Reduce dark circles and bags

By Erin Whitty

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Eye booster beauty tips for any time

Steep green or chamomile tea bags in warm water. Wring them out, lie on your back and place them over your eyesfor 10 minutes. The soothing herbal qualities will calm the skin and reduce puffiness.
Vitamin C is a diuretic and can help remove excess water from your body as well as aid collagen formation. If using as a supplement, check the bottle or ask your pharmacist for the correct dosage.
Apply a pink-based, under-eye concealer on the underside of the bag to hide shadow. Do not put any lightening concealer on top as it will only make the bag appear fuller.

Photography: Steven Chee Styling: Nadene Duncan

Step-by-step to brighter eyes

How to...

Nightly

Remember to remove your make-up religiously before bed as it can irritate your eyes and potentially cause eye infections. Cleanse with a specially formulated, gentle eye make-up remover, using a cotton disc or tip. Be generous with the amount of fl uid you use and saturate the pad. Friction can also lead to irritation, so it�s best to dab around the eye and let the fl uid absorb the product rather than try to rub it away. If you wear contact lenses, it�s important to remove these, too, as they will also dry out your eyes and irritate them.

Twice daily

Use a treatment gel or cream to tackle puffiness. Many puff-reducing potions come with extra benefits such as tightening and hydrating the skin and erasing dark circles. Our multi-tasking favourites are SK-II Eye Treatment Film, Clinique All About Eyes Rich, Avon Anew Clinical Eye Lift, is also great and comes in a dissected tub with an upper-eye gel that helps strengthen and prevent drooping, and an under-eye cream that works on puffiness and dark circles.

Weekly

Applying a weekly mask will extend your good work even further. These products use slow-release ingredients that actually penetrate the skin�s deeper layers and provide lasting effects. Our favourite is Est�e Lauder Stress Relief Eye Mask which actually gives you the illusion of having had an extra three hours of sleep. Cloth masks such as this are practically foolproof. Simply remove two from the packet and place one under each eye (refer to the instructions on the pack to make sure you position them the right way round. They are quick, fuss-free and eliminate mess as well as the risk of getting any product in your eye. While you wait for the mask to work its magic, take the opportunity to draw some deep breaths and relax. The simple act of winding down will benefit your general health and wellbeing, as well as having a positive effect on your skin�s condition.