To help deflate the skin in a pinch, many reach for eye masks or patches: These serum-soaked swishes hydrate and cool the area, and many are infused with vasoconstrictors (like caffeine and green tea) that constrict blood vessels and dial down inflammation.
Plus, “The pressure from the patches decreases the amount of space fluid that can accumulate under your eyes, which helps reduce puffiness,” Mikailov adds.
If you really want to level up your eye mask experience, Vargas suggests layering a sheet mask on top of the patches. Then use a de-puffing skin care tool (ice globes, jade rollers, vibrating T-bars, etc.), to flush out excess fluid.
The cherry on top? “For added cooling and de-puffing, I always leave my under-eye masks in the fridge!” says board-certified dermatologist Kim Nichols, M.D., founder of NicholsMD of Greenwich. Celebrity esthetician Shani Darden seconds the advice: “I always keep a few in the refrigerator for whenever I feel like my eyes are looking puffy and tired,” she says. “The coolness of the mask helps to instantly de-puff the under-eye area.
