Left: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care
By: Marty S.
Home remedies by Sheetal Rawal
When you wake up in the morning, nothing quite seems to hit the spot like a nice cup of coffee. Whether you like it plain or a bit fancy, coffee is a great way to start your day. However, before you drink that cup of coffee, you might find yourself looking into a mirror and noticing dark circles or puffy eyes. The sight of those skin issues on your beautiful skin can wreak havoc on your day before it even starts and force you into a panic to get rid of them.
While there are many causes of dark circles and puffy eyes (for example, genetics and free radical damage), one of the biggest causes is a lack of sleep. However, just as you would drink coffee to get ready for the day, you can also use it to alleviate these eye issues. Yes, coffee can wake your skin up too, which is very important on days when you want to look your very best.
Here are 5 coffee-based home remedies that can diminish dark circles and eye puffiness so that your eyes are as youthful as you look. For all of the remedies below, the brewed instant coffee must be cooled off before you use it. Furthermore, when you apply a remedy to your eye area, you must be careful because it is very delicate.
1. Coffee Paste to Diminish Eye Puffiness
The primary reason to use coffee for addressing under-eye issues like dark circles and puffy eyes is the caffeine in coffee. Caffeine is ubiquitous for giving you a surge of energy when you need it most. As for your eyes, caffeine is a mild diuretic that helps constrict the blood vessels around your eye area; this process is known as “vasoconstriction.” This effect tightens the skin around the eye area and can lead to less puffiness and inflammation. Caffeine is also an antioxidant, which further boosts coffee’s anti-inflammatory properties. On a further note, even though caffeine has a reputation of being a stimulant, it may actually be quite calming for your skin. Thus, when combined with Vitamin E oil - a great skin nourisher - coffee can improve the look of your eyes without irritating your skin.
Ingredients
5 drops of Vitamin E oil
1 tsp. of cooled brewed instant coffee
Oat flour, as needed
Instructions
Mix the Vitamin E oil and coffee together. Sprinkle in enough oat flour until you get a paste with the consistency of ketchup.
Apply the paste on your eye area. Leave it on for 7 minutes.
Wash it off with warm water. Follow with your natural eye serum.
Use once a week.
"I used [Apsara's Cucumber Under Eye Serum] and within a month, it significantly reduced my wrinkles and fine lines around my eye area. It’s worth every penny, and I highly recommend it."
2. Coffee & Cucumber Dab-On to Lighten Dark Circles
Another reason to use coffee to beautify your eyes is caffeic acid. Caffeic acid is an antioxidant, which helps decrease inflammation as well as eliminate free radical damage within your skin. Because free radicals may cause skin issues like dark circles and
uneven skin, using a remedy rich in antioxidants can be very beneficial to restore the skin around your eye area. Lucky for you, both coffee and cucumber contain caffeic acid. Cucumber has Vitamin C as well, and this compound has been known to brighten up the skin. You can combine these two natural ingredients in the remedy below or you could try Apsara Skin Care’s Cucumber Under Eye Serum, which not only contains both coffee and cucumber but it also has many other natural ingredients like sandalwood and turmeric that are good for your skin.
Ingredients
1 tsp. of fresh cucumber juice
⅛ tsp. of turmeric powder
1 tsp. of cooled brewed instant coffee
Instructions
Mix the ingredients together.
Dab the remedy on your eye area. Leave it on for 15 minutes.
Wash the remedy off with warm water. Follow with your natural eye serum.
Use once a week.
3. Coffee & Salt Remedy to Reduce the Appearance of Puffy Eyes & Under-Eye Bags
Salt has a very interesting relationship with your body. If you consume too much of it, it could be the reason why you have puffy eyes in the first place. A diet rich in salt causes your body to hold onto to a lot of water, which leads to bloating and eye puffiness. Despite this, if you use salt externally, you may find that it can decrease excess water retention. It is thought that using salt on your skin can draw out moisture, which is helpful to lessen puffiness and under-eye bags. If you would like to apply a salt-based remedy on your skin, beware that salt may be abrasive on your skin. Since your eye area is very delicate, take extra care when using salt.
Ingredients
⅛ tsp. of salt
10 drops of vegetable glycerin
3 tbsp. of cooled brewed instant coffee
Instructions
Mix the ingredients together.
Soak two cotton pads in the mixture. Wring out any excess liquid.
Close your eyes. Gently compress the cotton pads on your closed eyes for 10 minutes. Do not open your eyes.
Take the pads off and wipe the mixture off with warm water. Then, use your natural eye serum.
Use once a week.
4. Coffee & Black Tea Compress to Get Stunning Eyes
Many people swear by using black tea for their dark circles or puffy eyes. This may be due to the number of tannins found in black tea. Tannins have astringent properties; when they are applied to the skin, they can tighten up your skin and reduce inflammation. Thus, used black tea bags can serve as both a compress for your eyes and an abundant source of tannins. Plus, since tannins are also antioxidants, black tea can help revitalize your skin and lighten the appearance of dark circles.
Ingredients
2 tsp. of tomato juice
4 tsp. of cooled brewed instant coffee
2 used black tea bags
Instructions
To get 2 used black tea bags, brew 2 cups of black tea. Drain the liquid out of the bags and let the bags cool off.
Mix the tomato juice and coffee together. Soak the tea bags in the mixture. Wring out any excess liquid.
Close your eyes. Gently compress the tea bags on your closed eyes for 15 minutes. Do not open your eyes.
Take the tea bags off and wipe the mixture off with warm water. After, use your natural eye serum
Use once a week.
If you have green tea instead of black tea, you can still use it to reduce dark circles and puffiness. Watch this video to learn how to make a green tea-based remedy for your eye area. Enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!
5. Coffee & Turmeric Remedy to Brighten Up Your Eye Area
Whether you have dark circles, puffy eyes, or dull skin, you can use coffee to brighten up your skin. This is because coffee has been linked to increased blood flow, which may
Ingredients
⅛ tsp. of turmeric powder
1 tbsp. of smooth peanut butter
Cooled brewed instant coffee, as needed
Ingredients
Mix the turmeric and peanut butter together. Add enough coffee to the mixture until you get the consistency of ketchup.
Apply the remedy on your eye area. Leave the remedy on for 12 minutes.
Wash it off with warm water. Then, use your natural eye serum.
Use once a week.
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Go natural. It is good karma!