The more time we spend in front of our screens and the later we stay up, the more we are going to need something to improve dark circles and puffy eyes. This negative appearance on our face comes down to bad habits (I’m guilty of that), age, stress, and diet – which means it’ll probably take just as much time to reverse the damage you did. Sometimes, it can be due to genetics as well, and is even harder to correct.
After years of sleeping extremely late despite my mother’s constant warnings, stress, and bad habits, I’ve had to deal with dark circles and puffiness on my eyes. I literally will not leave my house without concealer on because I look so tired. I’ve used eye creams since around 2007 and it might have helped along the way, but it will never help more than getting enough sleep. And eye cream can only do so much if you aren’t changing your bad habits.
Because of the lack of time we all have these days and the quick fixes we all demand, I’m sharing with you my 2 must-have items that will instantly improve dark circles and puffy eyes. Although it won’t be a long-term fix, it is extremely useful for the days when you need to look presentable and not have people wondering what happened to you the night before.
1) Korean Beauty (K-Beauty) Under-Eye Masks & Patches
These are 2 reasons why I absolutely love them and will always have to have them in my beauty arsenal: 1) you see instant results within 10 minutes 2) it works even when you’ve bawled your eyes out the night before and takes away your puffiness like nothing happened.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of varieties of under-eye masks and patches that beauty companies produce. As much as I’d like to, I don’t think I’ll be able to keep up with trying every single one of them. To be honest, I feel like all the different brands are very similar to each other as I got the expected results I wanted which was to reduce dark circles and eye bags.
How I Started With Under-Eye Masks
I started with the Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels when I was working at The Hudson Bay, but they’re around $37 CAD + tax for only 8 pairs. It can get quite pricey when you need to use it often. They work well and have an almost felt-like material on the outside of each patch so it won’t get too “wet” as most eye masks are soaked in serum.
So when I went to Hong Kong in 2015, all I did was visit all the Sasa’s and other beauty stores buying all different kinds of K-Beauty under-eye masks that came in a jar of 60 (30 pairs). And they’re all under $15 CAD and it’s so much cheaper than buying them in Canada. There’s also a lot of brands that are not available in Canada so of course, I had to stock up.
For a little bit of a higher price and if you want to target fine lines and wrinkles more, you can choose eye masks with amazing ingredients like collagen, pearl, gold, and quality of that sort and it still won’t break the bank.
What I Currently Use
For the past few years, I’ve been using the Rearar Diaforce Hydro-Gel Eye Patch in Black. This one helps with instant lifting, and the black pearl and gold extract helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. I’ve also used the Ruby version (which has ruby powder, collagen, and pearl powders in it to enhance cell regeneration and gives healthy skin) and the Gold version (which also has gold and black pearl to brighten and help with wrinkle care – not that I have any but I wanted to try it anyway).
Where To Find K-Beauty Under-Eye Masks
Because K-Beauty under eye masks and patches are not as common in Canada as they are in Asia, it is a little more difficult to find in person. They’re also usually in a different language so you won’t always know what the benefits, ingredients, or instructions are. I usually go to Pacific Mall or First Markham Place and visit all the K-Beauty stores there to get insight from someone who actually knows the products, and to pick out what I want. I find that going in person is also somewhat cheaper than purchasing online. Occasionally, you can find them at Winners as well, but I would do a quick Google search on the reviews before purchasing.
When searching for K-Beauty brands online, it really depends on which site you go to that will give you enough information on what it actually does and if they’ll ship to your country. I find that Amazon sellers who have the K-Beauty under-eye masks don’t provide a lot of details. If you were to shop online, I prefer going to YesStyle and Beauty Net Korea, and surprisingly, iHerb (below).
Another brand I’ve used and have repurchased is the Petitfee Black Pearl and Gold Hydrogel Eye Patch. It has a cooling sensation while it’s nourishing your under eyes with hydration and helps with dark circles and fine lines. It brightens the skin and the gold extract adds glow.
Under-Eye Masks In Jars
One thing about the eye masks that come in a jar, it is drenched in serum. So when you try to put the under-eye patches on, they’re constantly sliding off your face because it’s too wet. When I open a new jar, I tend to pour a bit of the liquid out so that the patches can actually stay on my face. Technically, you can use the serum and apply it to your body so you don’t waste it. You only need to wear it for 10 minutes and it starts to dry up as your skin has already absorbed everything.
Under-Eye Mask Brands In North America
In North America, brands like Skyn Iceland, Tarte Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, Shiseido and other similar brands sell these under eye masks at a much higher price point, and can cost you anywhere between $3-$20 or more for a pair. They also package each under-eye mask individually so the extra packaging also ups the price. In the long term, this kind of spending is probably not sustainable for most people. I tend to use my eye masks to get rid of dark circles and puffy eyes at least 2-3 times a week so it can get quite expensive.
2) Ice Roller
My second secret weapon to getting rid of dark circles and puffiness or eye bags, is this simple ice roller. Not only can you use this for the under-eyes, but it’s great for when you have sore muscles, pain on the body, a swollen face, or even migraines. I use this to roll under my eyes when I’m feeling extra tired, haven’t had enough sleep and when my eyes are so puffy that the under-eye masks don’t give me the effect I want that day. It instantly tightens the skin and reduces puffiness – I mean it’s “ice” so it works as if you’re using it to reduce swelling on a body part you just hurt.
I leave this in my freezer at all times and use this in the mornings as needed. I like this because it’s super easy to use, has a handle that you can just roll back and forth on the desired area, and it doesn’t drip like it would if you decided to use ice cubes. It also doesn’t feel as unbearably cold because of the plastic it’s in, so it won’t stick to your skin like ice does when it’s too cold out. Rolling this on your under-eyes only takes less than 2 minutes. I usually do 10 seconds, 2-3 times on each eye.
Remember, these are useful for instant effects and for quick fixes, but to really reduce dark circles and puffy eyes, you’ll need to get enough sleep, drink enough water, have a healthy diet, and continue to use eye creams that target those problems.
For longer term results to help with dark circles and puffy eyes, here is Why You Need An Eye Cream In Your Skincare Routine.