Puffy eyes can make you look terrible - especially in the morning when you ought to look younger and fresher than when you went to bed.  Even if your puffy eyes aren't quite as bad as Rocky's - it's really not a look you want.

There can be a range of causes - the most common is toxic build up from poor lymphatic drainage and sluggish circulation. Others can include eye irritation and over-heated rooms.

Whatever the cause - you want them gone.  Here's our evening and morning routine to help prevent and get rid of puffy eyes:

Night Time Top Five Tips

1. Aid lymphatic drainage by raising your head higher than your body when you sleep - use a thicker pillow or two pillows if necessary.
2. Boost your oxygen intake - sleep with the window open.  Breathing in stale air (yours or anyone elses!) is bound to make your puffy eyes worse.
3. Leaving your eye make up on is a sure way to get puffy eyes. Follow a thorough cleansing routine using a gentle eye make up remover like Clinique Naturally Gentle Eye Makeup Remover. 
4. Don't use rich eye cream or put any cream near the eye.  Use a gel formulation eye treatment like Clarins Eye Contour Gel or Clinique All About Eyes which is specially formulated to stop puffy eyes.
5. Don't drink water immediately before going to bed.  You need water during the day - around 8-10 large glasses - to flush out salts and toxins from your system.  Salt in particular is a big factor in fluid retention and a major cause of puffy eyes.  But you should cut right back on water intake as bed time approaches and stop completely about 2 hours before you hit the sack.  Drinking too much water too late in the night is a contributor to puffy eyes.

Morning Top Five Tips

1. Get your circulation moving as soon as you wake up. Take 10 good slow deep breaths and then jump around the room for several minutes (both feet off the ground like you're on a pogo stick) until you feel your pulse rate rise and your skin is flushed.  Sounds ridiculous but it works!
2. Drink to eliminate toxins - puffy eyes are a sign your lymphatic system isn't working as well as it should which means excess toxins. So start with a glass of water first thing. Then - if you have a juicer - juice two large apples and drink the juice immediately before it oxidizes. Allow at least 30 minutes before you eat anything for the detox effect to kick in. Fresh apple juice is one of the best natural detoxes there is. If you haven't got a juicer - get one and use it. It's one of the best anti aging beauty treatments you can buy!
3. Stimulate the lymphatic system with at least 2 minutes tapping massage around the eye socket area. With one hand over each eye use the middle or third finger to tap firmly and rapidly around the whole of the eye socket. Press your thumbs under the brow arch in the inner corner of the eye to drain the lymph system and hold for a minute.
4. Lie on the bed and apply a cool compress for at least 10 minutes with your eyes closed. Use two cold wet tea bags (store them in the fridge) or try Babor Sensational Eye Pads
   
5. Apply a treatment gel for puffy eyes and give it plenty of time (at least 5 minutes) to sink in before applying any make up.  Try Cellex-C Under Eye Toning Gel which is a roll on cooling gel with a lovely feel on the skin.  Also great for over make up during the day whenever you get that tight feeling round your eyes.

That's it - you should be well on the way to eliminating those tiresome bags and no more Rocky in your morning mirror!

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