As far as celebrity secrets go, I'm sure many of you have heard the recommendation of using Vaseline under eyes to help ward off wrinkles. I think there's value in keeping the eye area lubricated. If you think about it, that part of our face moves more than any other. All of that movement is bound impact the surrounding skin if we don't take precautions. After reading of the amazing skin benefits of using coconut oil, I think that could serve as a viable alternative to petroleum jelly.
Now, let's talk about puffiness. I'm of the belief that other concerns could be related to under eye bags. Obviously lack of sleep is a huge factor. Whenever I'm sleep deprived, I feel it most around my eyes. They feel strained, like they're stressed out. Aside from little sleep, I've actaully experienced greater under eye concerns when my diet is off. Eating wheat gave me huge eye bags. I'm sure all the inflammation in my body had something to do with it. Once I move towards more of a plant based diet, things shifted. The first tip in minimizing under eye puffiness is to do whatever you can to promote an alkaline pH and manage inflammation. This means minimizing sugar, fried foods, stress, wheat etc. You can further counteract inflammation by drinking lemon water, eating greens, drinking smoothies and lots of water.
Now let's get to the nitty gritty. I have a couple of techniques to address current under eye circles, puffiness and even wrinkles.
Technique #1: Lymphatic Massage
Lymphatic massage saved my life whenever I woke up with puffy morning face. My favorite is Tanaka Massage. There's a part in the video where we do lymphatic massage on the eye. This helps to drain any fluid that collects under the eye. The whole experience helps move toxins away from the face where it can eventually be eliminated. Try this technique as your regular morning routine. Trust me, you will notice a difference.
Technique #2: Pinching Massage
This technique is a little more aggressive than Tanaka Massage. Here's the thing, all of your life you've been told to be gentle around the eye to avoid causing wrinkles. I'm of a different belief. There are those who have noticed that rigorous massage round the eye actually can help promote healthy blood flow to that area (which can help eliminate dark circles). Not only does the blood flow improve, but this "pinching massage" is said to also have the ability to actually thicken the skin around the eye by promoting the formation of new collagen. The result? Fewer wrinkles, and more youthful looking eyes.
I am an avid user of the pinching massage technique. Unfortunately, I don't have any video demonstration so I'll try my best to explain. Basically, I take my thumb and middle finger (or thumb and pointer) and pinch around my eyes. I take a little skin and roll it between my finger tips(NOT USING MY NAILS). I also do it on my eyelid to promote thicker skin. I pay special attention to the corner of my eyes to avoid crows feet when I smile. When I first began this practice, I was gentle around the under eye and, as time passed, I was able to increase the amount of pressure. Don't go crazy until your skin gets used to it. You do not want to cause any bruising to the skin.
This method counteracts traditional advice out there telling you to use only your pinky finger to gently pat that area. I'm of the belief that everything atrophies unless it receives the right amount of blood flow and stimulation. Stimulation promotes life! This eye pinching technique works extremely well for me. But alas, if I'm not consistent, things start to go back to the way they were.
I'm drafting a post on stimulationg the entire facial area as part of a daily beauty routine. Make sure you don't miss it!
