If you’re tired of waking up with a puffy face, we’ve got 3 pro tips to help you tone down the poof-factor and tighten up your skin.
Uh oh, not again. It’s the third morning you’ve woken up to this strange, bloated reflection in the mirror. Puffy cheeks, inflated under eyes…what’s the deal? Somehow, in only a matter of days, your face has taken a drastically puffy turn.
WHY DOES MY FACE LOOK PUFFY?
If you’ve been waking up consistently to a puffy-faced reflection, then there are a few different culprits that could be to blame.
Here are the most common reasons your face looks puffy in the morning:
- Gravity: When you’re horizontal for 6-8 hours every night, fluids respond accordingly. This is normal, and the effects dissipate soon after you’ve woken up and start going about your day. But, it can be more noticeable if you’re getting either too much or too little shut-eye.
- Diet: Sodium alert! If your diet features too much fast food, fried foods, or processed foods, your face is gonna puff. All of those tasty, salt-laden treats are causing your body to retain water, rather than excrete it through your urine. So, it gathers around various body parts, resulting in a puffy effect.
- Booze: If you enjoyed a few too many glasses of that fine cabernet last night, then your face might remind you of it in the morning. Alcohol causes dehydration, so your body compensates by holding onto more water.
- Rosacea: If you suffer from rosacea, then you could have triggered a flare-up. Spicy foods, excessive alcohol, stress, or even just a hot summer day can all result in puffiness from this underlying skin condition. See your dermatologist for relief.
IS A PUFFY FACE SERIOUS?
Before we dive in, a word of caution. Here, we’re talking about that kind of puffiness that you have no reason to be worried might be due to something more serious. More like the kind you see in the mirror after a late night out or a general lack of sleep that seems to go on for days. If puffiness coincides with a new medication, tooth or sinus pain, occurs right after a meal, or after you’ve been stung by an insect, it’s best to seek medical attention, as you may have a more serious issue going on.
HOW TO REDUCE PUFFINESS
If you’re pretty sure your puffy morning face is due to one of the less serious causes mentioned above, then we’ve got some advice to help you out. Here are 3 pro tips that’ll help you un-puff and feel like yourself again.
Pro-Tip #1: Give yourself an Ice Facial
If you think coffee can zap you into the world of the living, then the morning ice facial is about to change your life. Just pop an ice cube from the freezer into a little bowl and get in front of a mirror. After washing your face, gently and swiftly rub the cube over your skin, making sure not to keep it in one place too long. Not only does it feel amazing, but it instantly tightens your skin, quickly calms inflammation, and reduces puffiness.
This quick hit of cold constricts your blood vessels, improving your blood flow as it soothes inflammation. Especially noticeable in the sensitive under-eye area, a speedy hit of ice will instantly reduce puffiness. Dermatologists concur but suggest those with sensitive skin opt for wrapping ice in a cold compress or towel rather than directly applying ice to your skin. Stick to icing just once a day so as not to “burn” your skin.
Pro-Tip #2: Keep Your Microbiome Balanced
If you’re thinking, “Oh, this sounds like one of those ‘eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly’ kinds of tropes wrapped up in fancy-sounding language, you’d be right. Even though it sounds like basic information, we tend to underestimate how much our gut health affects our body overall, and that includes the skin microbiome.
The typical American diet is high in fat, sugar, and salt. Studies have shown that these diets create a breeding ground within the gut for pro-inflamatory bacteria, while diets rich in whole foods demonstrate a low level of dietary and inflammatory-related diseases.
Basically, a balanced microbiome doesn’t allow for a pro-inflammatory environment. Puffiness related to inflammation is a goner. Here’s how you can maintain a happy, healthy, balanced microbiome:
- Eat right. Sleep well. Move your body. Repeat.
Eat a diverse range of whole foods like vegetables, legumes, and healthy grains. Incorporate foods that naturally contain gut-friendly probiotics. Get 6-8 hours of quality sleep per night. Exercise moderately. Covering the basic needs of your body is the best way to ensure a healthy, normal-functioning microbiome.
- Take a daily oral probiotic.
Layers one-a-day Daily Glow Probiotic Supplements contain a blend of 5 bacterial strains that target gut-skin health, including inflammation:
Bifidobacterium Longum: an immune-modulating strain that works to temper inflammatory responses on the skin and in the gut. It increases your skin's resistance to temperature fluctuations and potential irritation.Lactobacillus Plantarum: improves skin hydration and elasticity and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
Bifidobacterium Lactis: improves digestion and enhances immune system functions. Also aids in the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the gut.
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus: the number one clinically studied strain to aid with digestive health. It nurtures the gut-skin axis and improves your skin barrier function by suppressing inflammatory agents.
Lactobacillus Paracasei: improves skin barrier function recovery and reduces local skin inflammation reactions. Helps calm skin sensitivity and smooth rough skin texture.
- Use a probiotic skincare line with science-backed anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Our Immunity Moisturizer contains powerful botanicals like Pomegranate Extract to decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and Milk Thistle to aid in calming and preventing common skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. Along with Layers Renewing Probiotic Serum and Balancing Milky Cleanser, a full probiotic skincare routine will work to keep things under control outside while oral probiotics keep things calm inside the gut. Promoting a positive gut-skin connection will go a long way in keeping puffiness and inflammation at bay.
Pro-Tip #3: Carry a Water Bottle
If you’re not drinking enough water throughout the day, then your body responds by trying to retain as much water as possible. This is another reason you could be waking up with a puffy, bloated-feeling face. Dehydration causes enlarged blood vessels, and that swelling shows up in the face, among other places. The water that is in your body gets retained by thirsty cells and tissues.
The more water you drink, the more your cells feel comfortable releasing their backup supply, so swelling doesn’t need to take place. The average male needs 125 ounces or 3.7 liters for men, and the average female needs around 91 ounces, or 2.7 liters. An easy way to keep your body and skin hydrated is to get accustomed to carrying around a water bottle and refilling it at every opportunity. The more you have access to it, the more you’ll naturally drink. And, the less puffy you’ll be!