why eyes puff
The skin under your eyes is roughly half a millimetre thick with almost no fat or muscle beneath it. Fluid that settles there overnight has nowhere to hide, which is why puffiness peaks in the first hour after waking and softens as you move.
Salt, alcohol, short sleep, allergies, crying, and sleeping flat all make it more pronounced.
how a patch helps
Three mechanisms, in order of how much they contribute:
- Cooling. A chilled patch constricts the look of the area immediately — the single largest effect.
- Occlusive hydration. Plump, well-hydrated skin sits smoother over the swelling.
- Gentle pressure. The weight of the gel and the tapping on removal encourage drainage outward.
the fifteen-minute de-puff
Apply a chilled pair to clean, dry skin. Leave for fifteen minutes while you get on with the morning. Remove, then tap outward from the inner corner toward the temple with the ring finger, ten light passes. Drink water before coffee. Add a pillow tonight.
If puffiness is sudden, one-sided, painful, or comes with vision changes, see a doctor rather than reaching for skincare.
