Last minute eye lifts for tired eyes

So you had a dreadful night sleep and you have an occasion the next day where you want to look good. Actually make that NEED to look good. Let’s say you have a first date, a job interview or god forbid a photo shoot for your next RSVP profile or LinkedIn profile. All things that happened to me. What’s a girl to do? (or you could be a guy but I think women worry about this more than men do).

Well here are my top 11 home remedies you can try.

1. Pull out the big guns and use some good old fashioned hemorrhoid cream. Models and actors have known this secret for years. The stuff tightens puffy eyes and gets rid of wrinkles pronto.
2. Aloe Vera – for improve blood circulation and to flush out liquid from around the eyes. Just be careful not to get it into your eyes. Some people are lucky enough to have these growing in the garden. Just break the end of one off and use the gooey magic.
3. Strawberries – Not just for desert. The alpha hydroxy acid present in strawberries can help make skin look smooth and young. It also helps reduce under-eye puffiness and swelling. Simply chill and slice and find ten minutes of bliss.
4.  No longer just for sore throats, hot water and salt also works as a simple remedy to help reduce swelling and puffiness under your eyes. The salt water helps to get rid of fluid around the eyes in a way similar to osmosis.
   1. Mix ½ teaspoon of salt in a bowl containing a quart (4 cups) of water. Make sure the water is not too hot.
   2. Soak cotton balls or wool eye pads in this warm saline water and place them over your eyelids for a few minutes.
   3. Repeat the process for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Cold water and ice works wonders to shrink things. So it’s no wonder it also constricts blood vessels in the eyes as well. Simply put an ice cube in a face wash and dab under the eyes as needed. For those game enough a swim in a freezing cold pool has a similar effect. Arrange your meeting soon after the swim and as long as it doesn’t go on for too long you’ll fool them into thinking you had a great night slumber.
6. Water – it doesn’t even have to be cold when you drink it. Stay well hydrated and you will be less likely to suffer water retention under the eyes and you’ll have the added bonus of flushing out toxins as well. Particularly if the sleepless night went hand in hand with too much alcohol.
7. Cold spoons – in the same way ice cubes work, you can freeze a handful of spoons and use each one till they heat up and then repeat till you have used them all up.
8. Potatoes – starch in potatoes has anti inflammatory properties and is also helpful for fading dark circles. I usually slice them however if you really want to get fancy, grate them and put in a cloth and let the juices infuse under your eyes.
9. Whipped egg whites and witch hazel mask – you may be too tired to cook but you can always find the time to make this home made concoction – Beat two egg whites until stiff and put a few drops of witch hazel (a natural skin tightening astringent) and paint under the eyes and leave for 15 minutes.
10. Chilled cucumbers –  The enzymes and the astringent properties in cucumbers help reduce inflammation and help tighten the skin. This remedy will also help get rid of wrinkles and dark circles around your eyes. Slice up a cucumber and put in fridge and repeat several times a day.
11. Tea bags – Be it green tea bags or black tea bags, both can help soothe puffy and irritated eyes. They contain anti-irritant properties that help reduce swelling around your eyes. They can also relieve redness and inflammation. Simply dunk the tea bags in hot water and then refrigerate for half hour and then lay down with them for ten to fifteen minutes before applying your makeup.