Under-eye bags aren't exactly the portrait of good health, but they're completely natural and in most cases, not a symptom of a serious eye condition either - phew! If they do start to pop up below your peepers, don't worry, as we've rounded up a whole reserve of home remedies to reduce and rejuvenate in a flash. Whether you're a contact lens wearer or not, stay with us, and let's banish eye bags together.
What are the causes of bags under eyes?
As we age, our skin tends to lose collagen and elasticity over time. This becomes particularly visible in the area around the eyes, between the tissues and muscles that support our eyelids, where the skin is especially thin and delicate. A pouch of fluid can also accumulate in the space under your eyes, making them swell. In the morning, this puffiness is even more pronounced, as the pouches have had all night to settle and expand.
Eye bags shouldn't be confused with dark circles under eyes, which produce a blue-like ring under your peepers, giving you a 'panda eye' effect. Caused by a breakage of fragile blood vessels that result in this colour, dark circles under eyes are often accompanied by eye bags, too.
In addition to ageing, eye bags can also be caused by:
- Poor nutrition
- Allergies to pollen or make-up
- Stress
- Lack of sleep - check out our tips to better your beauty sleep
- Smoking
- Genetics
- Wearing eyeglasses
- Allergies to contact lens solutions
Do contact lenses cause bags under eyes?
If worn correctly, contact lenses won't cause eye bags at all. And what do we mean by correctly? Well, here's a quick recap:
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Natural remedies for bags under eyes
As we've mentioned, there are various remedies to put a stop to puffy eyes, and most of them simply involve adopting good daily habits. By taking these steps on board - you'll not only relieve the swelling, but also prevent it.
- Sleep 7-8 hours every night: Ideally, prop up your head slightly to help facilitate the flow of liquids under your eyes.
- Do some eye gymnastics: Try out these easy-peasy eye exercises to pamper your overworked peepers.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol: Limit your intake, and maybe switch to some alcohol-free alternatives.
- Apply tea bags on your eyelids: After boiling the tea bags in hot water, allow them to cool down in the fridge, and place them over your eyes - caffeine has handy antioxidant properties that boost blood circulation.
- Put cucumber slices on your eyelids: You can't beat the refreshing, and super-soothing effect of a chilled cucumber slice on your eyelid - potatoes can also be used as an alternative.
- Rest cold spoons on your eyelids: Put some spoons in the fridge, before placing on your eyelids.
- Drink plenty of water: Yup - you should be drinking 2 litres of water every day.
- Embrace a healthy diet: Incorporate foods for eye health into your diet that are high in omega-3 fatty acids and nutrients. Fresh fish, nuts, seeds, and oranges, berries and kale are all bursting with antioxidants.
- Quit smoking: Apart from being a general health tip, smoking does weaken the skin under your eyes - just another reason to kick this habit to the curb!
- Invest in a good eye cream: As the skin around our eyes is ultra-fragile and thin - we need to look after it. Adding a high-quality cream from a trusted brand to your eye care routine can help hydrate, nourish and protect the area.
