How To Reduce the appearance of Eye Bags

Darlings, I love designer bags, but not under the eyes! Bags under eyes can cause concealer to crease and look crepey and make eyes appear droopy and closed off – they are an accessory that my makeup can do without! Don’t fret, darlings, if you are experiencing bags under your eyes, I’m sharing my secrets on how to reduce the appearance of eye bags with skincare.

Discover what causes eye bags to appear, then learn expert skincare tips that can help your eye area to look smoother, brighter, and revived!

What causes bags under eyes?

Biological factors:

Fluid retention

Bags can appear under the eyes due to pockets of fluid developing around the eyelid. When fluid builds up around the eyes, this can cause swelling and puffiness to occur. Fluid retention can happen naturally and can also be exacerbated by lifestyle factors such as a poor diet that is high in salt, drinking alcohol to excess, and lack of sleep.

Ageing

Developing bags under your eyes is a natural part of ageing. Over time, gravity causes the skin on our face and body to drop, which is associated with sagging around the eyes. With age, our skin also loses its elasticity and can begin to fatigue, making it more prone to drooping and forming under eye bags.

Genetics

Eye bags can be hereditary; some people are biologically predisposed to having bags under their eyes. If you are living a healthy lifestyle, staying hydrated, eating well, and getting plenty of sleep but still experience eye bags, it could be likely that genetic factors are coming into play.

Allergies

Eyes can be extremely sensitive and are easily aggravated by allergies. Allergic reactions can cause the eye area to become puffy and inflamed which can emphasise the appearance of eye bags. During allergy season, you may notice your eye bags appear more prominent and feel tender to the touch.

Lifestyle factors:

Poor sleep

A healthy sleep schedule is the secret to looking bright-eyed and well-rested. Too many late nights and not enough beauty sleep can cause eye bags to appear and can make your eyes look tired and sapped of life. Get plenty of sleep every night to allow your body and mind to recharge.

Sleeping position

Sleeping on your stomach or your side can cause fluid to collect underneath your eyes and lead under eye bags to appear. Sleeping on your back with your head slightly elevated might help prevent fluids gathering under the eyes.

Dehydration

When you become dehydrated, your body has to work harder to store water which in turn can cause water retention under the eyes. Dehydrated skin around the eyes is prone to dehydration lines as well as eye bags that appear puffy and crepey due to a lack of moisture in the skin. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water might help the eye area to look smoother and healthier.

Salty diet

Salt is known to make our bodies retain water, so a diet that is rich in salt can lead to the emergence of eye bags. Common salty foods include cured and processed meats, canned and frozen foods, jarred sauces and salad dressings, and savoury snacks like crisps and pretzels. Changing your diet and lessening your salt consumption might help to reduce the appearance of eye bags.

Can you get rid of eye bags permanently?

No – Eye bags are a natural occurrence and are experienced by the majority of people during their lifetime. It is unlikely you will get rid of eye bags permanently with skincare, however, you can use products like eye serums and eye patches that help to reduce their appearance. To help reduce the appearance of eye bags, follow a supercharged eye care routine with products that specifically target bags under eyes.

Discover my easy eye care routine

Can you reduce the appearance of eye bags with skincare?

Yes – You can use skincare to help reduce the appearance of eye bags over time. Reaching for eye care products that are powered by firming, lifting, and smoothing ingredients like caffeine, hyaluronic acid, and retinol is an effective way to reduce the look of bags under eyes. I recommend hydrating products like my Immediate Eye Revival Patches that are designed to quench thirsty under eyes while smoothing and brightening the look of your eye area.

Discover more skincare ingredient guides

How to reduce the appearance of eye bags: my best skincare products for eye bags

Eye bags before and after

Darlings, the before and after results of my Immediate Eye Revival Patches are amazing - you won’t believe your eyes! In just 30 days of use, bags under eyes appear reduced. Each jar contains 30 pairs of eye patches, and when used consistently, their results are proven to increase significantly. Seeing is believing, darlings! Look how smooth and radiant their under eyes look!

How long does it take to get rid of eye bags?

While eye care can instantly hydrate your eye area, it will take a number of weeks to see visible results for eye bags. With consistent use of eye serums, eye creams, and eye patches, your eye area will look more radiant and eye bags can appear significantly reduced. My Immediate Eye Revival Patches are clinically proven to reduce the appearance of eye bags in 30 days*, and my Cryo-Recovery Eye Serum** and Magic Eye Rescue eye cream*** are clinically proven to help the eye area appear firmer and more lifted in 8 weeks.

Makeup for eye bags

Reducing the appearance of eye bags starts with skincare, but you can also use makeup to help your eyes look brighter and more open. Discover my makeup tips and tricks for bags under eyes:

1. Place nude or white eyeliner in the waterline

Eye bags can make your eyes look more closed, but gliding a brightening shade of eyeliner along the waterline can help eyes to look bigger, brighter, and more open. If you find white eyeliner to be too stark, I suggest reaching for a nude eyeliner to create an illuminating effect that looks more natural. To create this eye-opening eye look, reach for the peachy shade from my Sleep Cheat Liner Duo or the ivory shade from my Exagger-Eyes Liner Duo – both look fabulous in the waterline and have subtle shimmer that helps to brighten the appearance of tired eyes.

Discover how to wear nude and white eyeliner

2. Smoke eyeshadow on the bottom lash line

You can disguise the appearance of eye bags with eyeshadow, darlings! This eye trick involves smoking a darker shade of eyeshadow like a mahogany, taupe, or chestnut brown underneath the bottom lash line to add depth to eye makeup and hide the look of eye bags. Take any of the smoke shades from my Luxury Palettes on my Eye Smudger Brush and blend along the lower lash line; this creates a grungy, smoked-out look that unlocks a smoke and mirrors effect for eye bags.

3. Reach for a hydrating concealer

Bags under eyes can be crepey and dehydrated, so it’s important to choose a concealer that’s infused with hydrating ingredients in order to bring moisture back to the under eyes and help prevent creasing. I recommend Charlotte’s Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer, my hydrating concealer with Golden Vitamin C and niacinamide! This buildable formula acts like an eye cream, improving the appearance of your eye area of time while providing beautiful coverage that smooths and perfects the look of skin around the eyes.

Darlings, if bags under your eyes are making you feel less confident, use these skincare and makeup tips and tricks to help reduce their appearance! All eyes are beautiful, darlings, and they will shine their brightest when your eye area is healthy, happy, and hydrated!

Discover how to reduce dark circles

Discover how to use eye patches

Discover more about Immediate Eye Revival Patches

*Tested on 104 people after 30 days.

**Tested on 32 people.

***30 people tested over 8 weeks using once daily.

ICEAWAKE™ is a trademark by Mibelle Ag Biochemistry

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes. The information, or comments herein, does not amount to, or replace, professional advice and should not be relied upon as or substitute for professional or medical advice from a qualified professional.