a sneaky way of showing up—even after a decent night’s sleep. Rather than layering on more concealer, it’s smarter to tackle the root causes head-on, all with the right habits and a few targeted products. Here are 20 simple strategies that can actually make a difference.
Use Cold Compresses
Had a rough night? Grab something cold. Cold compresses slow blood flow, which shrinks puffiness and lightens dark circles. To achieve this, you can use cucumber slices as they’re water-packed and super soothing. No cucumbers? Chill a couple of spoons instead. Press gently under the eyes, and let the coolness work its quiet magic.
Apply Eye Creams With Retinol
Choose an eye cream with retinol to reduce wrinkles under the eyes. It encourages collagen production and supports firmer, more resilient under-eye skin. Apply a small amount two to three times a week at first to avoid irritation. Fun fact: Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare.
Get Enough Sleep
Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep each night to give your under-eye area time to recover. During sleep, the skin repairs itself and maintains steady collagen levels. Without enough rest, blood vessels expand and show through the thin skin. Additionally, prolonged exposure to cortisol can lead to a gradual weakening of the skin’s overall structure.
Use Sunscreen Daily
Apply sunscreen under the eyes each morning to help prevent wrinkles. The under-eye skin is thinner and more likely to get damaged by UV rays, especially since sun exposure breaks down collagen and makes you look older. Remember, clouds don’t block everything. UV rays still hit the skin on overcast days.
Stay Hydrated
Drink plenty of water each day to help maintain under-eye elasticity. Hydration makes the skin appear smoother and plumper. Cut back on salty foods, since excess sodium can cause swelling and worsen puffiness. Bonus: improved hydration may noticeably brighten your skin in just a few hours.
Try Gentle Massages
A light massage under the eyes promotes lymphatic drainage and reduces puffiness. It also stimulates blood circulation, which helps brighten the skin. Using tools like a cool facial roller or smooth stone can enhance the massage’s effectiveness. Be sure to use only gentle pressure, as too much force can harm the delicate skin in that area.
Cut Back On Alcohol
Had one too many drinks last night? Your under-eyes probably noticed. Alcohol dries out the skin and makes dark circles stand out, and the disrupted sleep that comes with a night out only makes things worse. Alcohol can even widen blood vessels beneath the skin, causing a tired look. Additionally, red wine may trigger inflammation, thanks to histamines.
Incline Your Head During Sleep
A slight change in how you sleep can seriously reduce morning puffiness. Elevating your head helps lymphatic drainage and prevents fluid from settling under your eyes. The ideal setup? Sleep on your back with an extra pillow or a wedge to create a gentle incline. Side sleeping, especially face-down, can worsen swelling and deepen creases over time.
Use Concealer Strategically
Some mornings call for a little backup. Concealers instantly brighten the under-eye area, especially when used smartly. If you’ve got blueish circles, peach or orange tones help cancel them out. Go with a damp sponge for a smooth, natural blend. Just a few dabs can make a major difference.
Apply Green Tea Bags
Brew two green tea bags, chill them in the fridge, then rest them over closed eyes. The caffeine helps shrink blood vessels to ease puffiness, the antioxidants target dark circles, and the cool temperature calms inflammation. Use for 10–15 minutes as part of a regular morning or evening routine.
Avoid Rubbing Your Eyes
Keep your hands away from your eyes to prevent irritation and discoloration, as rubbing can damage fragile under-eye skin and rupture small blood vessels. If your eyes feel itchy often because of allergies, apply a cold compress to soothe the area and offer a safer, skin-friendly way to get relief.
Maintain A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet can improve the under-eye area dramatically. Foods like kale and lean protein provide key nutrients, such as vitamins C, E, and K, that support skin tone, and iron that aids in reducing darkness caused by deficiency. In fact, high sodium in your diet can cause puffiness by increasing water retention, a fact often overlooked.
Use Hyaluronic Acid-Based Products
Want a simple fix that works? Try a hyaluronic acid-based product. This product draws in moisture, plumps under-eye skin, and helps smooth out wrinkles. No fuss, just hydration that lasts. Wild fact: it holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. No wonder dryness creeps in as levels of this compound drop with age.
Limit Screen Time
Limit daily screen use to ease eye strain and reduce puffiness. Blue light from devices increases oxidative stress, which can affect the skin under the eyes. About every 20 minutes, look away and focus on something far away for around 20 seconds to give your eyes a break. Consider wearing blue light–filtering glasses as well.
Try Professional Treatments
Sometimes the at-home stuff just isn’t enough, and that’s where professional treatments step in. Chemical peels or lasers can smooth texture and brighten discoloration. Additionally, microneedling helps by boosting collagen in thin under-eye skin. However, you should know that the results aren’t instant. Multiple sessions are usually needed, and results may take weeks to fully show up.
Avoid Smoking
Stop smoking to support healthier under-eye skin. Tobacco use restricts blood flow and speeds up collagen loss, which causes sagging and discoloration. In fact, wrinkles also appear sooner around the eyes. The good news is that quitting makes a real difference, with skin tone improving within weeks, making this one of the most effective ways to reduce aging.
Use Cold Milk
Milk for your eyes? Yes, really. The lactic acid in the milk gives under-eye skin a gentle refresh, and the cold milk calms irritation and reduces puffiness in minutes. Just soak cotton pads in milk, chill them, and put them over your eyes. Quick heads-up: don’t do this if you have a dairy allergy.
Avoid Heavy Makeup Before Bed
Heavy makeup left on overnight can irritate under-eye skin and clog pores, as some makeup ingredients can cause harm when absorbed for hours. This contributes to discoloration and puffiness. Use micellar water to gently remove products without harsh rubbing, and keep skin healthier and more refreshed overnight.
Practice Facial Yoga
Incorporate facial yoga into a daily routine to target sagging under the eyes. These exercises strengthen muscles and promote blood flow, which can naturally brighten the area. Improved tone and reduced stress lines are added benefits. Stick with it, because visible results usually appear gradually with consistent practice.
Incorporate Vitamin C Serums
If you want brighter under-eyes, Vitamin C serums can help. They block melanin production, which tones down dark circles. Plus, they boost collagen, giving skin a firmer look, and also shield skin from nasty environmental pollutants. Fun fact: Vitamin C breaks down fast, so it needs to be stored right.
