Feel more dark-eyed and puffy than wide-eyed and wonderful in the mornings? The delicate skin around your eyes is prone to fluid retention, causing swollen eyes come morning time. This area is also susceptible to dark circles caused by fatigue, dehydration, allergies, or even vitamin deficiencies. To combat this, you’ll want to start an eye skincare routine using a few key products and some simple techniques – easy enough to work into your usual ritual but effective enough to have you leave the house with confidence. Just follow these four easy steps.

Under-eye care routine

1. Cleanse & prep

Clean skin allows for maximum absorption and efficacy of the products that follow. For this step, we recommend washing your face as usual using a gentle facial cleanser and lukewarm water, then following with toner. Our Mist Connection Essence and Toner is a biphase formula that combines an oil-based essence and a water-based toner to soothe and balance your skin. Enriched with skin-renewing niacinamide and hydrating hyaluronic acid, your skin will appear more even, hydrated, and radiant.

2. Cool & refresh

An under-eye mask is a fast and effective way of reducing puffiness and minimizing the appearance of fine lines and dark circles. Simply apply Baggage Claim Eye Masks to the area beneath your eyes and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes while you drink your morning coffee or do your meditation practice. Formulated with cooling aloe leaf extract, anti-inflammatory calendula extract, brightening camu camu extract, and a powerful blend of peptides and amino acids, these travel-friendly eye masks deliver key ingredients to the delicate under-eye area, giving you all the skin-loving benefits you need for instant results.

3. Nourish & hydrate

You’ve cleansed and refreshed your eye area, now it's time to hydrate your skin with a nourishing eye cream. Baggage Claim Everyday Eye Cream will help to instantly hydrate, firm, brighten, and de-puff the eye area. Meiview™ – a marine extract obtained from a halophytic plant native to Spain – will lift and firm the eye area by encouraging collagen production and strengthening skin elasticity, while shea butter softens and moisturizes the skin. Simply glide the applicator around and under the eye area, then gently pat in any remaining cream with your fingertips.

4. Massage to improve circulation

Learning how to apply eye cream by incorporating massage techniques into your morning eye skincare routine will make a noticeable difference in both the short and long term. Poor circulation is one of the main culprits of dull, puffy eyes in the morning, but you can manually stimulate blood flow and reduce puffiness, leaving your eyes looking revitalized.

Start by using your ring finger to gently tap around the eye area. This tapping motion helps to improve lymphatic drainage and reduce any fluid retention. Be sure to use light pressure and avoid pulling or tugging on the skin.

Next, use your fingertips to gently massage the temples in circular motions. This technique helps to release tension and promote blood flow to the surrounding areas.

Another effective massage technique is to use your ring finger to apply gentle pressure to the inner corners of the eyes, moving outward towards the temples. This motion helps to drain any excess fluid causing puffiness.

Lastly, finish off the massage by lightly pressing your ring fingers under the eyebrows and gently moving them in upward strokes. This helps to lift and firm the eye area, giving it a more awake and refreshed appearance.

Lifestyle tips for bright eyes

In addition to following a consistent eye skincare routine, here are a few tips you can incorporate to achieve brighter and refreshed eyes.

1. Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can contribute to tired-looking eyes, so aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. Establishing a regular sleep schedule and creating a relaxing bedtime routine can help improve your sleep quality.
2. Stay hydrated: Dehydration can cause dry and dull skin, including the delicate skin around the eyes. Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your body and skin hydrated.
3. Protect your eyes: UV rays can damage the skin and lead to premature aging, including wrinkles and dark circles. Apply sunscreen or wear sunglasses with UV protection to shield your eyes from harmful sun exposure.
4. Limit screen time: Spending long hours staring at screens can strain your eyes and cause them to appear tired. Take regular breaks from your devices, practice the 20-20-20 rule (look away from your screen every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds) and consider using blue light-blocking glasses.
5. Incorporate eye exercises: Simple eye exercises can help improve blood circulation and reduce eye fatigue. Try blinking rapidly for a few seconds or looking at a distant object and then back at your finger held up close to your face, repeating several times.

Stay refreshed with Wander Beauty

Both your lifestyle and skincare habits can drastically enhance your health and appearance when implemented consistently. By incorporating these steps daily, you will achieve brighter, youthful-looking eyes throughout the day.

For more beauty and skincare tips, check out The Essentials Edit. Here, you’ll find expert advice on how to use your favorite Wander Beauty products for maximum results, wherever you wander.