Body Care
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Whether we skimped on sleep or our skin just really, really doesn't like us very much sometimes, dark eye circles and puffiness can rear its annoying head. But before you grab that stick of concealer to aggressively cover up these issues, consider a natural alternative in the form of tea bags. Yes, tea bags.

Follow these simple tips and you will help banish those under-eye issues for good.

How tea bags work for the skin

Using tea bags to help diminish the look of dark eye circles is one of those tried-and-true methods that does actually work. For instance, the caffeine in green and black teas is great for tightening the skin, thus reducing the appearance of dark circles, while herbal teas are known to be incredibly soothing for certain eye conditions.

You can’t just grab two tea bags, throw them on your eyes, and call it a day. You have to actually prepare the remedy by brewing and steeping the tea, just like you would if you were planning to drink it. The big difference here is that you will put the drink in the fridge to chill for a certain amount of time before placing them on your eyes for the allotted time per remedy.

Green tea for dark circles under the eyes

Green tea isn't just great for that mid-day pick-me-up, providing some of the same benefits of coffee without the strong jitters. It's also great for beauty purposes, namely, treating dark circles under the eyes. Green tea may be filled with antioxidants that are super beneficial to the skin, but it’s actually these two factors that do a lot of the work: caffeine and tannins.

Putting tea bags of caffeinated green tea under our eyes helps to constrict the blood vessels, thus banishing dark circles and reducing puffiness.

Tannins, on the other hand, which are the naturally occurring compounds in tea (it's what causes that bitter flavor), are strong in green and black teas. They are what makes tea super astringent and it’s this astringency in green tea that provides a lot of the same benefits that caffeine does for the skin.

Chamomile tea for eye irritation

If you've ever dealt with allergic conjunctivitis AKA pink eye, then you know how irritating it can be. Luckily, it's chamomile tea to the rescue.

Pink eye is commonly caused by the inner part of the eye getting conflicted with allergens such as pollens and dust particles. The end result is a lot of inflammation, itchiness, and of course, a pink eye. Chamomile is a great natural antibacterial remedy since it acts as a great cold compress or even as an eyewash.

Simply brew and steep two tea bags for about five minutes. Then, refrigerate and apply as a cold compress on the eye. You can repeat this process three to four times per day for two to three days.

Tea isn’t just for sipping anymore. Add it to your beauty routine to reap the surprising benefits.