How To De-Puff Your Face

Waking up to a puffy face isn’t exactly the most pleasant way to start your day. The culprit behind the puff could be anything: water retention, lack of sleep, high salt intake (you might want to think twice before indulging in fried food and margaritas the night before), allergies, hormones, and even the weather. What a laundry list, right? 

Don’t worry, the de-puff laundry list is just as long, and getting that unwanted bloat out the exit—or making sure it doesn’t happen in the first place—is easier than you think. With the holidays just around the corner, we can expect some drinking and eating, and a whole lot of late nights. Basically, welcome to Puff Season. To help make your mornings a little better, we’re happy to share a few preventative measures and quick fixes you can try out for yourself.

Avoid Stress

Easier said than done, right? When you’re feeling anxious, your adrenal glands produce more cortisol than usual, which can cause a variety of physical symptoms, one of which is swelling. The only real solution to this predicament is to take time out and relax. If you can, step away from what’s bothering you and engage in activities that make you feel better. It’ll do wonders for your mood. 

Review Your Diet

Your overall diet can help you reduce water retention. Snacking on fruits and vegetables, which are high in vitamins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants, can actually help reduce bloating in both your face and midsection. Their high water content will also keep you well-hydrated. Choose whole grains over their refined counterparts, and try fermented food and beverages such as kimchi and kombucha.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water can help reduce dehydration, water retention, stomach bloating, and facial puffiness. Keep your water bottles close by and drink as often as you can—don’t forget to refill them several times throughout the day. 

Try De-Puffing Facial Massages

With or without a jade roller or gua sha, facial massages do just the right amount of magic. Most methods address swelling by hitting pressure points such as the ears and massaging under the cheeks and jaw. These massages are quick and easy to learn, and will take you less than 10 minutes to accomplish. Check out some video guides below:

Exercise Daily

You don’t have to go all-out to reap the anti-bloating benefits of working out. Daily exercise is critical in keeping the lymphatic system functioning. Walking, running, swimming, biking, and yoga are just some examples of exercises you can do to keep the lymph flowing. 

Pick De-Puffing Skincare Ingredients

Your heroes in this scenario will be caffeine, green tea extract, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins C and E, as these help constrict blood vessels. If you apply your eye cream using an applicator with a metal roller ball at the end, cooling it will improve circulation and reduce puffiness around the eye area. 

Sleep Better

Elevate your head by using two pillows instead of one. This way, less fluid will be circulating in your face, making it less likely to be puffy in the morning. Skip the salt and the alcohol too close to bedtime, and aim to get the recommended 7 to 8 hours. 

Try Some De-Puffing Makeup Techniques

While you can’t edit the puff, you can draw attention away from it by using makeup to highlight your other features. Applying a luminizing product such as drops or highlighter to the high points of your face—center of the forehead, underneath the brow bone, cheekbones, middle of the nose bridge, upper lip, center of the chin—can help these features stand out. You can also turn to your trusty contour stick or powder to chisel out your face, taking care to draw above where the natural shadow is for a slimming effect.