My poor eyes have withstood much torture in my lifetime. I have tugged at them while applying and removing makeup, rubbed them mercilessly on late nights studying or partying, and caused them to swell up countless times amidst tears for lost loves, arguments with friends and other trials and tribulations of my youth. A few years ago, this kind of abuse would have had little to no consequence – the morning after I would awake without a trace of what transpired the night before, I would be refreshed and revived. Now, I’m not so lucky. My skin does not bounce back the way it once did and I wear my fatigue or sorrow on my face like a red flag that screams, “Look at me, everyone!”

And I’m not alone. In the past few weeks I have been getting more and more requests to write on eye creams and solutions to wrinkling, dark circles and puffiness. After much research, I’ve come to a conclusion that many of you may not be too happy with – there is no one remedy to any of your under eye problems. The way we age around our eyes is a result of both genetics and our lifestyle. Therefore, any product used must be in conjunction with a change in the way you care for yourself, how much sleep you get, what you eat, etc. If you are a victim of your parents’ genes, then you will have to learn how to prevent as well as employ quick fixes to mask what you would like rather than to simply waste thousands of dollars on products that will not work. This is not always simple in the case of dark circles and wrinkles, but there are multiple ways to battle and conceal puffiness.

The lifestyle change:

- Reduce salt intake – sodium not only is bad for the heart, but also increases water retention throughout the body. Those that are genetically prone to bags under the eyes will find sodium makes them worse.

- Drink plenty of water – it not only keeps you hydrated, but flushes out toxins from your body, especially important for those who like to down a couple of drinks while partying into the night.

- Try not to rub your eyes; the touching will only cause further irritation and puffiness – important for the ladies who have been up late working and studying.

- Some recommend sleeping with the head slightly elevated (you know how you prop up a swollen ankle after a sprain? Same concept).

The Natural Remedies:

Applied cold and caffeine help to shrink the blood vessels to reduce puffiness.

- Put a teaspoon in the freezer for a few minutes. Take it out and press the rounded side of the spoon up against the underside of your eye.

- Drink caffeinated tea? Put your used teabags in the freezer for a minute and then apply them cooled onto your lids (with eyes closed of course!). Lay back for 5-10 minutes depending on puffiness. Also try chamomile tea, which helps reduce inflammation.

- A bag of peas and cold cucumbers should also work to reduce puffiness the way caffeine does.

The Chemical Experiment:

- If you are planning on using an eye cream to de-puff, it is best to store the product in the fridge. The cooling effect should be soothing and also help contract the puffy area around the eye.

- If you read any kind of beauty magazine, it will most likely tell you the “secret of the stars” is to use hemorrhoid cream as a de-puffer (i.e. PreparationH). Yes, the cream does contract capillaries to you’re your bags disappear. However, what they won’t tell you is that this technique should only be used as a quick fix. The skin around the eyes is very fragile, and over time the hemorrhoid cream will dehydrate the area, making the skin thin and causing fine lines and irritation.

- Puffy eyes need hydration as well an agent for reducing inflammation. Make sure to choose a cream that is both moisturizing as well as for puffiness (these creams usually contain an ingredient like caffeine in them).

Creams we recommend for puffiness:

Kiehl’s Eye Alert: claims to fight puffiness and dark circles. We don’t see much in the area of dark circles, but your bags will definitely shrink a little while after application. $20.50 www.kiehls.com

Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream: 100% natural and 100% vegetarian. Contains the antioxidant green tea and coffee for de-puffing as well as rose oil for hydration. $19.00 www.100percentpure.com . Recommend this one for the normal to dry skin types because of the moisturizing properties.

RoC Complete Lift Eye Pen: Works to firm, tone and hydrate skin. Especially great for mature skin types. $21.00 www.drugstore.com

Shiseido The Skincare Eye Soother: Diminishes puffiness, like Kiehl’s also claims to reduce dark circles but we’re skeptical on that part. Shiseido can be reapplied in the middle of the day if needed, even over makeup. $40.00 www.nordstrom.com

If you cannot find any of these where you live, choose an eye cream that has caffeine and vitamin E in it and you should see some results. Just remember, puffiness is an indicator of lifestyle issues or genetics, the creams are a temporary fix, not a long term solution. This is why we prefer the ones in the $20 range, no need to waste $$$ on de-puffing. If you have any products to reduce puffiness that have worked for you, let us know, we would love to hear about them!