So the issue I am possibly most frequently confronted with has to do with the situation going on under our eyes. It's either darkness or puffiness. Sometimes both! What to do?
My mother-in-law recently asked me to write a blog about this and it made me nervous. It is an age old issue. "How do I get rid of my under eye bags?" It is trickier than dealing with under eye darkness because that is easily remedied with a good highlighter (YSL Touche Eclat, Armani Master Corrector). Bags are a whole different conundrum because the issue is more 3-D than color correction. And solving it often takes more than a swipe of eye cream and a sweep of concealer. The old cool cucumber trick does actually help reduce puffiness from crying/waking up too early/too much salt. But you have to sit there like a diva for minutes. Likewise, there are several patches on the market that you put on under your eyes and let the magic potions on them work their, um, magic. The one that Catherine Keener introduced me to is called Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels. I don't know if its the hydrolyzed elastin, acetyl hexapeptide, or the ginko biloba, but it really does seem to help in the mornings when I have someone sitting in my chair that needs that help. (And if you think I know what any of those ingredients actually do, you are sweet and kind.) The patches, however, are $45 for 6 pairs so you have to really want those bags away sooner than later.
My sister-in-law asked me how I felt Preparation-H works, and I had to say "I dunno!". So that is something I am going to have to road test. Warning: she did mention that she HAD tried the Prep-H Gel and that most certainly did NOT decrease puffiness and only left a film of hemorrhoid cream under her eyes. The Glamour Quotient there is exactly O.O
The one thing I will say is that these treatments only help temporary puffiness. If you watched The Notebook and fell asleep crying or ate dinner at a certain fabulous sushi restaurant in TriBeCa and the next morning couldn't even get your engagement ring on let alone fully open your lids due to sodium intake (that might've been me), these methods will help.
But if you are permanently carrying around a piece of luggage under your eyeballs, then it might be fatty deposits that no cosmetic or skin care item will really solve. It IS solvable, however, and is something you can talk to your dermatologist about.
Now come on. Someone must have some hemorrhoid cream stories!
Interesting blog, Becca!
ReplyDeletexx
Becca, please help! I have just recovered from a 2 week allergic reaction that made my face swell from hives. The heat from the infection dried out my entire face but worst of all, it caused wrinkles all around my right eye where the swelling and infection was the most extreme. Now I have fine wrinkles under one eye and not the other. How can all my years of care be lost in 2 weeks? What can I apply to nurse my skin back? I'm not wealthy.
ReplyDeleteSign my very sad in CA (Friend of your sister Rachael's)
Angie
Angie! You poor thing! I would talk to your dermatologist and make sure that anything you do won't interfere with the treatment of your reaction. However, no hope is lost. It sounds to me like your skin just has to go through its cycle of renewing itself. Its probably very dried out and sensitized. Maybe use a very gentle product like Ponds Cold Cream and a washcloth to carefully moisturize and exfoliate and be patient while your skin recovers. But don't worry, your years of care are not for naught.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info Becca - sorry to hear there are no quick n easy solutions to the eye luggage! All I have to say about Prep H is that it works no miracles on its intended target either!!
ReplyDeleteI have found that my glasses obscure my bags, so maybe I will stop taking them off for pictures:)
Lv,
mom-in-law