Puffy lower eyelid or eye bag is a common sight associated with allergies, poor sleep, and sleep hygiene, increased salt intake, and aging. These facial features are the result of the sagging of skin and weakness of eye muscles and either fat or fluid accumulation in the under-eye area. This puffiness or swelling of the lower eyelids can be a huge cosmetic flaw and need immediate intervention.
We understand the negative impact of puffy eyelids on facial aesthetics, which is why we have done extensive research to shortlist the five best products to significantly reduce puffiness and rejuvenate your face.
Read our in-depth article on what puffy lower eyelids are; their causes, prevention and surgical treatment here. Image appropriated from Reivitis, A., Karimi, K., Griffiths, C., & Banayan, A. (2018). (13)
1. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel
- Most users say their eye area appeared smoother/less puffy
- Makes the under-eye areas soft and supple
- Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
Cons
- Some users complain about the package
- Might not work for some skin types
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel is a multidimensional eye corrector that targets fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, and puffy eyelids and reverses any other signs of aging. The Dew it Right Eye gel is a vegan, cruelty-free, fragrance-free, oil-free, and suitable for all skin types product that does wonders on your skin resulting in smooth and dewy skin.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel is a smooth blend of caffeine, sodium hyaluronate, citric acid, and panthenol, and it guarantees visibly younger and healthier skin within 21 days of use.
Citric acid, a type of alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) is a common ingredient in the cosmetic industry and has several beneficial effects in the form of barrier stabilizing and moisturizing effects (1). This allows for proper hydration of the skin but does not add to the water retention causing the puffiness of the lids.
The lower eyelid puffiness is mostly due to water retention which is significantly reduced and improved by another important ingredient in this product, caffeine. Caffeine improves microcirculation of the skin while also constricting blood vessels, hence improving the appearance of the skin and reducing water retention and eventually puffiness (2).
PAnthenol is another important ingredient of the product that not only moisturizes the skin but also improves skin barrier function, hence improving the puffiness by reducing water retention mechanisms (3).
Basically, all products work together and blend into a smooth, lightweight gel that will give your skin dewy, refreshed, and youthful skin.
2. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate
- Doesn’t feel heavy or greasy
- Smooths and soothes your complexion
- Non-comedogenic
Cons
- Contains essential oils
- Scented
- Effective, but can be expensive
The Kiehl’s 1851 Midnight Recovery Concentrate is a smooth elixir that is an amalgamation of essential oils that work during the night with the skin’s own nocturnal repair system guaranteeing smoother, healthier, and refreshed skin by the next morning.
The anti-aging, nighttime serum is a luxurious blend of squalene, evening primrose oil, and lavender essential oils. It is also cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalates-free, and comes in beautiful yet recyclable packaging. It is good for you and for the environment.
Squalene, a naturally occurring component of the skin’s polyunsaturated lipids, has strong antioxidant and hydrating properties that remove retained water in the lower eyelids while moisturizing the dehydrated and delicate under-eye skin (4)
Evening primrose oil, a gamma-linolenic acid-containing vegetable oil, is another important and vital ingredient of this product that targets the redness and sagginess of the skin along with any roughness or fatigue resistance that may be present (5).
The lavender oil is the key ingredient of this product and it is widely used for its wound healing and collagen enhancing properties, which result in firm and replenished skin (6). Lavender oil doesn’t allow any sagging of skin or water retention to build up, hence also remarkably reducing puffiness along with other signs of aging.
All in all, Kiehl’s 1851 Midnight Recovery Concentrate is an amazing product that smoothens, calms and relaxes, and depuffs your skin significantly giving it that radiant glow that it deserves.
3. La Mer’s The Eye Concentrate
- Loaded with healthy skin ingredients
- Samples are often available
Cons
- Very expensive
- The jar packaging invites bacteria and the accelerated breakdown of active ingredients
La Mer’s The Eye Concentrate is a lightweight eye cream that predominantly performs the function of hydrating the skin and removing any wrinkles, lines, puffiness, or roughness from the under-eye region. The Eye Concentrate is a luxurious blend of caffeine, niacin, and algae extract, specially designed to give the skin a look of health and vitality.
Caffeine is a vital ingredient that hydrates and brightens the skin by improving the microcirculation but constricting blood vessels in general, since constriction of blood vessels helps reduce water retention and improve facial aesthetics significantly (2). Caffeine also protects the skin from oxidative stress and photodamage, which can also negatively impact the appearance of the skin (7).
Niacin, or vitamin B3, helps improve the surface structure of the skin and improves the skin barrier function, allowing for proper moisturization of the skin layers and reduced transepidermal water loss, which can dehydrate the skin significantly (8).
Niacin and caffeine hydrate and brighten the skin while also tightening, and hence, depuffing the under-eye region remarkably, giving the eyes a revived and spry appearance.
4. BioDerma Sensibio Gel Eye Contour
- Inexpensive
- Has a refreshing, tightening effect
- Reduces inflammations and irritations
Cons
- Some users say it does not work for puffiness or dark circles
- Might not work for some skin types
The BioDerma Sensibio Gel Eye Contour is a soothing eye gel formulated especially for those with sensitive skin and puffy eyelids. The eye gel claims to visibly reduce puffiness and wrinkles without causing any allergies or adverse reactions.
The BioDerma Sensibio Gel Eye Contour is a beautiful blend of caffeine, sodium hyaluronate, and Laminaria Ochroleuca extract, all of which significantly reduce skin inflammation and tighten the skin while also moisturizing and hydrating the skin.
Caffeine is a very important ingredient in eye creams that target the puffiness of the lower eyelids as it has the ability to constrict vessels and tighten the skin (2). Sodium hyaluronate, or the salt of hyaluronic acid, is another widely used ingredient that increases the collagen synthesis in the skin which eventually results in tighter and less puffy skin (9).
The Laminaria ochroleuca extract has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which help to revive and rejuvenate the skin and reduce any hyperpigmentation that may be present (10). Due to its benefits, the Laminaria ochroleuca extract is often used as a pharmacological agent for the treatment of certain dermatological conditions.
Together, all these ingredients work well together to give your eyes the mesmerizingly refreshed look that they need.
5. ISDIN K-Ox Under-Eye Brightening Cream
- Relaxes the appearance of crow’s feet almost immediately
- Brightening and nourishing effects
- Relieves the look of under-eye puffiness
Cons
- Expensive
ISDIN K-Ox Under-Eye Brightening Cream is a luxurious, award-winning recharger that guarantees to reduce crow’s feet wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness around the eye significantly. The Eye cream is slightly on the pricier side of the spectrum but it is a one-bottle solution to all your skin problems like wrinkles, dark spots and circles, and puffiness, all of which can seriously age your skin.
ISDIN K-Ox Under-Eye Brightening Cream is a wonderful blend of Vitamin K oxide, Haloxyl, Eyeliss, and hyaluronic acid Extract. This product has all the basic ingredients that are necessary for the reversal of any signs of aging and skin damage. (11) (12)
Overall, all the ingredients merge into one smooth blend that not only tightens and heals the damaged skin but also prevents further damage using the combination of yeast extract and vitamins.
Citations:
- Green, Barbara A et al. “Clinical and cosmeceutical uses of hydroxyacids.” Clinics in dermatology vol. 27,5 (2009): 495-501. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2009.06.023
- Herman, A, and A P Herman. “Caffeine’s mechanisms of action and its cosmetic use.” Skin pharmacology and physiology vol. 26,1 (2013): 8-14. doi:10.1159/000343174
- Stettler, Hans et al. “A new topical panthenol-containing emollient: Results from two randomized controlled studies assessing its skin moisturization and barrier restoration potential, and the effect on skin microflora.” The Journal of dermatological treatment vol. 28,2 (2017): 173-180. doi:10.1080/09546634.2016.1214235
- Huang, Zih-Rou et al. “Biological and pharmacological activities of squalene and related compounds: potential uses in cosmetic dermatology.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 14,1 540-54. 23 Jan. 2009, doi:10.3390/molecules14010540
- Muggli, R. “Systemic evening primrose oil improves the biophysical skin parameters of healthy adults.” International journal of cosmetic science vol. 27,4 (2005): 243-9. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2494.2005.00274.x
- Mori, Hiroko-Miyuki et al. “Wound healing potential of lavender oil by acceleration of granulation and wound contraction through induction of TGF-β in a rat model.” BMC complementary and alternative medicine vol. 16 144. 26 May. 2016, doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1128-7
- Li, Yi-Fang et al. “Caffeine Protects Skin from Oxidative Stress-Induced Senescence through the Activation of Autophagy.” Theranostics vol. 8,20 5713-5730. 10 Nov. 2018, doi:10.7150/thno.28778
- Gehring, W. “Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin.” Journal of cosmetic dermatology vol. 3,2 (2004): 88-93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Keen, Mohammad Abid. “Hyaluronic Acid in Dermatology.” Skinmed vol. 15,6 441-448. 1 Dec. 2017
- Abdala Díaz, Roberto T et al. “Immunomodulatory and Antioxidant Activities of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Laminaria ochroleuca, Porphyra umbilicalis, and Gelidium corneum.” Marine biotechnology (New York, N.Y.) vol. 21,4 (2019): 577-587. doi:10.1007/s10126-019-09905-x
- Namkoong, Jin et al. “Assessment of Human Skin Gene Expression by Different Blends of Plant Extracts with Implications to Periorbital Skin Aging.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 19,11 3349. 26 Oct. 2018, doi:10.3390/ijms19113349
- Gaspar, L R et al. “Evaluation of dermatological effects of cosmetic formulations containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract and vitamins.” Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association vol. 46,11 (2008): 3493-500. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2008.08.028
- Seidel, R., & Moy, R. L. (2015). Reduced appearance of under-eye bags with twice-daily application of epidermal growth factor (EGF) serum: a pilot study. Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD, 14(4), 405–410.
