How to Keep Your Eyes Refreshed and Bright

The eyes always give it away. They can let others know that you’re *actually* happy, whether you’ve had a late night, and when you’re feeling a little emotional. And because they’re so important to our facial expressions, from big smiles to hearty laughs, the skin around the eyes tends to get a lot of use over the years. Taking proper care of them can go a long way to keeping them healthy, smooth, and bright — and you, looking generally energized and fresh.

It’s not just about your skincare game, though — although, yes, that’s important. Rather, protecting your eyes is as much about your habits, like whether you’re staying hydrated through the day and getting some rest. Hey, better than looking like you got eight hours of sleep? Actually sleeping for eight hours.

With that in mind, we’re taking a deep dive into how to maintain healthy-looking eyes for good, both within your beauty routine and beyond it.

What affects eyes over time

Whether you’re working with puffy eyes or dark circles, you can credit the good old passage of time (it happens to every single one of us) for the changes that happen. “With age, the tissue and muscles supporting your eyelids weaken, which can cause a ‘baggy’ look,” says NakedPoppy research scientist Marisa Plescia. Genetics also play a role; just think of puffy eyes as something that brings you a little closer to mom.

But tired eyes could tell you other things about your body, too. For instance, in face mapping — an East Asian tradition — “the eyes correlate to kidney and liver function, and our body’s overall detoxification process,” says NakedPoppy skin specialist Tara Parenti. And aside from the changes that accompany maturity, she says, “dark circles and puffiness are strongly related to insufficient water intake, poor elimination, lack of sleep, and even rubbing the eyes frequently from allergies.”

How to maintain bright eyes over time

Use a dedicated eye cream

For starters, make sure you’re using an eye cream in your routine. “Dedicated eye creams are more than moisturizers for the eyes,” says Plescia. “They often contain specific ingredients that are advantageous to the eye area and the concerns that distinctly affect it, such as dark circles and puffiness.”

In addition, it’s important to keep your eyes well-moisturized; not only do they have thinner skin than the rest of your face, but they don’t have the same concentration of oil glands, either, making them more prone to dryness. [1]

To tackle all of the above, try NakedPoppy Awaken Eye Cream, which harnesses a clean blend of powerful ingredients, like microcirculation-boosting caffeine, antioxidant-rich avocado fruit extract, and brightening vitamin C to target a range of eye concerns — moisturizing, depuffing, smoothing, and nixing dark circles in one easy application.

Be as gentle as possible

The beauty of eye cream is that it contains ingredients tailored for the more sensitive eye area, with “safe and effective ingredients that are specifically tested and formulated for the unique microcosm that is the eye,” says Parenti. What shouldn’t make the cut? Products with strong fragrances and essential oils. And exfoliants should be off-limits, too. “Harsh products around the eyes can cause irritation and damage the eye tissue’s barrier function,” she says.

In addition to impacting the skin, Plescia explains, “They can also affect the eyes themselves and cause discomfort.” She recommends patch-testing before using a new formula, especially if you know your skin tends to be sensitive to certain ingredients. “Test the product on a small area of your skin — for example, neck area — prior to use and see if any redness or irritation occurs,” she says.

Minimize screen time

Not only does cutting your scroll short benefit your sleep quality, but it can also keep your eyes healthy. “Cut down on screen time,” says Parenti. “The eye strain that prolonged screen time causes actually results in you rubbing and touching your eyes far more than you realize.” The less you touch your eyes, the better, since doing so could transfer allergens that could make eyes puffy and red.

Stay hydrated

It sounds like an oxymoron, but proper hydration ensures you don’t retain water where you don’t want it — like under your eyes. “When fluid levels in your body are low, your body tries to retain as much fluid as possible. So, if you are dehydrated this could trigger fluid retention and can cause your eyes to become puffy and swollen.” explains Plescia.

A salty meal or extra glass of wine can trigger dehydration and lead to fluid retention, so offsetting indulgent meals with ample water (and avoiding excess salt when you can) can go a long way to smoothing and deflating the eye area.

Get your sleep

A good reason to go to bed early? You’ll wake up brighter-eyed in the morning — not to mention feel more refreshed and energized. (Really, the eye benefits are just a bonus.) “There is a correlation between lack of sleep and swollen eyes, because lack of sleep tends to increase the retention of blood and fluid around the eyes,” explains Plescia. “Studies of sleep deprivation have found increased swollen eyes with increased fatigue.”

Not only is enough sleep important, but so is how well you sleep. Even if you turn in early, it won’t count for much if you spend most of the night tossing and turning. “Four hours of high-quality sleep is better than eight hours of interrupted sleep,” says Parenti. So, practice good sleep hygiene, like limiting electronics and winding down (with, say, your nighttime skincare routine) before bed.

Worth keeping in mind: As with all things concerning skin, it’s essential to be consistent. And with tips this easy to incorporate — truly, does it get easier than drinking water? — you’ll be on your way to looking as though you got eight hours of shut-eye…and just maybe getting it, too.

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