No one wants wrinkles and dark circles under their eyes, but it’s a common occurrence as people age. Even younger people experience eye puffiness and swelling due to stress, sleep deprivation, and other causes. While appearance certainly isn’t everything, it can hinder your confidence if you have bags under your eyes.
As you age, the skin beneath the eyes begins to sag, causing fluid retention under the eyes. Certain factors, such as changes in the weather, allergies, and heredity, can weaken skin near the eyes. However, lifestyle choices such as alcohol, drugs, smoking, and diet can also affect the skin’s appearance.
Usually, eye bags don’t signal a serious underlying condition, so you don’t have to worry if you notice them. However, dark circles under the eyes may sometimes indicate an allergic reaction, especially if you experience pain or swelling. It’s essential to see a doctor immediately if you have any severe symptoms like these.
With that said, let’s discuss a few tips to help prevent wrinkles and lines around the eyes from forming.
10 Natural Eye Care Tips to Prevent Wrinkles
1. Manage allergy symptoms that can cause dark circles and puffiness.
As we said above, allergies can cause itchy, puffy eyes, especially in the spring and fall when pollen counts are high. Make sure to take antihistamines, exercise frequently, and drink plenty of water to reduce allergy symptoms. Taking care of your health from the inside out will help keep your allergies under control.
2. Avoid overeating salt.
Eating an abundance of salt can cause fluid retention, even beneath the eyes. Try eating whole, fresh foods without added salt to avoid wrinkles and puffy eyes. Too much sodium can cause other health issues, such as high blood pressure, strokes, and heart disease. It’s best for overall health to eat a maximum of 2,300mg of sodium daily, according to the USDA.
3. Exercise frequently to eliminate wrinkles.
Exercise helps your body eliminate toxins and excess fluids through sweat, which can benefit your eye health. It also helps slow down the signs of aging, which include wrinkles and sagging skin. In addition to physical exercises like cardio and weight training, facial workouts may improve your skin’s appearance.
Studies show that doing “face yoga” for thirty minutes daily can reduce wrinkles and strengthen facial muscles. Some ideas for face exercises include eye-openers, forehead lifters, cheek lifters, and jaw stretches.
4. Eat more collagen in your diet to avoid wrinkles.
If you don’t consume enough collagen, your skin will lose elasticity and strength. This happens naturally due to aging, but you can slow down the process by upping your collagen intake. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, found in the muscles, bones, tendons, and skin. So, if you want firmer, smoother skin, try eating chicken bone broth, meat, eggs, dairy, legumes, and soy. These foods are rich in collagen and provide other essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron.
5. Choose the right concealer to hide wrinkles.
It’s not always easy to find the right shade of concealer that suits your skin. A good rule of thumb is to buy a concealer one or two shades lighter than your natural skin tone. The lighter shade helps highlight your face, creates an even complexion, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. Make sure not to apply too much, as overdoing it can make wrinkles more prominent.
6. Take off your makeup before going to bed.
Keeping your makeup on all night is a recipe for disaster and can cause puffy eyes the following day. Eye makeup can irritate the eyes and cause infections if left on too long. Use a washcloth or face wash to remove your makeup before bed each night. Of course, this won’t help reduce wrinkles, but it’s an essential step for proper hygiene.
7. Limit or avoid alcohol.
Try to drink water instead of alcohol since the latter can dehydrate the skin. Dehydration often creates dark circles beneath the eyes and can also exacerbate wrinkles. Not to mention, drinking too much alcohol can lead to bloodshot eyes, making eye bags even more noticeable. Opt for water instead to increase vitality and give your skin a youthful appearance.
8. Steer clear of cigarettes to reduce wrinkles.
Smoking cigarettes can cause numerous health issues, including premature aging and wrinkles around the eyes. While these are merely aesthetic reasons to avoid smoking, most people would love to hold onto their youth as long as possible. Cigarettes contain myriad harmful ingredients and toxic chemicals that can rapidly accelerate aging. It’s best to quit smoking for your general health, not just for superficial reasons.
9. Apply a cold compress to your eyes to reduce dark circles.
If you suffer from swollen, puffy eyes, try applying a cold compress to your face. Ice or freezing water constricts blood vessels in your face, helping reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin. If you’d like, add a few slices of cucumbers to increase hydration and eliminate dark circles around the eyes. Lying down with a cold compress can also help you unwind after a long work day as a bonus!
10. Be mindful of sun exposure.
If you want to keep wrinkles at bay, limit your time in the sun, especially during summer. When you spend time outdoors, apply sunscreen often and shield your eyes with a pair of quality sunglasses. Also, wear a wide-brimmed hat to add an extra layer of protection against the sun’s powerful rays.
Final Thoughts on Effective Ways to Reduce Wrinkles
Some people have an aversion to aging, likely because of the pressure in modern society to maintain a youthful image. However, nature eventually takes its course, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to retain healthy-looking skin. To reduce wrinkles, adhere to the pillars of health: exercise, get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet, and manage stress. Also, protect yourself while in the sun and avoid alcohol and cigarettes. You can’t stay young forever, but you can do your best to slow the aging process by practicing self-care.
