So I was watching the weather forecast this morning, and it looks like spring has officially arrived! Did you know it’s supposed to be 79 degrees on Saturday!?

How could you not love the sunshine, chirping birds, and flowers that come with spring? But between the budding flowers, bushes, and trees, the moisture from all the rain, and the dust stirred up by spring cleaning, most of us have some serious allergy induced red puffy eyes to look forward to.

Puffy eyes occur when there is increased blood flow through the eyes and the very thin skin around the eyes. The main causes for this are: heavy drinking, sleeplessness, allergies, or stress. Another cause can be an over production of tears. This explains why you wake up with bags under your eyes after a night of crying, and why itchy watery allergy eyes have the same effect.

I’m going to help you soothe those itchy, sore, red, swollen eyes with a few simple home remedies:

The simplest and most common remedy for puffy eyes is cucumber slices. I’m sure you’ve seen these used in advertisements for spas or in movies/TV shows. It seems like a cliché, but it really works!

What to do:

- Cut 2 slices of refrigerated fresh cucumber about ½ inch thick

- Splash your face with cool water from the faucet - Find a comfortable chair where you can tilt your head back, but remain sitting upright

- Lay cucumber slices over your eyes

- Relax for 10 – 15 minutes

Why this works:

Cucumbers contain an anti-irritation ingredient that helps to reduce swelling, and the moisture in the cucumber is refreshing and soothing.

Cucumber slices will do the trick for mildly irritated eyes, but how many people have whole cucumbers in their refrigerator on a regular basis? As you know I’m the home remedy queen, but I prefer to use items that most people already have in the house. You can’t always predict an allergy attack, so you need an in-a-pinch remedy that won’t require a trip to the produce department…

Have no fear, I’ve found it, and it works even better than the cucumbers on seriously irritated eyes. What is this miracle remedy you ask?

Tea Bags!

They have to be caffeinated, and I prefer to use ones with chamomile, but it’s not a necessity.

What to do:

- Moisten 2 tea bags with cold water, and place in refrigerator for a few minutes

- Once tea bags have been chilled, go to your comfy chair where your head can lay back, but the rest of your body stays upright.

- Lay tea bags over your eyes

- Relax for 15 minutes.

Why this works:

Caffeine shrinks those blood vessels that have been irritated by increased blood flow, reducing not only the swelling, but the redness as well. Tea contains tannic acid, which is known to temporarily tighten skin. Chilling the tea bags works in the same manner that icing a swollen ankle does, and it feels great on your irritated skin. If you choose to use tea bags with chamomile, they will further soothe not only your skin, but you will notice that your whole body feels more relaxed, which is something we could all benefit from. Whether your using this remedy for allergies, a hangover, insomnia,, or stress, relaxation is welcomed, I’m sure!

Send your beauty questions to pamper[email protected] and I’ll answer them in my next blog

Don’t forget to stop by tomorrow for another dose of the beauty blog!

Thanks,

Bethany