Bright Eyes

By Celia Shatzman

Ever wonder where those dark circles under your eyes come from? Broken capillaries leak small amounts of blood that pool under your eyes almost like little bruises, says Paul Frank, a New York City–based dermatologist. The inflammation from these tiny bruises also explains the I-stayed-up-all-night puffiness. Besides catching up on your z’s, these four tricks can help you get rid of those raccoon eyes:

Frozen peas. Lie back and plop a small zip-close bag of frozen peas underneath your eyes (just on the puffy part). The icy temperature slows blood flow and reduces swelling.

Cranberry Juice. Enjoy two or three glasses a day. This diuretic should help get rid of the under-eye puffiness, a result of water retention. Drink plenty of water, too, because ironically, the more dehydrated you are, the more water you retain.

Green tea extract. Brew a cup of green tea, and place the warm (not hot) tea bags over your eyes to decrease puffiness. Be patient with this one—it could take a couple months before the tea’s polyphenols, flavonoids, and catechins (all powerful antioxidants) get rid of the inflammation once and for all. —Celia Shatzman

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