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Have you ever woken up in the morning and found your eyes or even your entire face to look... puffy?
You'll know that simply splashing cold water on your face and applying cucumber slices or a cold spoon on your eyes, doesn't really work.
But why is that?
And what really causes the face and eyes to swell overnight?
And what can you do to get rid of that puffiness so you can start your day looking fresh and well-rested?
Here are some interesting Ayurvedic tips and tricks you can try!
What causes “puffy” eyes, according to Ayurveda?
The eye is the jewel of the body and in Ayurveda, the eyes are considered to be the seat of fire, and connected to the fiery dosha associated with it, Pitta.
When your eyes are too fatigued or overworked, this enrages Pitta to go out of balance which leads to redness, burning and other similar discomforts.
To compensate for this, Kapha, the dosha associated with the elements of water and earth, takes charge but also ultimately revs up, and ends up causing puffy eyes in the morning!
With respect to the eyes, Ayurveda maintains that it’s both a Pitta and Kapha imbalance that leads to a puffy and swollen appearance.
To revive your tired-looking eyes, you should care for them in such a way that it brings down both Pitta, element of fire or heat, and Kapha, the element of water and earth, to a naturally balanced state.
In today's article, we'll share some tips and tricks so you'll be better equipped to tackle that puffiness!
The first tip may not be for everyone (don't worry, there are more further down on this page) because it's a truly Ayurvedic practice that's almost unheard of in the West!
And that is...a Triphala eye wash!
Triphala is an Ayurvedic trio combining three different herbs: Amalaki (Indian Gooseberry), Bibhitaki (Beleric Myrobalan) and Haritaki (Chebulic Myrobalan).
It is generally known as a one-pot solution as it’s equally useful in skincareand haircare, according to ancient Ayurvedic texts.
Triphala has an instant cooling and refreshing effectand helps with extreme stress and fatigueof the eye as it soothes and calms their puffy appearance.
The original practice involves actually washing the eyes with Triphala, but we wouldn't recommend doing that at home without the supervision of a practitioner.
So here are the steps for an easier way to still get the puffiness-reducing benefits!
If you can't find Triphala powder at your nearest supermarket and if you prefer a less complicated and easy-to-use method but still want the age-old wisdom of Ayurveda, you can also try Ajara's Tulsi Mint Tonifying Eye Gel.
This polyherbal formulation is specifically prepared to ensure that you won’t ever have to deal with tired-looking or fatigued eyes. A small dollop of it is all you need to revive your eyes in a few minutes, quickly, without taking up all your time in the morning.
Infused with the freshness of both mint and tulsi (both of which have soothing properties for the skin around your eyes), all you need is no more than one squeeze of the pump under your eyes and around them, to enjoy calm, depuffed-looking eyes easily with an added sparkle and energy now!
Or, if you’d like to add a difference to your night-time under-eye routine, you can also try Ajara Sandalwood Rose Eye Butter, that gives your eyes a superior and effective care specially to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes and under-eye bags.
Enriched with the ‘Ayurvedic superfood’ - ghee or clarified butter, this gold-hued emollient is truly a ‘pot of gold’ to soothe, moisturize and even-tone the delicate under-eye area!
Now, you can also get both these together in Ajara Eye-Am-Special Eyecare Duo for a round-the-clock care that will make sure that your skin around the eyes look healthy, dewy and moisturized in a dazzling puffy-free look!
If you can't find Triphala powder at your nearest supermarket and if you prefer a less complicated and easy-to-use method but still want the age-old wisdom of Ayurveda, you can also try Ajara's Tulsi Mint Tonifying Eye Gel.
This polyherbal formulation is specifically prepared to ensure that you won’t ever have to deal with tired-looking or fatigued eyes. A small dollop of it is all you need to revive your eyes in a few minutes, quickly, without taking up all your time in the morning.
Infused with the freshness of both mint and tulsi (both of which have soothing properties for the skin around your eyes), all you need is no more than one squeeze of the pump under your eyes and around them, to enjoy calm, depuffed-looking eyes easily with an added sparkle and energy now!
Or, if you’d like to add a difference to your night-time under-eye routine, you can also try Ajara Sandalwood Rose Eye Butter, that gives your eyes a superior and effective care specially to reduce the appearance of puffy eyes and under-eye bags.
Enriched with the ‘Ayurvedic superfood’ - ghee or clarified butter, this gold-hued emollient is truly a ‘pot of gold’ to soothe, moisturize and even-tone the delicate under-eye area!
Now, you can also get both these together in Ajara Eye-Am-Special Eyecare Duo for a round-the-clock care that will make sure that your skin around the eyes look healthy, dewy and moisturized in a dazzling puffy-free look!
GET THE EYE-AM-SPECIAL EYE-CARE DUO, HERE!But have you noticed that at times, you get this kind of puffiness not just around your eyes but all over your face?
Well, there’s help for that too!
What does Ayurveda say about a “puffy” face?
Sometimes, puffiness can occur not just locally around your eyes but also generally affecting your entire face.
Usually, such kind of puffiness is attributed to lack of or oversleeping, too much or too little activity, sun sensitivity, various medical and physiological conditions and even your diet!
But here, we will be focusing on the occasional swelling of the face which you get off and on, overnight.
So, let’s see...
What causes this puffiness?
According to centuries of vast knowledge in Ayurveda, one of the eight components of physical examination include studying a person’s form or ‘Akruti Pariksha’. In Ayurvedic terms, this also extends to facial examination.
In Ayurveda, conducting a quick ‘Akruti Pariksha’ would help you assess what your body and mind need in order to regain their balance and to be nourished.
If your ‘Akruti Pariksha’ reveals that you have a swollen or “puffy” face in the morning, then that is because of edema or ‘Shotha’ , which occurs due to accumulation of fluid or water retentionduring the night.
As about 60% of your body constitutes water, lying down at night causes this to rest and collect around your face which makes it appear swollen in the morning. Apart from this, your respective sleeping positions (did you know that sleeping on your belly increases the chance of puffy-looking face?), allergies or even medical conditions may result in puffiness.
But that’s not the end of the story!
Ayurveda also explains puffiness with respect to an imbalance of the three doshas.
Yes, the doshas come into play again!
How do the doshas reveal themselves in your face?
In Ayurveda, any change to the skin or the body is identified as an imbalance of the 5 fundamental elements of nature: Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. According to Ayurvedic ideology, these 5 elements are found in a unique combination in each human body that manifests itself in the form of 3 Doshas or causes – Vata (Space +Air), Pitta (Fire + Water) and Kapha (Water + Earth).
Since we know that Kapha dosha exhibits ‘heavy’ characteristics, an imbalance of Kapha dosha is primarily responsible for the accumulation of fluids that make your face appear swollen and puffy in the morning. Though rarely, it can occur due to imbalances of Pitta, such as with the eyes, as seen above, and occasionally due to Vata dosha too.
Knowing this integral connection now makes you better equipped to deal with most changes on your face... including puffiness!
Now that you understand how puffiness develops, you see exactly why using a cucumber, cold spoon or a tea bag alone won’t reduce puffiness in the morning!
So what can you do to naturally reduce the look of a puffy face?
Ayurveda recommends a number of solutions to make sure you have a healthy, normal, puffy-free appearance in the morning. We have curated a few of the easiest and most affordable ways to help you out with this:
Lepas
Application of ‘Mukha Lepas’ or face packs made of herbal paste is a helpful way in which you can quickly reduce puffiness of the face. It is specifically recommended in Ayurveda as a simple and effective skincare treatment, that uses rejuvenating herbs for a nourished and healthy appearance. In fact, Ayurveda maintains this so highly that it has a specific field of study called ‘Lepa Kalpana’ that directs the theories and practices of applying herbal pastes.
Not only do they significantly reduce the swollen look but also moisturize the face and give it a bright, illuminated appearance that is much needed in the morning.
Lepas work best when the puffiness is due to the excess of Pitta dosha, as they cool down the fiery-feel of the face too. For this reason, Ayurveda suggests a Mukha Lepa that specifically contains sandalwood, among other herbs as it easily soothes the puffy look and brightens your appearance.
For a quick remedy:
For more professional and effective help, you can also try iYURA Chandaluna Moon-Like Glow Face Lepa that is prepared using not just the goodness of pure sandalwood but also other invigorating herbs such as Indian Plum, Nutgrass and Indian Barberry!
Each of these herbs, besides calming the face and reducing the puffy look, also contributes to cooling the skin, removing uneven-looking skin tone and it even provide a delicate support to mature skin types, in its own special way.
iYURA Chandaluna Moon-Like Glow Face Lepa comes in easy-to-use single sachets that make you never wake up fearing a puffy-looking face, even while you’re travelling - your own little piece of all-in-one skincare!
What’s even more fascinating is that you can customize this face lepa according to your preferences, skin types and moods by mixing it using anything from plain water to milk or even honey!
Abhyanga
Abhyanga or “self-massage” is a therapeutic technique in Ayurveda that involves carrying out a relaxing massage on your face or body, using oils. For depuffing the look of your swollen face, you can use your fingers but make sure they're clean and well-washed before you start.
Start with your index and middle fingers in a gentle J-like motion from behind your jawbone. Continue for about 3 times following this pattern. Make sure that you’re neither just grazing your skin nor crushing your lymphatic tubes as your fingers glide along.
Next, move to your neck, using a downward sliding motion from your neck to your collarbone. This is to drain the accumulation as much possible. It is vital that you don’t forget your neck as this is where the excess fluid finally drains out of.
Finish your abhyanga ritual in a circular motion but with firm pressure, starting across your forehead to your temples and to your cheeks. And then, with ease, you can massage under your eye inward to outward.
Ensure that you have left out no part and that you repeat each motion 5-7 times.
Or, if you want to upgrade your abhyanga, try the Kansa Massage Wand for a calm, relaxing and spa-like experience even when you’re depuffing your face in the morning. Not only does it help reduce the puffy appearance but it also provides a revitalizing effect for a pleasurable and relaxing experience. This all-natural, non-electronic (no batteries, no wires) massage wand will give you a smooth and tightened look while it helps reduce the puffy appearance and any accumulation of fluids in the morning.
Follow the same manner of massage using the Kansa Wand.
To support the gentle gliding motion of the wand and for extra support and a brightened look, apply iYURA Kesaradi Oil to the face before the massage begins. Enriched with the all-time best nourishing herb, Saffron, this oil is Ayurveda’s perfect solution for a dewy, glowy look in the morning right before you start your day.
Together, these two make a dream-team to ward off any look of puffiness and bring an even-toned shine, at the same time!
Turmeric
Yes, you read it right! Turmeric does indeed help depuff the face too! Besides its obvious use in flavoring and cooking, this ‘Golden Spice’, when used in the right way, not only reduces puffy appearance of the face but also brightens the very look of your skin, especially in the morning.
If you’ve highly sensitive skin that is prone to frequent breakouts and acne, and have been searching for a simple depuffing trick, you’ve hit jackpot! The answer to all your troubles is just one powerful herb – turmeric!
To reduce the look of a swollen face with puffiness:
Remember to use only a very small amount of turmeric in this mixture as it is yellow-golden in color, it may temporarily stain the skin if left long. We also advise you to do a patch test such as in the corner of your jaw.
Being one of the most nutritious herbs in existence, turmeric also revives your skin to provide a natural and healthy glow. It even contains bioactive compounds that help tighten the look of your skin for a firm, younger-looking golden glow almost instantly!
Or, if you prefer a quick fix but still want the glorious effects of natural turmeric, you can also try iYURA Turmerisa Double-Turmeric Facial Essence, imbued with the goodness of Turmeric and Indian Barberry!
Use as little as 3-4 drops of this oil every morning to massage your skin to activate it so that your puffy-looking face turns into a glowy, energized one in just a few minutes!
Besides, it also contains other youth-boosting and skin-firming herbs such as Manjishtha or Indian madder and licorice; both of which help maintain the right balance of Pitta dosha, responsible for skin flareups.
If the thought of applying makeup on any day when you’ve just depuffed your face makes you cringe, here’s the perfect tip for you - Ajara Turmeric Tangerine Youth Concentrate!
This uber-light formula for mature, aging skin is so effective in moisturizing and restoring the natural balance of your skin, you literally need only a very small amount.
As a final touch to make sure that your face is fully depuffed and well-taken care of, you can apply a little bit of this concentrate, as a light protection, before applying makeup, for a silky-smooth feel and perfectly moisturized look.
Or, if you prefer a quick fix but still want the glorious effects of natural turmeric, you can also try iYURA Turmerisa Double-Turmeric Facial Essence, imbued with the goodness of Turmeric and Indian Barberry!
Use as little as 3-4 drops of this oil every morning to massage your skin to activate it so that your puffy-looking face turns into a glowy, energized one in just a few minutes!
Besides, it also contains other youth-boosting and skin-firming herbs such as Manjishtha or Indian madder and licorice; both of which help maintain the right balance of Pitta dosha, responsible for skin flareups.
If the thought of applying makeup on any day when you’ve just depuffed your face makes you cringe, here’s the perfect tip for you - Ajara Turmeric Tangerine Youth Concentrate!
This uber-light formula for mature, aging skin is so effective in moisturizing and restoring the natural balance of your skin, you literally need only a very small amount.
As a final touch to make sure that your face is fully depuffed and well-taken care of, you can apply a little bit of this concentrate, as a light protection, before applying makeup, for a silky-smooth feel and perfectly moisturized look.
Shilajit
Shilajit or Asphaltum is a wonder component that is actually a herbo-mineral revered in Ayurveda as a ‘Destroyer of Weakness’ for its incredible capacity to help the body regain its internal balance. This seldom heard-about substance is a completely natural element that occurs primarily in the mountains by way of being compressed over long periods of time.
It has, for long, been recommended in Ayurveda as a natural substitute to help with puffiness and swollen look of the face too!
As an additional benefit, Shilajit is also given a sanctified status for its power to stimulate body’s natural metabolism and help improve gut health, which indirectly helps your outer skin stay healthy too. As Ayurveda holds that your skin reflects your inner health, taking care of it is not just an option but an integral part of your well-being.
But are you confused how you can include Shilajit to your healthy Ayurvedic routine?
We’ve got it for you right here!
Now in the form of easy-to-consume caplets, Ayuttva Shilajit Rejuvenative and Dietary Supplement brings to you Shilajit in all its original glory without compromising its innate properties at all!
To get an optimum benefit, all you need is just 2 capsules a day, in the morning, right after your breakfast, preferably with a glass of milk.
This 100% natural, non-GMO, GMP certified supplement is not only your dependable means to never wake up with a puffy-looking face but also the perfect step to incorporate in your Ayurvedic lifestyle for improving your general health too!
If you’re still not feeling confident that you can tackle puffiness or if you’re experiencing puffiness frequently, don’t worry at all.
We’ll help sort it all out!
As we’ve already opened the box of Ayurvedic secrets about puffiness,
we thought why not just tip over all the useful knowledge in there...
So, we’ve curated a custom Ayurvedic routine for you that you can follow every day to avoid waking up to see a stranger staring back at you when you look in the mirror.
Kick-start your mornings following these 3 simple Ayurvedic steps
that go beyond your usual cleanser-toner-moisturizer drill, to enjoy a balanced and healthy routine!
1. Exfoliate using a gentle scrub
Ayurveda recommends that skincare should start with a gentle clarifying process that won’t strip your skin of its natural oil or hydration levels. The best kind of natural scrubs are those derived from whole grains and cereals as they have an innate quality to revitalize your tired-looking skin as it naturally comes power-packed with nutrients.
For a wholesome experience, you can try Ajara Lavender Licorice Restorative Exfoliator.
It comes in a natural mix of the best of best - Oat + Barley kernel flour, both of which are known for their reparative properties. This natural scrub is also a Pitta-pacifying unique blend enriched with organic licorice root powder, which helps reduce the puffy-look substantially.
Plus, for an added soothing effect, this exfoliator is also infused with lavender flower powder to sweep away all your worries while also imparting a calming aroma.
To use, all you need is to add water to make it into a creamy paste for your gentle exfoliation.
2. Spritz a calming mist
To get a gentle, soothing glow, after your exfoliation, you can spritz a cool mist that has a serum-like light texture and feel ultra-soft on your skin. Since, puffiness occur mainly due to the imbalance of Kapha dosha that is aggravated by Pitta dosha, the element of fire, such a cooling mist will surely pacify Pitta while it also keeps your face refreshed and glowy throughout the day.
Moreover, the therapeutic benefits of Ayurvedic herbs, in a mist-form, gives you an all-round coverage and optimum protection needed before you start your day.
For a natural and effective but easier way to nurture your skin, you can try Ajara Cucumber Calendula Revitalizing Toner
The Cucumber Calendula Revitalizing Toner is perfect for Kapha skin, or for Pitta types that also experience excessive oiliness. The soothing qualities of cucumber help soothe redness and oil, leaving the skin feeling clean and refreshed, and also light enough to not even feel that you’ve sprayed it on!
Plus, this toner also contains the best of the two most calming ingredients revered in Ayurveda – Cucumber and Calendula - both known to promote relaxation together with a deep, rich energizing aroma.
3. Nourish with a face oil
Oils are hallmarks of Ayurveda as they’re the primary means of skincare on which everything else is built.
For best results, Ayurveda recommends that the healthiest option would be to choose an oil that is rich in hydrating-herbs that also work well to give a perfect glowy sheen over time.
Using an oil also gives you an excuse and a reason to massage your face. This is a crucial element of Ayurvedic skincare and essentially recognized to be not just soothing for the skin but also highly effective in maintaining the tone, firmness and youthful look of your face.
Consider it a lavish indulgence of few minutes of self-care where you just allow your body and mind to be.
For an immersive spa-like experience every day to top off your mornings, you can try iYURA Varanya Pure Black Seed Even-Toning Facial Potion
It is enriched with the richness of the Triple Black Seed Brightening Specialist, a perfect face oil to balance Kapha dosha responsible for puffiness and swollen-looking face in the morning.
This vegan face oil with the glorious effects of the esteemed Ayurvedic herb, Nigella Sativa, helps your lusterless or dull-looking skin become even-toned, brightened and attain a matte-like complexion. With this particular face oil in your skincare routine, you won’t have to deal with puffy-looking skin deprived of a raw, healthy glow!
Armed with these sure-to-work Ayurvedic tips and tricks, not only will you never EVER see a puffy-looking face in the morning, but you can also enjoy a healthy-looking, silky-smooth and glowy skin that fetches you compliments all day every day!