An Over 40s Expert Guide To Dealing With Puffy Eye Bags

Welcome to our mature beauty series with over 40s makeup expert Amanda Ramsay. You asked, we listened and the first topic to be tackled is all things puffy eye bags — enjoy!

Ah, the ol’ eye bag and puffiness challenge. It sure is one of ageing’s true gifts for so many women 40+.

Puffy eyes affect many of us mature-skinned beauts, so below (and in the video above) I’m sharing with you my top tips for under-eye puffiness.

Plus, some key tricks on how to reduce puffy eyes with some fave products for you to try. 

3 key tips for dealing with puffy eye bags

#1 Acceptance

So I could tell you all to just get more rest — sleep is that elusive thing that we all so desperately need. And absolutely, getting more sleep will help puffy under-eyes… but only to a point. The truth of the matter is that we all have a pad of fat that sits under our eyes. And as we age, this pad of fat can “slip down”.

Remember those chicken fillets we wore in our bras as teens? That were forever popping up, or slipping out, at inopportune times? The pad of fat under your eyes is a bit like that, forming a bump of what is commonly referred to as a “puffy bag” under your eyes.

Another factor is that your occipital bone (the one your eyeball sits neatly into) is enlarging with age due to bone loss. Hence, your eyes begin to sit a little deeper in your face, creating hollowing under your eyes. This hollowing can make that fold of skin under your eyes appear, well, puffy. Slipping fat pads and hollowing eyes — ah, another one of ageing’s gifts for you.

What I’m encouraging you to do here, is to get more comfortable with your physiology, and embrace a level of acceptance. This is you. This is part of being a woman who is fortunate enough to be ageing, something that is stolen from far too many women. So let’s celebrate the age we are, and accept a little bit of puffiness under the delicate eye zone. Heck, even embrace it. 

And my final word on acceptance is to focus on the features of your face that you DO like. We put far too much energy into trying to fix the bits we don’t like, rather than enhancing the bits we do. Give your fave features your energy and attention. Play them up.

#2 PRP (platelet rich plasma)

There is an in-salon treatment called PRP, platelet rich plasma, that is reportedly very successful in treating under-eye puffiness, under-eye bags and under-eye darkness. This treatment should be undertaken by a registered medical professional.

What I like about it is that PRP uses your own body to heal itself. You’re not injecting anything foreign into your skin, PRP injects your own isolated platelets back into your skin. This stimulates cells in the skin to produce new collagen. Results are immediate and build over time. If this interests you, talk to your aesthetician or dermatologist.

#3 Concealer and puffiness don’t mix

Let’s separate under-eye puffiness from under-eye darkness here, as they need to be dealt with differently. And we are on the puffy eye bag train! Light-reflecting concealers — or any concealers for that matter — when applied to puffy eyes, will only serve to draw more attention to the puffiness. Concealer in fact enhances and “highlights” the raised “puff” or bumps and folds of skin.

So I’m afraid concealer isn’t the answer in the puffy eye zone, and I hear you sigh in exasperation. I didn’t promise it would all be good news but before you start to feel disheartened, allow me to introduce you to some magic-weaving products that will help to reduce under-eye puffiness…

Amanda Ramsay’s top product picks for eye bags

Vanessa Megan Cryo Facelift

A little pot of skin care amazingness. The formula features IBR Dormin, a scientifically proven super ingredient to help visibly plump and firm the skin. Plus, everyone’s favourite, hyaluronic acid. And all delivered in a frozen single-serve to help constrict the blood vessels and reduce puffiness!

$49.95 at vanessamegan.com

Self Amour Rose Quartz Face Roller

Cooling, soothing beauty tools like a face roller or gua sha can help to reduce puffiness via lymphatic drainage and massage. They’re easy to integrate into your skin care ritual, and there’s the added bonus of relaxation that comes with using these tools.

$49 at selfamour.com

Wrinkles Schminkles Eye Smoothing & Depuffing Masks

Packed with peptides and niacinamide, these serum-infused biodegradable eye masks will send puffiness packing. Smooth skin, here you come.

$50 (5 pack) at wrinklesschminkles.com.au

111SKIN De-puffing Eye Mask

Target under-eye fatigue and puffiness, fast. These patches are clinically proven to plump up fine lines. Keep them in the fridge for an extra de-puff!

$133 (8 pack) at MECCA

FOREO Iris

A very sophisticated and gentle eye-massaging tool. It mimics a lightweight finger massage, which you can use along the contour of the eyes, above the eyes and underneath to de-puff, lift and brighten your under-eye zone. In just one minute (30 seconds on each eye) this will help to de-puff. 

$169 at currentbody.com.au

Love this series? You can connect with Amanda via Instagram @amandaramsaymakeup or discover her masterclasses here.

Did you enjoy Amanda’s tips? What topic would you love for her to cover next time?