Hands up if you’ve experienced this: You’ve slept for eight hours – exactly what any health professional would recommend generally – and wake up feeling well-rested and energetic. Then you get to the office and the first thing your colleague says to you: “Slept late?”
Depressing, we know.
Looking fatigued even when you’re not is a common problem many people face. The reason why you appear tired is probably because of a few reasons:
- Poor blood circulation: Have you been spending long hours staring at the computer? This might have strained your eyes resulting in poor blood circulation.
- Ageing: Glycation happens with age, and it can cause skin to darken. Glycation happens when glucose in our body bind with protein, producing brown-coloured substances. Because the skin around our eyes is very thin, the effects of glycation potentially appear more obvious there.
- Pigmentation: UV damage can produce excessive melanin and make our eyes dull and lifeless. Over-rubbing of your eyes can also lead to the appearance of dark pigments around your eyes.
But there are ways to give your peepers more care so they look brighter and more awake. Here are five tips that would help:
1. Abstain from electronic devices before bedtime
If you constantly feel like you haven’t had enough rest even when you have slept for more than seven hours, it could be because they aren’t made up of quality sleep.
Are you guilty of using your mobile phone or computer before going to sleep? Perhaps it’s time to stop doing so. Light exposure stimulates the part of our brain that makes our body “active” even when we’re asleep, and the effect light has on our body last for a while even when we have already fallen asleep.
To enjoy deeper, uninterrupted sleep, avoid using light-emitting devices before you sleep, turn down the light earlier. Also make sure you keep all electronic devices out of your bedroom while you’re in slumber, because even low light from these devices can affect your rest.
Adopt these good sleeping habits and you’ll find that you look more rested as you enjoy deeper sleep!
2. Place used tea bags on top of your eyes
The next time you’re done with tea, don’t throw out the tea bags just yet. Put them in the refrigerator until they are cooled, and then place them on top of your eyes like a mask. Tea contains antioxidants and anti-irritation properties so it can soothe your eyes and ease puffiness.
3. Cut down on sodium-rich food
Consuming sodium-laden foods such as cured meats and instant noodles can cause water retention in your body. Besides it causing you to gain temporary water weight, your eyes will also store the excess fluids around the eyes – this is what you see as eye bags or puffiness around your eye contours.
If you think the puffiness around your eyes may be due to a sodium-rich diet, besides cutting down on them, counteract its effects by loading up on foods that are rich in potassium (such as bananas, celery and avocados), and also drink more water to hydrate your body adequately.
4. Brighten up your eyes with makeup
If you don’t already have a white eyeliner in your makeup stash, it’s time to add it to your arsenal. Applying the white eyeliner to your lower water line can help brighten up your eyes so you look more alert and energetic. However, this is a short-term solution that doesn’t solve the problem at its roots.
5. Invest in an eye product that works
If you’ve already tried some of the above-mentioned tips, or find DIY solutions too troublesome, you may want something that solves the problem at its roots. Our advice? Opt for a skincare treatment that targets at the factors – poor blood circulation, pigmentation, glycation – that cause tired-looking eyes.
Our skin regenerates and repairs itself when we sleep, so we recommend getting an overnight treatment for your eyes to pamper and treat the area thoroughly. Try the ORBIS Hot Eye Refre Pack, which takes on three approaches to deal with under eye dullness.
1. Improve blood circulation by enhancing the production of uric acid with Akebia Stem Extract
2. Lighten pigmentation with Saxifraga Extract that works to control melanin production
3. Fight glycation with antioxidant-rich Roobois Extract
This oil-free gel-type eye serum also contains a warming agent, Vanillyl Butyl Ether, which delivers a pleasant warming sensation when applied to help relax your eyes further.
Use this every night and you’ll find your eye contours appearing brighter and looking less tired over time. We’re sure you’ll be glad to hear less comments about your sleep habits once your complexion improves!
The ORBIS Hot Eye Refre Pack retails at SGD33 from 23 September 2016, at all ORBIS stores and counters.
This article is brought to you by ORBIS.
