Healthy Skin

“I’m a beauty expert – here are my favourite ways to de-puff my face”

Late night? Just stepped off a plane? Or perhaps it’s simply one of those mornings. If your face is feeling a little puffy, know that there are plenty of options to remedy it.

Puffiness can often be put down to dehydration and water retention – and it’s a common issue (especially first thing in the AM).

That’s why we caught up with our founder, Liz Earle, to share some of her favourite ways to depuff her complexion for a more contoured, chiselled look.

How Liz reduces the appearance of a puffy face

Gua sha

Gua sha is based on an ancient practice originating from traditional Chinese medicine. It has become a popular facial technique in the West in recent years to contour and massage the face, and can also help to reduce puffiness.

The skincare technique uses a stone – often made from jade or rose quartz – and is said to help to aid circulation and lymphatic drainage.

Make sure to use a facial oil to help the stone glide over the skin and avoid any dragging.⁠

Cold compresses

Cold compresses can be a saving grace for calming puffiness caused by heat or inflammation.

Make your own by wrapping an ice cube or two in a tissue – never place the ice directly on your skin. Then, sweep the tissue-wrapped ice cube across your complexion to calm and reduce any puffiness or redness.

Liz is also a fan of facial ice baths to give her skin an added glow.

Drink plenty of water

Dehydration is a common culprit behind a puffy face. Ensuring we drink plenty of water throughout the day is an easy fix for puffiness.

Not only will hydration help to banish puffiness, but our skin also benefits from the added hydration, increasing blood flow and oxygen to the area.

Reusable under eye patches

While you can purchase single-use under eye patches, our preferred option is a reusable pair. Better for our purse and better for the planet!

Reusable eye patches work with a favourite eye product or serum to help soothe the under eye area and calm puffiness.

We love this pair from Sephora.

Stainless steel cryo sticks

Just like a cold compress, using something cool on the skin can help to banish any puffiness.

Liz is a fan of stainless steel cryo sticks for keeping her complexion calm. Simply sweep across the face for an instant refresh.

These can be kept in the fridge to cool down your face even further, and used with a serum so they glide better across the skin.