The eyes have it....

i'm pretty sure everybody have heard this line "the eyes are the windows to our soul." but can anybody see really thru them when these supposedly windows are surrounded with dark shadows or look puffy as if we've cried endlessly?

i know a lot of us have problems with dark undereye circles and eye puffiness. I myself have this terrible case of eyebags (really puffy, i think i already have like 2 layers) and not to mention, they are dark.

I am insomniac, and i work at night...so probably this is something not genetic since mom doesn't have this problem, even my younger sister. And sometimes, even though i've had enough sleep, it would somehow look worse.

So what a girl to do then?

Here's some tips i got from Fast Beauty Fixes:

How to get rid of dark undereye circles:

1. Wrap a bit of grated raw potato in a cheesecloth or slice a kiwi. Lie down and apply to eye area for 15 minutes. Pat dry. (I have personally tried this one, but i just sliced a potato and put it on top of my eye area. It did work. But i guess you have to do frequently.)

2. Look for eye creams with vitamin K (phytonadione), used by cosmetic surgeons because it prevents bruising, peptides or kinetin (I've been using Strivectin SD for quite a while now...is it working? i dunno really. maybe if i stop staying up late at night and get enough sleep)

So, what about when we need to get rid of these dark circles right away? CONCEAL!

1. Avoid plum, purple and red shades of eyeshadows. You'll look like you've got black eyes. (uh-oh, me like wearing these colors...except red)

2. Try a concealer with a pink, peachy or yellow underones to neutralize the blue and green in the circles of your eyes.

3. Look for light-reflecting concealers that downplay dark circles.

TIP: When the circles are really dark, take a tiny bit of creamy white eyeshadow and dab it in the corners of the eyelids, top and bottom. (If you are dark skinned, use a light brown shade). Blend well, then apply concealer on top and around the eyes.

How to get rid of puffy eyes?

The night before:

1. Cut back on salt and drink a glass of water before bedtime. Use an extra pillow to keep your head elevatd when you sleep.

2. Pat a chilled eye gel on the area.

3. Use products with anti-inflammatory ingredients like chamomile, green tea or antioxidants. Drink Gatorade, or sports drinks with electrolytes, which help deflate puffs (hmmm, interesting no?)

The Morning After:

1. Keep two spoons in the freezer. Lie down with the back of the spoon over each eye for five minutes. (i've tried this and it's effective)

2. Lie down with a small flaxseed, buckwheat or lavender-filled pillow over the eyes. Or place some rice in a zippered plastic bag, refrigerate until chilled, lie down and hold over the eyes.

3. Dip a washcloth in a bowl of cool, caffeinated coffee. Apply to the area and leave on for 10 minutes. Caffeine is diuretic, which means that it draws water away.

4. Sit down, lean forward and hold your face in your hands (be sure they are clean) for a couple of minutes; the pressure will help you depuff.

5. Try a portable depuffing eye mask (gel eye masks). Keep it in the fridge at home and put them on top of your eyes to soothe tired eyes. These also take down surgery-related swelling.

6. Try a stick on undereye patch infused with gels and plan extracts like chamomile, cucumber, mint and aloe. Chill in the fridge overnight and apply for 10 minutes in the morning.

TIP: Eyeliner and a too-light concealer can draw attention to puffs; draw the focus away from the eyes by playing with your cheeks and lips instead.

so there...i hope that one or two of these tips would actually help you (us) with our eye problems :) but don't fret if in case no matter what you do, those darn dark circles and puffiness wont go away. Beauty is just skin deep, ladies. What's more important is the beauty within :)

tata!