How to Get Rid of Bags Under Your Eyes

Co-authored by Melissa Jannes

Under-eye bags are a common cosmetic condition where dark circles form just below your lower eyelids. Though not particularly stylish, these bags are typically harmless and caused by things like age, allergies, and a lack of sleep. If you want to get rid of your under-eye bags, there are a number of short-term, long-term, and cosmetic solutions at your disposal.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Quick fixes

1
Drink plenty of water. Under-eye bags are often caused by the retention of water due to high salt concentration in the area. You might wake up with bags after eating a salty dinner or crying; whether it's from tears or food, salt can draw water to your face and cause it to collect under your eyes.^{[1]
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- Flush excess salt from your system by drinking water. Avoid salty foods for the rest of the day.
- Make sure to stay away from drinks that cause you to become dehydrated, like coffee and alcohol.
2
Soothe your eyes with something cold.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} You've probably heard that placing cucumbers over your eyes will help reduce bags, but it's actually the cool temperature that soothes the area. Cucumbers happen to be the perfect shape, size and texture to treat under-eye bags, so go ahead and slice one up - just make sure it's been chilling in the refrigerator beforehand.
- If you don't have a cucumber, wet a few teabags and chill them in the freezer or refrigerator before placing them over your eyes. Use a soothing tea, like chamomile or peppermint, so you get the benefits of aromatherapy at the same time.
- Cold spoons will also work. Leave 2 spoons in the freezer overnight, and place them on your eyes for 10-15 minutes.
- Caffeine can also be very helpful. Look for eye creams with caffeine and store them in the refrigerator so they cool your eyes when applied, doubling the effect.
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3
Put on some concealer. In the short term, concealing under-eye bags and circles with a little makeup is the quickest and most effective solution. The right makeup can greatly reduce the appearance of bags and keep you looking fresh all day. Follow these steps to apply concealing makeup:^{[3]
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- Choose a concealer that matches your skin tone. If your under-eye bags are dark, you could also go one shade lighter. Apply the concealer with your finger or a cotton ball. Make sure you dab it on lightly instead of rubbing it into your skin. The makeup will conceal your bags more effectively if it stays on the surface of your skin.
- Follow the concealer with a brush of powder to help it set and stay in place all day. Use a matte powder (not one with shimmer) and a blush brush to apply a tiny bit of powder under your eyes.
- Follow that up with a color correction product, using contrasting colors. For example, for purple bags, try using a yellow corrective to brighten the area.
4
Use teabags. The tannin in the teabag can sometimes help ease down under-eye bags.^{[4]
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- Boil water and dunk two teabags into the hot water.
- Bob it up and down until they are soaked through.
- Remove and allow to cool on a plate. If wished, cover face, nose, eyes, with paper towel or face washers.
- Lie down somewhere comfortable. Place one soaked teabag over each eye. Put your feet up, relax for a few minutes.
- After a little chilling out, remove the teabags. Hopefully, things will look a little less puffy when you check the mirror again.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Long-term strategies

1
Treat your allergies. Under-eye bags are often the result of allergies that lead to inflammation in the face. Since the skin around your eyes is thinner than skin on the rest of your body, fluid tends to collect there and puff out the skin.^{[5]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- Use an allergy medication to treat hay fever and other seasonal allergies. Try an over-the-counter medicine or get a prescription from your doctor.
- Avoid spending time near allergy sources, like flowers, dust or animals. Make sure your house is well-vacuumed and wash your linens frequently.
2
Change your sleeping position. People who sleep on their stomachs or sides have a greater chance of waking up with under-eye bags, since these positions allow fluid to collect under the eyes during the night. Side sleepers may actually notice that the eye on the side they sleep on has a larger bag than the eye on the other side.^{[6]
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- Try gradually sleeping on your back more often than your stomach or side. It's not easy to change sleeping positions, so you may have a little difficulty getting used to it at first. You can try adding pillows to your sides to make it easier to sleep on your back.
- Use a second pillow under your head if you're a back sleeper. With your head at a slightly downward angle, fluid won't collect under your eyes at night.
3
Treat your face gently. Since facial skin, and especially under-eye skin, is thin and fragile, it's easy to damage it and make it weaker, which leads to even bigger bags. Use the following methods to start treating your under-eye skin with more care:
- Don't go to sleep wearing makeup. Wearing makeup to bed is one of the most common things to do that causes eye bags. The chemicals in makeup can irritate your eyes at night. Washing your face before going to sleep is an important part of good facial hygiene.^{[7]
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- Be sure to wash off any makeup before bed. Mascara and eyeliner can smudge overnight, making circles look darker. Use a good eye makeup remover to gently wipe away makeup, then splash your face with water a few times and pat it dry with a soft towel. Be gentle – too much scrubbing can weaken skin around the eyes.
- Moisturize your face every night. Making sure your face, and especially your eye area, gets enough moisture helps the skin retain elasticity and strength. Use a face moisturizing lotion or oil every night before bed.
- Use sunscreen every day. The sun's rays can cause the thin skin around your eyes to become even more fragile. Make sure you protect your skin there every day, even during the winter.^{[8]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Academy of Dermatology
  Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
  Go to source}
4
Change your dietary habits. A salty dinner paired with a few cocktails is fine every once in a while, but if you make a daily habit of eating salt and drinking alcohol, it can have a long-term effect on your eye bags. Years of water retention in the facial area can lead to permanently stretched-out bags. To prevent this from happening to you, try making the following changes:^{[9]
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- Reduce the amount of salt you use in everyday cooking. Try cutting it in half or cutting it out entirely - you'd be surprised how flavorful food can be without the addition of a lot of salt. Try cutting back the salt you use in baked goods and avoiding salt altogether at dinnertime, since your body won't have time to balance things out before you sleep.
- Drink less alcohol. Drinking alcohol causes water retention, so the less you drink, the less puffy your under-eye bags will look in the morning. On the nights when you do drink, follow each drink with an equal amount of water. Try to stop drinking early in the evening rather than having your last one just before bed.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cosmetic solutions

1
Get a filler. Bags or circles caused by aging won't respond to lifestyle changes, but getting a hyaluronic filler can improve the appearance of the under-eye area. The filler is injected under the eyes to make the contours of the eye socket appear more youthful.^{[10]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- This procedure can be dangerous if it's not done by a professional. Do research before committing to getting a filler.^{[11]
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- Fillers usually cost several hundred dollars, and can lead to negative side effects like bruising and swelling.
2
Get surgery. As people age, fat deposits move down from the eyeballs and accumulate in the under-eye area, leading to bags. Blepharoplasty is the process of removing or changing the position of the fat that has accumulated, followed by a laser treatment to tighten the skin in the area.^{[12]
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- Blepharoplasty procedures usually cost between $2,000 and $5,000 dollars.
- The recovery period can last several weeks.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Are eye bags normal?

Camille Sanghera
Beauty Stylist
Camille Sanghera is the Owner of Lash Envy Cosmetics and Esvee Beauty in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. Camille is trained and certified in microblading, scalp micropigmentation, eyelash extensions, hair and makeup, and lash lifts. She is listed on Microblading Map Canada and has also been featured on TuneIn Radio and in Bridal Fashion Week Magazine.

Camille Sanghera

Beauty Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Yes. Many people just have a genetic predisposition to having dark circles under their eyes. If you notice them appear suddenly, however, it may indicate that you have an illness and should see a doctor.
Question

What if you're too young to put on makeup?

Camille Sanghera
Beauty Stylist
Camille Sanghera is the Owner of Lash Envy Cosmetics and Esvee Beauty in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. Camille is trained and certified in microblading, scalp micropigmentation, eyelash extensions, hair and makeup, and lash lifts. She is listed on Microblading Map Canada and has also been featured on TuneIn Radio and in Bridal Fashion Week Magazine.

Camille Sanghera

Beauty Stylist

Expert Answer

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If you're too young for makeup, you should be sure to moisturize, wear sunscreen, and hydrate your skin by drinking water.
Question

The bags still haven't gone away after trying the first two methods. I don't want surgery. What should I do?

Camille Sanghera
Beauty Stylist
Camille Sanghera is the Owner of Lash Envy Cosmetics and Esvee Beauty in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. Camille is trained and certified in microblading, scalp micropigmentation, eyelash extensions, hair and makeup, and lash lifts. She is listed on Microblading Map Canada and has also been featured on TuneIn Radio and in Bridal Fashion Week Magazine.

Camille Sanghera

Beauty Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

There are many different over-the-counter methods you can try. Using products that have lemon in them may help brighten the area. If you are finding that most techniques are not working for you, try talking to your dermatologist. Dark circles can also be genetic.

Warnings

If large bags or dark circles form without an apparent reason, they might be caused by a medical condition. Consult your doctor if changing your habits doesn't improve the problem.

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Never use raw meat to handle a black eye or eye bags. You can get an eye infection.

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