I was the owner of two sleep-thieving children up until about a year ago (when they both finally started to sleep through), meaning dark eye bags were par for the course.
I'd gotten used to spreading the concealer on thick... then, earlier this year I started doing more research asking mama friends for secrets and searching online to help improve the eye bags. Three months on, the tips I discovered and implemented have made a huge difference. So much so, some days I even go concealer-free. There's a sentence I never thought I'd write!
Check out my top 5 tips to blasting away puffy eyes below. Go get yourself insta-ready, or you know, able to do the school run without the need for sunglasses. You're welcome!
1. Firstly, I had intolerance and allergy tests done by York Test and my GP, eliminating foods I was found sensitive to including wheat, gluten and yeast. Whilst I've known these foods were working against me for years, I'd slowly reintroduced them over the last year, only to find they were still exacerbating my skin (eczema was a problem), giving me tummy ache, and yes, bulging eye bags. Making dietary changes in just the last month has had a big impact. You are what you eat, after all. My advice is take tests, remove toxins including too much alcohol and the dreaded puff-inducing salt from your diet. Sugar isn't great either as we know, and a treat weekend often left me with a puffy face so I try and avoid the sweet white stuff too.
2. An organic silk pillow case from Silk Skin had literally been the greatest skincare gift I've ever treated myself to. A preventative to wrinkles and hair frizz, this brand are free from nasties and importantly, sweat-inducing material you can sometimes find in other supposed 'silk' pillows on the market. Try it.
3. I always remove any trace of make up before sleeping and use a gentle but effective under eye cream for that delicate area, and a nourishing moisturiser on the rest of my face. I love L'Oreal's Absolute Eye and Lip Remover to remove heavier make up after a shoot or night out but I use Garnier Skin Naturals' Micellar Cleansing Water almost every evening, and frankly, can't remember life without it. Refreshing, cleansing and ideal for my sensitive skin, I can't recommend it enough. Just don't forget to use it.
4. Becoming more active. Exercise is the BEST way to get the glow. Yoga is brilliant for overall wellbeing, and skincare too: all those deep breaths calm your mind, and your skin, so go get on the mat.
5. Take a multi vitamin. I take a high strength multi vitamin which support my skin and overall health. Ask your pharmacist or GP for advice.
Final tip: My favourite concealer when those pesky eye bags look their worst (newborns, teething, late nights) is The Retoucher by Charlotte Tilbury, an utterly magical formula which will hide eye bags instantly (as well as marks on your face). I adore it!
Read more of Vicki's posts at Honest Mum.
Photo author's own.
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