How To Outsmart Tired, Puffy Skin
Bloated, puffy skin is no fun for anyone. But it doesn’t have to ruin your day. Just get ahead of the game with some deft lifestyle habits and smart skincare moves.
We’re sure you’ve been there; woken up with a bloated or puffy feeling to your face that certainly wasn’t there the night before. What is that all about? All you’ve done is gone to bed… right? Well, actually you might have had a few too many wines with dinner, or perhaps not had the best night’s sleep. But still: unfair.
The good news is that, more often than not, puffy skin is a temporary bugbear – unless some other underlying condition is at play, of course, in which case it’s always wise to seek professional help.
If you're well aware that your puffy skin is self-inflicted, however, here’s what you need to know about might be its cause, plus what to do about it…
What Causes Facial Puffiness?
A puffy face is usually thanks to a build-up of excess fluids just below the surface of your skin. This happens when an imbalance of water causes fluids to leak through your blood vessels and into your skin. And don’t worry, we know that all sounds pretty horrific, but it’s totally harmless.
So, what triggers this fluid retention in your skin? Well, it can be due to any number of reasons, but the usual suspects are mostly to blame – aka emotional stress, a lack of sleep, poor diet choices, your hormones and alcohol.
5 Effective Ways To De-Puff Your Face
The good news is there are some pretty easy fixes for facial puffiness – some of which will gift you with almost-immediate results. Scroll on for five of our favorites...
1. Try A Daily Facial Massage
Massaging your face is one of the best ways to not only up your glow factor in an instant, but to help reduce swelling. If you spend just three or four minutes massaging your skin during your morning cleanse, for example, you'll instantly boost circulation and accelerate lymphatic drainage which helps remove toxins and fluid build-up. Simply use the pads of your fingers to work your cleanser all over damp skin, then press your fingers into the brow area and slide them up in circular motions to your forehead. Repeat this a few times, before moving down to your cheeks, working from each side of your nose, out towards the hairline. Again, do this a few times, then continue with the same motion around your chin and jawline. To finish, smooth your fingertips up your neck.
You could also try a gua sha stone to help sculpt your skin and reduce unwanted puffiness. Gua sha stones are flat, smooth crystals made from jade or rose quartz which you place flat against your skin and gently glide around the contours of your face. They're awesome for encouraging the transportation of excess fluids and toxins from the tissues in your skin.
Whatever you go for, try to give your face a quick massage every morning. Trust us, you'll start to notice a real difference almost immediately.
2. Enjoy The Chill Factor
Cold temperatures are incredible for constricting your blood vessels and helping to reduce puffiness and inflammation. But, while TikTok might have you believe that iced facials are the future, we’re not sure that dunking your face in a bowl of iced water for as long as you can bear it, and repeating this teeth-chattering process for 10 whole minutes is such a good idea! In fact, it can cause facial redness and irritation if you’re not careful, so we’d strongly advise against it.
Instead, try a final rinse with cool water after cleansing or keep your moisturizer in the fridge to help de-puff your skin at the end of your morning routine. You can even keep facial massage tools like a gua sha stone or jade roller in the fridge for extra de-puffing powers. And if your eyes are showing the most signs of puffiness? Lie back with a couple of cold teaspoons or slices of cucumber over each eye. It’s amazing how effective some of those old beauty tricks are!
3. Drink More Water
Since fluid retention is the issur here, it makes sense to drink plenty of water every day. The simple fact is that by keeping your body hydrated you will reduce the need for your tissues to hold on to fluids so much. It’s just common sense. And science.
Experts agree that an average adult requires between 2.7 and 3.7 liters of fluid a day. However, it’s worth remembering that not all of this needs to come from glugging pure water. Certain foods like watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes and spinach contain a ton of water and drinks like milk, unsweetened fruit juices and caffeine-free teas all count towards you daily intake and are just a beneficial as water.
4. Embrace A Great Facial Serum
When it comes to what goes on your skin, there are some awesome ingredients out there to help keep your skin hydrated while reducing inflammation and puffiness. Green tea, for example, is a pretty good one, as are caffeine, peptides and, our current favorites, electrolytes.
Electrolytes are essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium which, when dissolved in water, conduct electricity – which is where the name comes from. Electrolytes are vital for your health as they keep your body hydrated and balanced while aiding in tissue repair and regulating nerve and muscle function. When it comes to skincare, topical electrolytes have the same moisture-quenching benefits. Their electoral charge helps drive water into the skin while simultaneously giving energy to other active ingredients to help deliver them to exactly where they’re needed. The result? Healthier, more hydrated skin. Bingo!
Try applying our new Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum daily. It's chock full of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes to help keep your skin at its optimal best. You could even use a cold jade roller or some ice globes to supercharge the ingredients and further reduce swelling. But you don't have to – it's a wonder serum even without the extra help!
5. Assess Your Lifestyle Habits
Finally, think about some of your lifestyle habits and how they might be contributing to any facial bloating. Alcohol, for starters, can be terribly dehydrated for your skin so keep that in check whenever you can – or try alternating booze with glasses of water. This is a great trick and also makes hangovers much easier to bear!
A high-sodium diet is another reason your body will hang on to extra fluids so cut down on salty snacks and avoid cooking with salt. In fact, try to limit yourself to no more than 2,000 milligrams a day.
Finally, too much stress and very little sleep can be hell on your skin, causing your levels of cortisol (aptly named the stress hormone!) to sky rocket.
And cortisol is a known culprit for triggering puffy, inflamed skin. Say no more...
You May Also Like
View More-
![Good Or Bad? 5 TikTok Skincare Trends – Dissected]()
Are social media skincare hacks harmful or helpful? To follow, our thoughts on five of the latest beauty fads doing the rounds…
Isn’t social media awesome? Well, it is, until it isn’t. You see, the problem with giving everyone a voice and a platform on which to share their skincare routines and DIY beauty hacks is that not ‘everyone’ is an expert. In fact, most people are far from it. Of course, there are plenty of fabulous makeup artists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons and aestheticians you can follow across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok and a lot of them have incredible advice to offer. There’s also a lot to be said for things like Facebook Groups where, if you struggle with chronic skin issues, you can connect, learn and find solace from others with similar concerns.
But then there’s all the other 'stuff' from people who have so much to say… about things they don’t know that much about. And this is the kind of information that can do more harm than good. This is why we’ve sifted through some of the most recent viral skincare fads you might want to be wary of. Instead, read on for the real truth about how best to take care of your skin.
1. Slugging
What Is Slugging?
Skin slugging might sound gross, but it’s become a huge deal on TikTok, with its hashtag currently notching up around 1.5 billion views.
Not to be confused with most people’s least favorite mollusk, slugging involves smearing a thick layer of petroleum jelly all over your skin as the last step in your nightly skincare routine. Do so and you’re guaranteed to wake up with the softest, most moisturized skin ever. So they reckon, anyway.
Is Slugging Good For Your Skin?
This trend started gaining momentum almost two years ago, but it will not go away. Therefore there has to be something in it, right? Well, petroleum jelly is an occlusive ingredient that creates a seal over your skin to help lock in moisture. So, sure, it will definitely stop water from evaporating from the surface of your skin as you sleep, we’ll give you that. However, petroleum jelly has no hydrating qualities. At all. This means it doesn’t really moisturize your skin, it just stops any moisture that’s already present from escaping from the surface of your skin.
Not only that but petroleum jelly creates a barrier over your pores, completely blocking them and causing no end of problems for oily skin types. Namely, breakouts like you will never believe.
Much Better Advice?
Rather than slathering your skin with what is essentially just ‘grease,’ you’re much better off applying night cream to not only lock in moisture but to help hydrate and feed your complexion with skin-loving ingredients like antioxidants, ceramides, peptides and/or vitamins and minerals.
Our Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream is a great bet or why not try the combo of our new Rejuvenating Longevity Serum and Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream?
2. Potatoes For PimplesWhat's It All About?
Dealing with acne can be a real struggle. Especially when you reach adulthood when you were promised your skin would be so much clearer. But it’s not common to be plagued by breakouts as you get older. In fact, research shows that around 25 percent of American women in their 40s suffer from some kind of acne.
It’s no wonder, therefore, that there are so many short-term hacks for dealing with pimples. Back in the day it was toothpaste and nail varnish remover (gasp!). Now it’s slices of raw potatoes. The idea is that you tape a small slice over your spot to make it magically disappear. Some TikTokers have even resorted to rubbing the whole darn thing over their skin.
Are Potatoes Good For Your Skin?
Don’t get us wrong, we love a potato as much as the next person. But on our dinner plates, not taped to our faces. So, why has this acne hack become such a thing? Ha, your guess is as good as ours but the main draw is that potatoes have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which are both known to help reduce redness and unwanted pigmentation.
They also contain exfoliating and oil-reducing properties and feel nice and cool on the skin which is a big deal when you have a big, throbbing red zit on your chin. So maybe, just maybe, they might offer some short-term benefits. But little more than that.
Much Better Advice?
If you’re an acne sufferer, you’ll understand that short-term fixes are all well and good but, in truth, it’s all about the long-term. This is why we prefer to treat and control breakouts with smart skincare that’s been specifically (and safely!) formulated for the job. Products that contain science-led and dermatologically-tested ingredients like salicylic acid, tea tree oil and AHAs are going to offer your skin way better benefits than a bag of your best russets. Sorry, but they just will.
3. Sunscreen Contouring
What Is Sunscreen Contouring?
If we had to choose just one viral beauty trend that gets our blood boiling the most, it would be sunscreen contouring. Stupid at best, downright dangerous at worst, sunscreen contouring is when you apply sunscreen to select areas of your face and body only, in order to intentionally create tan lines for a contoured effect.
Some people have taken to applying a lower SPF to areas of their face they want to tan more, and a higher SPF to those they want to remain pale and ‘highlighted’ but either way, this is bad news.
Is Sunscreen Contouring Good For Your Skin?
Absolutely not. Not even slightly. The sun is responsible for almost 90 percent of skin aging, accelerating the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and dark spots. This means it’s absolutely essential to protect ALL exposed skin to the damaging effects of UV radiation. Because tan skin = damaged skin. End of story. Not only that, but c’mon people, skin cancer.
Much Better Advice?
First, in order to truly protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun, you need to apply SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen every day to all areas of exposed skin. The alternatives are just not worth it. And if you do want to create contours on your face and body such as highlighting your cheekbones, sculpting your nose or defining your abs, stick with a self-tanning lotion or makeup. Easy. And way less damaging.
4. Lemon Juice As Toner
What's It All About?
Pure lemon juice. As toner. Simple as that.
Yes, lemons are astringent, yes they’re packed with vitamin C and yes, vitamin C is awesome for the look, feel and health of your skin. But when life gives you lemons, do not squeeze out their juice and use it to tone or brighten your face.
Is Lemon Juice Good For Your Skin?
Citric acid can be an incredible ingredient in many topical skincare treatments, offering great antioxidant qualities and helping to fight environmental skin damage. However, skincare products are formulated in certain ways and use very specific concentrations of ingredients in order to help benefit your skin without causing irritation. Pure lemon juice, however? The opposite. Applying it in its pure form can seriously irritate your skin, screwing up your barrier function and causing long-term issues with hyperpigmentation and sensitivities. It can even burn your skin if you’re not careful.
Keep yours for the G&Ts and leave lemon skincare cocktailing to the pros, OK?
Much Better Advice?
Get your fix of vitamin C from a facial serum that contains sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) which is a gentle and very effective form. Our Vitamin C Facial Serum is always a big favorite but we also have the mighty Vitamin C Super Serum + which really amps up your glow factor. We like to use it twice a week, alternating between this and the OG.
5. Face Taping
What Is Face Taping?
This cheeky little trick has been used by Hollywood’s finest for decades so sorry, TikTok-ers, but you did not invent this one. Also known as wrinkle taping, the idea behind it is that you strategically place sticky tape on your face, usually overnight, to lift the skin, reduce muscle movement and therefore reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It’s most often used under the eyes, at the edges of the cheeks, over the forehead or across the chest area.
You can also use face tape to provide an immediately lifting effect, keeping it on for an event, for example, whilst camouflaging it with heavy makeup.
Is Face Taping Good For Your Skin?
As an immediate wrinkle-reducer and skin-smoother, face taping is actually pretty effective. But it’s a very short-term fix and takes a lot of clever makeup artistry to cover the tape and make it look natural.
As an overnight solution however? Yeah, we’re not convinced. For one thing, the glue that’s used on the tape can be super irritating for some skin types, especially if it’s used under the eyes where your skin is thin and extremely delicate. And for another, leaving the tape on for long periods of time can clog your pores and encourage breakouts. The phrase, ‘out of the frying pan, into the fire,’ comes to mind.
Much Better Advice?
Two words: effective skincare. Cleansing and exfoliating regularly, treating your skin with daily antioxidants, applying sunscreen daily and using age-defying ingredients like retinol, bakuchiol, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C? So much better than silly old face tape that might be OK for ten minutes but will do no good in the long-term.
Try our new Smoothing Collagen Serum, Firming Collagen Day Lotion and Collagen Boosting Skin Supplement which are great for healthily preventing premature aging.
Good Or Bad? 5 TikTok Skincare Trends – Dissected
read more
