Are You Tired Today?
Are you tired today?
The question no one wants to hear and how to resolve it
The old adage ‘the windows are the eyes of the soul’ still rings true, and we all want our eyes to sparkle and shine for the world to recognise our inner beauty. Sometimes though, for a number of reasons, we awaken to puffy, dark eyes that can mask our otherwise sunny disposition, prompting people to ask, ‘did you not sleep well?’ or ‘have you been crying?’. Don’t despair, for we shall be exploring the reasons why these events are happening, and what you can do to treat and prevent them.
Eye have some facts for you
To understand why you may be suffering from dark circles or puffiness, it’s important to understand how skin around the eyes (periorbital skin) differs anatomically from the rest of the face:
These pathological differences in the structure means that skin around the eyes is more susceptible to show effects immediately, while the deterioration of integrity means that acute issues can become more prominent as time goes on.
The Puffiness Problem:
Puffiness under the eyes is caused by a build-up of fluid (periorbital oedema) and/or fat deposits that accumulates to create a protrusion. The causes are many; crying (the salt in tears can cause water retention!), allergies (such as pet hair or hayfever), excessive salt intake, and weakened muscles. There are also skin conditions that can contribute, and for these we would recommend consulting with a medical professional.
The dark truth:
Having relatively thin skin, the underlying structures, such as blood vessels and darker tissues, are more visible and this can cause this area to look comparably darker than the rest of the face. Again, there are many reasons for this, including a lack of sleep, ageing, damage from environmental pollution, certain medications and alcohol which dilate blood vessels, conditions such as anaemia, and fatigue. Over production of skin’s pigment, melanin, can also be a factor which is genetic or a product of sun damage.
It’s time to strateg-eyes
As we’ve discovered, there are many causes behind tired looking eyes, and it’s important to employ a strategy that is two-pronged; short term fixes can help with immediate effect to perk up peepers, and strengthening the structure of skin staves off any issues in the long term.
Short-term wins:
Soothing the eye area is of primary importance when looking for a quick fix; cooling the eye area not only feels wonderfully reassuring, but it helps to bring down puffiness by constricting blood vessels to reduce the flow of fluid into the tissues. Easy at-home methods are to run a tea spoon under cold water and hold to the contours of the under eye, or hold a refrigerated, wet tea bag on the area. Under eye masks are a wonderfully efficient method of delivering ingredients which can improve the visibility of darkness and puffiness for instant brightness, and when perusing for the perfect product look for ingredients which directly tackle causes of darkness and fluid retention. 111SKIN has developed the Sub-Zero De-Puffing Eye Mask which contains key ingredients that alleviate these symptoms – Phyco’Derm is a marine complex which works to decrease the intensity of discolouration and restores the contours of the under-eye area, while Eyeserdyl is a tetrapeptide that has anti-oedema properties to help prevent fluid accumulation; inspired by the soothing properties of extreme cold on the skin, these masks serve as cooling agents when popped in the fridge for a couple of hours to bring puffiness down quickly.
Long-term solutions:
As discussed, as the eye area ages or is damaged, its resilience fades away leaving the it perennially tired looking. While we have discussed the short-term ways of improving dark circles and puffiness, there are also ways to protect the eye area from appearing so fatigued. The key is to strengthen this area as much as possible to combat signs of tiredness. There are holistic methods that can be employed, such as ensuring a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep a night, eating foods that are rich in antioxidants, drinking in moderation, avoiding smoking, and speaking to your doctor about any underlying medical issues. Ensure that you seek out skincare formulas that are focused on reinforcing the delicate skin structure so that it is more resistant to the structural changes that contribute to a fatigued look. The 111SKIN Sub-Zero De-Puffing Eye Duo works two-fold to decrease dark circles and puffiness but also contains two key ingredients that work against the loss of collagen to reinforce and strengthen diminishing skin integrity. Improving ATP production for energised, efficient cellular activity, Lipogard reduces the degradation of collagen, while Biopeptide CL stimulates collagen synthesis; the eye area becomes more robust and less likely to exhibit a lethargic look.
