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It's anything but fun to wake up, look in the mirror and spot bags under your eyes that you could carry on a plane. Most women think that the most they can do for puffy eyes is to get more sleep, but the careful use of some important essential oils can actually lead to dramatic improvement in puffiness in the under-eye area. If you have trouble seeing over those duffel bags and you know that more sleep is not in your immediate future, try a simple essential oil treatment to reduce the swelling.
Causes of Puffy Eyes
While puffy eyes are usually a symptom of mild inflammation in the eye area and may be attributed in many cases to lack of sleep or a stressful experience in the eye area like prolonged crying, there are some conditions that are more serious. If your puffy eyes are just that -- puffy -- then trying an essential oil treatment should be fine. However, if they are inflamed, painful or tender or accompanied by blurry vision, you need to see a doctor immediately and you should not try to treat your puffy eye issue with essential oils or any other remedy.
Why Essential Oils Work
Essential oils are distilled from various parts of plants to create a concentrated substance that is, in reality, easily absorbed by the skin and not particularly oily at all. Certain essential oils are effective at relieving puffy eyes because the concentrated plant has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the skin and reduce the swelling. Remember, an essential oil is a highly concentrated substance, so do not use more than recommended in any essential oil recipe or remedy.
Lavender and Lemon Eye Bath
Combine a teaspoon of boiled water that has been allowed to cool with a drop each of lavender essential oil and lemon essential oil. Note that lemon essential oil is not the same thing as lemon juice. Use a cotton ball to bathe the puffy area around the eye. If you have time, allow the remedy to soak into your skin. If not, then cleanse the area with cool water before continuing with your beauty routine. Rose water can be substituted for lavender if you wish.
Safety Tips
Before you apply this essential oil remedy for puffy eyes to your eye area, skin-test the solution. Apply a small amount of the remedy to the inside of your wrist or elbow, then wait 20 minutes. Monitor the area for swelling, redness, itching and pain. If you do not experience any of these symptoms, then you can use the solution on your eyes. Do not rub puffy eyes and keep the lavender bath out of your actual eye. This is a topical remedy and should not be introduced into the eye itself.
