Eye Cream Massage for Puffy Eyes
source: flickr by: sassyradish
How to Massage Puffy Eyes
Many people experience puffiness in the eye area, particularly in the morning. Puffiness can accentuate the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and bags, leading to a mature and fatigued-looking eye area. One of the best ways to combat eye area puffiness is to administer a gentle massage while applying your under eye cream, oil or gel.
While you may massage the eye area using any eye product, eye gels tend to help reduce puffiness more so than oils or skin care eye creams. If you are currently using a heavy anti aging eye cream and experiencing chronic puffiness in the eye area, you may want to consider switching to an eye gel.
Begin by cleansing the complexion with a gentle face wash formulated for your skin type. Be sure to cleanse the eye area as gently as possible to avoid causing premature signs of aging and irritation. After the face is cleansed, delicately apply your eye gel or eye cream using your ring fingers.
Beginning at the inside corners of the eyes, gently press down and hold for for about five seconds. Then, with your fingers still applying pressure, slowly and delicately slide the fingers under the eye toward the temples. Massage the temples in a slow circular motion two or three times, and repeat the entire process between seven and ten times depending on the severity of the puffiness. (You don’t have to re-apply your eye gel or eye cream product each time you repeat the massage steps.)
After this first step is completed, make complete circles around each eye. Be sure to continue using your ring fingers, as these fingers are the weakest and, therefore, the gentlest. Begin at the inside corners of the eyes, sweep up over the eyebrows, down under the lower lash line and back to the inner corners of the eye. Repeat this three to five times. Once you have finished, continue applying your skin care and makeup products as usual.
In addition to these simple and relaxing massage techniques, you may also reduce eye area puffiness by refrigerating your night eye cream or gel products or using a freezable eye mask before you begin your daily beauty regimen.
Bonus: What About Cucumbers?
One of the most well-known beauty spa visions is one of a woman wrapped in a robe, face mask working, while two slices of cucumber lay atop her closed eyelids. Many wonder if those cucumbers actually do anything other than force relaxation. Well, they do! Cucumbers are astringent, which means they’re able to constrict body tissues. Plus, most people store their cucumbers in the refrigerator, which creates a cold compress that will reduce inflammation, also known as puffiness. Cut two thick slices from a cold cuke and apply for 10-15 minutes for the best results.