How To: De-puff Eyes After Crying

This has not been the easiest week. Soon I will be able to share more about some very big stuff we've got going on, but until then I'll leave you with this invaluable trick to de-puff eyes after crying. 

First off, let's just acknowledge that a little crying hygiene goes a long way. So if you know you're going to have a big cry, don't have makeup on to begin with. Or, if you're at home and a sob fest begins, remove your makeup ASAP. The last thing tear-spewing eyes need is a bunch of chemicals and gunk adding to the irritation. Then, once the crying has stopped enough to proceed, remove any remaining makeup and do as follows.

You will need: Black Tea Bags, Boiling Water, Tea Cup, Small Plate or Saucer, Spoon, Napkins or Paper Towels, Eye Cream, Couch or Bed, Pillows, Good Music or a Podcast, and Headphones (optional).

1. Brew a cup of black tea. It is essential to use tea bags; leave them in for 2-3 minutes. 
2. Once the tea has brewed, remove the tea bags using the spoon and squeeze out mostly, but not all the way.
3. Place the tea bags on saucer to cool for a few minutes.
4. Lie down on a couch or bed, propping yourself with the pillows and get comfy.
5. Place the tea bags onto your closed eyes. 
6. Relax and listen to music or podcast for ten minutes, or until cool. Try not to cry more. The distraction of a podcast can help with this.
7. Dunk the tea bags back into the cup of tea to "reheat" and repeat two or three times until the puffiness has subsided.
8. Gently rinse the eye area with tepid water. Pat dry with napkins or paper towels and apply some gentle eye cream.

We always drink PG Tips when we drink tea, so that's what we usually have around, but any old black tea bag will work. The main thing is that it is very important to use boiling water, straight after it has reached a boil, to brew black tea. No cooling of the water before brewing allowed! This ensures proper releasing of the tannins, which play a large role in reducing the puffiness of your poor eyes. 

Unfortunately, the cup of tea used for de-puffing your eyes will not be drinkable and while lying with tea bags on your eyes, it will be hard to drink a cup of tea at the same time. But, once you're finished, boil the kettle again, brew a new cup and enjoy while your eye cream sinks in! 

It's kind of incredible how well black tea works to de-puff eyes. I first learned about it in college from the friendly folks at Sundance Natural Foods in Eugene. If you're ever in Eugene, it's always worth a visit. Do you have any tricks for de-puffing eyes? When was the last time you cried so hard that your eyelids became three-dimensional little pillows of pain? (Hopefully it was a long time ago!) xo

(Top photo via Tea at Five, Rum at Four/Tumblr, Tea Saying via Capital Teas/Pinterest)