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Whether you’re feeling bloated after a night of partying or you’re just particularly prone to puff, here’s everything you need to know to deflate a puffy, bloated face.
When it comes to beating bloat, cold can really help. Cold temperatures can shrink capillaries and stimulate drainage, which helps reduce any inflammation or swelling. The body responds by gradually sending an increased flow of warm blood to the area (think rosy cheeks after a winter walk).
To soothe and tighten puffy skin, grab something cold out of your refrigerator (an ice cube or two is perfect), wrap in a soft washcloth and hold on different areas of your face for one to two minutes. Take special care underneath your eyes and any other areas that feel particularly swollen.
More Beauty Benefits: Store skincare products like masks and moisturizers in the refrigerator. Chilled products feel incredible on the skin and the ritual feels next-level.
Puffy skin is often due to excess fluid that has collected within the facial tissue, so a mini massage is a great way to move along the fluid causing puffiness. Pushing and smoothing the skin helps trigger lymphatic drainage, encouraging the excess fluid to move away from the face.
Always work up and out when massaging the face to keep the skin lifted. Start with your forehead and work outwards toward the side of the face and down to the bottom of the ear and further to the base of the neck (where the lymph nodes are). Then do the rest of your face — eye area, cheek area, above and below lips and under your chin.
Whether you’re using a roller or your fingers, make sure to use a gentle touch.
Eye cream is essential: the moisture plumps up any creases or fine lines around your eyes, making most people look better instantly. Here are some of the best ingredients to look out for:
There is a proven connection between nutrition and skin health, which means that anything you ingest can have an effect on your skin. Whether it’s sugar from alcohol or salt from processed foods, dietary choices can definitely contribute to facial bloat.
To detox and create a healthier environment for your skin, start by drinking more water. Avoid soda, sugary juices, and all other liquids (green tea is the exception) to make sure you’re drinking enough water to eliminate toxins from your body and stay hydrated.
It’s also important to adapt your diet to your skin goals. Add certain beauty foods like oats, beets, and blueberries to your daily diet. Hydrating snacks like watermelon, cucumbers, celery and citrus fruits can help keep skin healthy and hydrated throughout the day.
Avoid added sugar, fried foods, and dairy products, all of which can contribute to clogged pores and dull skin. Instead, opt for healthy fats (like avocados and walnuts) which can help fight inflammation and keep skin hydrated to minimize fine lines and wrinkles.
More Beauty Benefits: You can also look for beauty products that contain detoxifying agents. Popular skincare ingredients like bentonite clay, charcoal, vitamin C, and algae are all considered detoxifying agents that draw out impurities from the skin and support a healthy, clear complexion.
A great concealer can help draw attention away from puffy bags under your eyes. The trick is to apply concealer only to the shadow of the bag — not the bag itself. If you put concealer on top of puffiness, the bags will stand out even more.
To play down puffiness in a completely natural way, try going a couple shades lighter than you normally would. For added brightening, you may want to go over your concealer with a highlighting wand (choose a shade that isn’t sparkly or overly reflective, which could draw attention to the area).
For more tips on how to deal with dark under eye circles (and the accompanying puffiness) specifically, read How to Get Rid of Dark Circles Under Your Eyes.
More Beauty Benefits: Whatever you do, don’t apply a dark eyeliner to your lower lid/ lashes. That will only make under eye bags more prominent, undoing all of the work you just did.
If under eye puffiness is a persistent problem for you, try this: keep your head elevated at night by sleeping on two pillows. This will help reduce fluid retention around your eyes so you won’t look as puffy in the morning.
Sweet dreams! ;)
