How to Massage Tired, Puffy Eyes & Dark Circles in 2 Minutes
Woke up with puffy eyes or dark circles under your eyes? An eye massage can provide relief and make you look and feel better.
When you’re spending too much time in front of a computer and losing sleep, your eyes are often the first to feel it. Eyes are also sensitive to stress and dehydration, and so is the delicate skin under them.
But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with dark circles or puffy eyes. Knowing how to massage your eyes can provide relief whenever you need it.
Benefits of an Eye Massage for Dark Circles, Puffy Eyes, and Eye Bags
There’s currently no scientific cure for eye bags. But lymphatic drainage for eye bags, dark circles, and puffy eyes may help.
A gentle eye massage stimulates lymphatic drainage and can leave the skin under and around your eyes feeling renewed. You can do it at home, at work, or while you’re traveling. Once you learn the main steps, it’s simple and easy to do.
The eye massage we are going to share with you can be effective as a massage for puffy eyes. You can also use it as an eye massage for dark circles or as a massage for eye bags. By improving circulation around the eyes, it’s good for tired eyes too. And it takes only 2 minutes, so why not try it?
How to Massage Your Eyes
If you’re wondering “How to massage my eyes the right way?” the next steps have you covered. Before you begin, wash your hands if possible and dry them.
Tip: You can look in a mirror as you do your first eye massage to make sure you apply pressure to the right areas.
Step 1 – Tap a Circle Gently Around Your Eyes
Use your index and middle fingers to tap a circle around your eyes to improve blood flow to the skin. Do it carefully, applying gentle pressure to the area.
Warning: Avoid dragging your fingers across dark circles or puffy eyes. It may only make symptoms worse.
Moving your fingers gently, massage the skin outwardly from your eyes, along your eyebrows.
With the same care, massage along the top of your cheekbones. Reach the bridge of your nose to complete a circle.
Step 2 – Perform Three Circles
Continue to massage the area around your eyes two more times, for a total of three circles.
Step 3 – Press the Pressure Points Under Your Brow
After completing the last circle, use your middle fingers to firmly press the pressure points at the edge of your eyebrows.
Step 4 – Apple Pressure Near Your Tear Ducts
Next, press firmly above the bridge of your nose. Do it inwardly, toward your nose. Focus on the area right next to your tear ducts.
Step 5 – Massage Your Temples
Finally, give your temples a quick massage using your index and middle fingers.
And with that, you’ve completed your first eye massage. It shouldn’t have taken more than 2 minutes.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Puffy Eyes, Dark Circles, or Eye Bags
If you’re doing your eye massage at home, you can follow it with scientifically backed natural home remedies for dark circles, eye bags, or puffy eyes. Here are some remedies you can try.
Apply a Ground Coffee Mixture for Eye Bags
After a massage for eye bags or puffy eyes, apply a ground coffee mixture to tap into the benefits of caffeine for eye skin health.
Caffeine can reduce swelling and improve skin tone. It does this by constricting the tiny blood vessels that supply the delicate skin under your eyes with oxygen and other nutrients. It also has antioxidants, which can have an anti-aging effect.
What You Need: For the mixture, you’ll need half a teaspoon of ground coffee beans (fresh, unused), and half a teaspoon of coconut oil as a carrier. You can also add a pinch of ground black pepper to stimulate circulation.
How to Do It:
- Blend the mixture in the palm of your hand using your finger.
- If needed, add a few drops of water.
- Apply the mixture under each eye, careful not to get it into the eye.
- Leave it on for 10 minutes while you relax and then gently wipe it away with a soft cloth.
Use Cucumber Slices
After a puffy eyes massage, apply cooled cucumber slices to your eyes to renew the skin around them. Cucumbers contain tannins and flavonoids, both of which can help improve the appearance of the skin by tightening it. They can also help neutralize free radicals that can damage the skin.
What You Need: Ideally, you want to use an organic cucumber. Cut it into thin slices and keep them in a plastic bag in the freezer so you can use them whenever you need to.
How to Do It:
- Lie down comfortably on a couch or pillow and apply a cucumber slice cold from the fridge over each eye.
- Relax for 10 minutes. You can use this opportunity to meditate or practice breathing exercises.
Use Tea Bags
Green or black tea bags have caffeine and antioxidants and can help with dark circles. Apply them after a dark circles massage. You can also use chamomile or rooibos tea.
We’ve written a whole guide on how to use herbal tea bags for eye health. Refer to it for more tips.
Things to Keep in Mind
In between eye massages, here are a few things you may want to do to avoid or minimize dark circles, puffy eyes, and tired eyes in general.
- Cut back on your salt intake. Stay within the daily recommended dose. Research indicates that too much salt in your diet can cause dark circles and eye bags.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. As your body becomes dehydrated, it may store water in the skin around your eyes. Dehydration also has adverse effects on the skin.
- Give your eyes a rest. If you work at a computer or use a phone a lot, the constant eye strain may tire your eyes and affect your sleep. Try to take a break from screens every 20 minutes. Check out too these tips to reduce computer eye strain.
- Get a supplement for eye health. Nutritional deficiencies may contribute to tired eyes and skin problems. Make sure you get enough essential vitamins every day.
Follow these tips and give your eyes an eye massage at least now and then, and managing dark circles, puffy eyes, or eye bags will become easier.
Your eyes will thank you for it by feeling less tired and seeing the beautiful world around you every day.
