Heredity and sleepless nights along with plenty of laughs and smiles all contribute to the eye problem trifecta: dark circles, puffy eyes and crow’s-feet. The skin around your eyes is the thinnest of anywhere on your body so your eyes are truly a window into whether you’re tired and weary. The good news is that there are two DIY eye mask recipes for a fast fix, along with longer term solutions to anti-age your eyes.
1. Dark circles
Dark eye circles are my nemesis! It can be hard to pinpoint the exact cause (hereditary? thinning skin? too much sun?) so one of the best ways to battle dark circles is with eye cream. You want a cream that helps build collagen to thicken skin over time along with vitamin C to lighten discoloration from sun exposure and caffeine to constrict blood vessels. Don’t forget to apply eye cream morning and night before any other skincare products so it can fully absorb.
Fast fix – the right concealer
Cover dark circles with the right concealer and a gentle touch. First Aid Beauty’s Eye Duty Triple Remedy does double duty as an eye cream and a light concealer. After putting on foundation (if you wear it) gently dab concealer (pick peach undertones for bluish circles and pink for brown circles) on dark areas with your ring finger. I usually use BeautyCounter’s Touchup Skin Concealer Pen.
2. Puffy eyes
Whether allergies or that second margarita are to blame, swollen eyes are usually caused by a buildup of excess fluid under the eyes. To prevent puffiness, sleep propped up with a couple of pillows, preferably on your back, to prevent fluid buildup. If you have allergies, consider an air purifier for your bedroom to eliminate dust mites and other allergens.
Fast fix – coffee DIY eye mask
Steep a couple of black tea bags in cold water and place them under the eyes for a few minutes. The caffeine and cold cause blood vessels to constrict. Another DIY remedy is a simple egg white and coffee mask – trust me, it will wake up your whole face!
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons coffee grounds
Combine the egg white and coffee in a small bowl. Beat mixture together with a fork until frothy, about 1 minute. With clean hands or a brush, apply the mask around and under the eyes. Avoid the eyelids because you don’t want to get it in your eyes. You can apply the mask to your entire face, if desired. Rinse mask and follow with a coffee eye cream (keep in the fridge for extra cold power).
If your eyes get red and itchy after you get ready in the morning, you could be allergic to your makeup. After a long bout with eye irritation, I finally realized it was stemming from my mascara. Detox these ingredients from your makeup bag and look for products without fragrance. Keep your fingers away from eyes to avoid transferring other makeup and nail polish to your eyes.
3. Crow’s-Feet
Yes, you can blame a lifetime of smiling! But don’t forget the squinting and the sun exposure, too. All are to blame for fine lines. So your best bet is avoiding sun exposure during the day (think SPF, sunglasses and a chic hat) and building up collagen with peptides or retinol at night to reverse the wrinkles.
Fast fix – mega moisturizing DIY eye mask
For temporary smoothing, try this mega moisturizing eye mask to smooth fine lines.
Mix 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and a capsule of vitamin E oil in a bowl. Cut cotton pads to fit the under-eye area. Soak cotton pads in solution and freeze for a few minutes until icy cold. Apply to eye area and place eye cotton pad on top. Let sit for 15 minutes and remove.
Follow with eye cream like First Aid Beauty (the sheen softens lines) and get strategic with eye makeup. Opt for lighter shades of eye shadow on the lids and inner corners, then curl lashes and apply mascara.
Photos by Ana Stanciu
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Hi…
I’m a 37 years old male.
I’ve puffy eyes and dark circles for almost 2-3 years now. And honestly I’ve not done anything to repair. Do you think, this coffee maker would really help.??
Also, for how many days it has to be applied.
Kindly guide.
Best Regards
Coffee grounds and egg white mask for depuffing eyes, use on entire face even roots of your hair to darken!! Genius
What mascara did you switch too since the other one bothered you? I can barely use almay for an afternoon :(
Thank you so much for these tips! Dark circles are my biggest problem. I have extremely sensitive skin. It is great to find some all natural tips. I will definitely going to try.
If you can’t get coconut oil… Do you have a substitute??
Coconut oil is available everywhere; Wal-Mart, grocery and health food stores.
Ann
Thanks for these excellent tips. I will surely try the coffee mask & coconut oil, Vit E masks for sure.
I love that these methods are simple and natural. I must try!
I always get a bit embarrassed with DIY masks etc. Because you can easily fool me! But I will try the last one with coconut oil and vitamine E. Hope it works :)
thanks for these awesome tips! I need to try that coffee mask – brilliant!
stop by and chat with me ♥ http://storybookapothecary.com
how to use cofer with hot water or cold plx tell me
I am not sure how this article’s author recommends, but I know a few coffee methods that work for me.. If you need to exfoliate, your recently used coffee grounds can be used just like a salt or sugar scrub just about anywhere on the body (although avoid eye lid areas for any scrubbing)). It is messy so best to do in the tub or shower (kitchen sink is good if you are doing just the face) and use a lint trap when draining. You can also use grounds for masks. Mix with egg-white for undereye mask that works on dark circles,and puffiness.. I use it on my whole face as a mask though (adding turmeric powder to the mix) because it tightens the whole face, works to remove all dark and reddish discolorations and it shrinks pores too! The mixture will be cold regardless. If you don’t want to deal with the mess, you can use instant coffee for the masks but the used grounds from your coffee maker are ultimately free for repurposing.