Dark circles and under-eye bags can be hereditary, but wrinkles and crow’s feet will affect all of us in time due to age. Once age has taken its toll, you may think only expensive Botox treatments and eye creams will make any difference. However, all hope is not lost. You can make simple lifestyle changes and use home remedies to stop these facial changes from progressing too quickly. The following 10 tips will help you to avoid, postpone and treat cosmetic issues around your eyes.
Diet
A healthy diet is vital for keeping your skin at its best. Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and consuming nutrient-rich food should is the first step in keeping your skin looking young and healthy. A balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables will give you the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals your skin needs to shine. Nutritionists also recommend a high-protein diet as well, as proteins are good for strengthening the collagen and elastin in your skin. However, the most important dietary change you can make for skin health is lowering your sugar intake. Refined sugar attacks collagen and targets skin cells. Dark chocolate is a healthier alternative to donuts, candy, and sugary sodas. Avocados are also great for your skin, so try adding one or two per week to your diet for best results.
Lifestyle
Your lifestyle choices affect your skin health more than you might think. Smoking or overusing alcohol can be terrible for your skin and can darken eye bags quickly. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption to one or two drinks per day to keep your skin in its best shape. You can find free resources to help you make these changes at smokefree.gov and the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service.
Sleep
Getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night will keep you looking and feeling your best. If you have trouble falling asleep, try deep breathing exercises to relax your body and mind. For those with dark circles or eye bags, elevate your head a little extra when you sleep. Doing so will allow fluids that would otherwise accumulate around your eyes to drain better. Or use the classic treatment of cucumber slices over your eyes during naps for reduced swelling and skin hydration.
Exfoliation
You can buy an exfoliating facial scrub at the store or you can simply make your own exfoliator, but regular exfoliation will work wonders for your skin — around the eyes and elsewhere on your face. Use a gentle exfoliator regularly, or a stronger one no more than once or twice per week for beautiful and radiant skin. Or choose a loofah when you don’t have time to do a full exfoliation. Using a loofah on your face will help brighten the outer layer of skin and remove dead skin cells, leaving your skin smooth and healthy. Because the skin around your eyes is sensitive, use gentle exfoliation on this part of your face to stimulate blood flow and gently buff your skin without damaging it.
Hydration
No, we’re not talking about drinking water here, though everyone should drink seven to eight glasses of water per day. Your skin can also be hydrated using moisturizers and compresses. After exfoliating, use a light moisturizer, preferably one that uses hyaluronic acid. Some moisturizers can be too heavy or oily, and these can actually damage the skin’s appearance when overused. To make a compress, just moisten a washcloth with cool water and, using gentle pressure, apply it to your face once or twice per day.
Sunscreen
Sunlight can actually be good for your skin in small doses because of the Vitamin D benefits, but even with limited exposure, experts recommend you protect your skin with sunscreen. Sunscreens do not prevent tanning but help you get a better tan without all the health risks and skin damage of UV exposure. Use a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 or higher on cloudy or normal days, and crank it up to 30 SPF or more when the sun shines brightly. And yes — you should be protecting your face and the skin around your eyes with a sunscreen suited for facial use.
Allergies
Dark circles and under-eye bags are sometimes attributed to allergic reactions. If you think this might be the case for you, try some over-the-counter allergy medications, eat honey from local bees or drink nettle tea. These remedies soothe allergies and can improve cosmetic side effects related to them.
Egg Whites
For crow’s feet, remove the yolk from one egg, beat the white and apply directly to the skin on the sides of your eyes. Let dry for 10-15 minutes, and then wash off with warm water. For wrinkles or just to tighten and freshen skin, try doubling up the recipe and beating two egg whites, applying to the whole face, letting dry for 15-20 minutes, and then washing your face with warm water. Egg whites are great for tightening skin and hiding wrinkles but don’t overdo it. Use this treatment no more than once or twice per week to avoid drying out your skin.
Eye Creams
Choose an eye cream that is high in antioxidants, like vitamin C. The antioxidants will work to brighten your skin and strengthen collagen.The best, most effective wrinkle creams also have retinol, alpha hydroxy acids, and copper peptides. Eye creams can be expensive, so choose wisely and do your research. If the eye cream you choose doesn’t do the trick for pesky wrinkles, consult a dermatologist for something a little stronger.
Now you are prepared to take action and prolong the youth of your skin. With these ten tips in hand, you can fight crow’s feet, undereye bags and dark circles around your eyes, and keep your skin happy and healthy — even if a few wrinkles do eventually sneak in.
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[Source: The Guardian, Health, Mayo Clinic, NLDA, Prevention, Prevention]
