
I’ve tried serums like Plexaderm and Potentlift. BUT, this instant eye puffiness reducer works best! And helps hide criss-cross lines under the eyes too.
by: Linda Robison
Learn how to reduce puffy eyes with a gentle, instant lift serum. Look better, less tired, and rejuvenated in minutes without surgery.
This gentle under-eye serum helps tighten skin, reduce the look of mild swelling without irritation, dryness, or white reside. And, one application lasts all day. Keep reading below …

I’ve had “periorbital puffiness” since high school! For years, I struggled with puffy eyes that made me want to hide behind sunglasses.
Every morning was the same frustrating routine – setting my alarm extra early just to battle swollen lids with ice packs and cold cucumbers. I needed a gentle solution for my mature skin that would work quickly without causing irritation.
After 20 years of searching, I finally found an anti-fatigue eye serum that delivers instant results. Within 5 minutes, it works like a gentle girdle for my eyes, smoothing and lifting the whole area. Now I can look refreshed and wide awake all day, even when I’m tired.
So if you have issues with:
- swollen, puffy eyes
- under eye bags
- fine lines and wrinkles
- crepey skin on the lower eyelids
Like you, I’ve been disappointed with most eye-lifting serums. Many are too thick, drying, or irritating – especially for sensitive or mature skin. Before I share my solution, let’s look at what causes puffy eyes and some simple remedies.
What causes puffy eyes
Puffy eyes can result from many causes:
Everyday triggers include lack of sleep, allergies, high salt intake, and too much screen time. Health issues like sinus problems or thyroid conditions can also cause puffiness.
As we age, our eyes become more prone to puffiness due to less collagen and thinner skin, which allows fat pads to shift forward. Note: This is why I highly recommend doing under eye exercises to keep those eye muscles strong.
Additional factors include:
- Crying
- Sleeping face-down
- Alcohol consumption
- Dehydration
- Food allergies
- Seasonal allergies
- Eye strain
- Smoking
- Poor circulation
Fixes for mild swelling
For a quick fix, some of these simple DIY remedies might help. They never did much for me, but everyone is different so it’s worth a try, if you have time.
Here are a few simple DIY tricks to try:
- Cold Compresses: Apply cool tea bags, cucumber slices, or a chilled spoon under your eyes for a few minutes.
- Lymphatic Massage: Gently massaging the area can stimulate circulation and ease mild swelling.
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking water and cutting back on salty foods.
While these tips are helpful, the effects can be temporary and may not fully address stubborn puffiness—especially on aging, delicate skin.
That’s where the EES serum shines. It offers an all-day solution to quickly smooth and lift, helping you look refreshed without irritation.
The serum solution for under eye swelling:
Good News!
Refusing to give up, I kept searching for a serum that really worked. I spent a ton of money and tried almost every product on the market! 🤔
And I’m happy to say I finally found a solution to reduce the look of swelling and crepiness for the entire orbital region.
And this serum is super gentle.
Full Disclosure:
I am a distributor for the EES serum. I’ve been testing and trying puffy eye serums for over 20 years.
In 2012, I bought this product on-line and fell in love. So, I contacted the owner and asked how I could offer this product to my website visitors.
He was kind enough to work with me and the rest is history!
I still test other eye serums and share my results on this site. But EES, is still by far the best for dry, delicate or mature under eye skin.
How to reduce puffy eyes – Solution
I found a serum called EES that helps to “tuck” and gently tighten the delicate skin around the eyes and reduce temporary puffiness. And this serum works without irritation.

Note: This picture has not been altered. The serum tends to “blur” the look of wrinkles and smooth out the area.
I simply smooth a pea size drop under the eyes and let it soak in for about 5 minutes. That’s it. And my friends love it too!
Watch this video of my friend reduce the appearance of her very deep bags. Her results are amazing!
How it works to de-puff and revitalize your look
This lightweight, clear serum helps firm and lift the area. The result is a difference between looking tired and looking refreshed.

Step 1: Simply swipe a pea size serum on clean skin across the whole puffy area.
Step 2: Let it dry for a few minutes.
AND, the best part, unlike other products, you can easily apply this over your favorite moisturizer. You just need to let the moisturizer absorb for a few minutes before applying it.
See more tips below for the best results.
Before and After Pictures: puffy bags are gone
Here is another before and after picture.
In the photo on your left, you can see the puffiness and the dark shadows it causes. In the photo on your right, the area is smoother and brighter.

Other treatment I’ve tried for swollen lids
Over the last 20+ years, I can honestly say I’ve tried every solution for periorbital puffiness, including:
- getting enough sleep
- using an extra pillow
- reducing alcohol intake
- vitamin C creams and even hemorrhoid creams
But none of these treatments worked very well to reduce the appearance of my puffy lids.
Note: The lymphatic massages helped reduce the swelling, but it took a while. It’s worth giving this a try, if you have the extra time because it can also help reduce fluid retention and slim the lower face and double chin area.
What are the best over-the-counter products for puffy eyes?
Serums: Serums seem to work the best for lifting and reduce puffiness. But many come with uncomfortable side effects that can leave the skin feeling irritated.
Most were too drying, too sticky, left a white powdery residue, or cracked when you smiled. At least that’s been my experience.
Check out my complete and extensive page: Review and Comparision of Potent Lift vs Plexaderm, Peter Thomas Roth, And Other Popular Eye Serums!
Creams: While they may feel hydrating and help with crepey skin, they do not reduce swelling as firmly as serums can.
Gels: I’ve tried them all, even the popular and very expensive LifeCell eye gel. While it felt good and was cooling, it did nothing to tighten or lift under-eye area.
Bottom line: Is LifeCell worth the money? No, not for me.
Why this under-eye serum is different
What I like about EES is:
- not thick, drying, or sticky
- it does not leave a whitish residue, unless you use too much
- it’s easy to work with
- it has a light, flexible, gel-like consistency
Plus, unlike most other eye lift serums, you can apply this serum on top of your favorite moisturizer or makeup.
This is important if you’re a man or woman over 40 and have dry under eye skin. We need our moisturizer, right?
How to reduce puffy eyes with the EES serum: Tips for best results

You only need to apply it once a day and it will last for 10-12 hours.
For me, it’s even lasted after a 2-hour long sweaty workout, as long as I don’t rub the under eye area.
Important Tip: After washing and drying your face, apply an eye moisturizer, sunscreen, makeup, etc., then wait a few minutes until all products are absorbed. The puffy eye serum works better that way.
If you use a lot of oily products around the eye area, consider lightly blotting the area with a tissue before applying the serum.
Once the other skincare products have had time to soak in (about 5-10) minutes, I do following steps:
- swipe a pea-size drop of the EES serum across the puffy part of the under-eye area.
- While the serum is absorbing, try not to smile or crinkle the under eye skin. Some people feel a bit of tingling as it works to shrink and lift the skin.
Want to reduce puffy eyes – give the serum a try
How to reduce puffy eyes in one minute? Give this serum a try!
I urge you to try the Easy Eye Solution Serum. This has been my favorite remedy for puffy eyes since 2012.
Also read more about Under Eye Treatment tips for more ideas on how to use this serum.
FAQ: How to reduce puffy eyes
A: I haven’t found one yet. First, puffy eye creams never worked for me. The consistency and ingredients in firming serums usually work much better than creamy products.
But, the problem is, many serums work too well and tend to over-dry or irritate the skin. Products like Plexaderm and Potentlift work really well to hide under eye puffiness. But, they tend to peel or leave a whitish cast.
That’s why I like the Easy Eye Solutions serum and have been a fan of it for over 12 years.
A: Well, you can spend a few minutes with cold compresses on your eyes. But, this could take up to 30 minutes to see results.
Personally, I use the EES (Easy Eye Serum) first thing in the morning. It helps reduce the look of puffiness and that crinkly looking skin we often get on top of the cheekbones.
The serum takes about 5 minutes to dry, so it’s pretty fast. Much faster than sitting around with ice cubes on your eyelids. 🙂
A: If you want quick results to reduce the look of crepey under eye skin, try the serum mentioned on this page. It will reduce the look, temporarily.
A: Hyaluronic acid can help hydrate the skin, but will not have an effect in reducing excess fluid under the eyes. A good puffy eye serum can help reduce the appearance of puffiness, and a facial stimulating massage can help reduce and move excess fluid away from the under eye area.
A: I’ve never had a cream that reduced puffy eyes. I’ve even tried creams (and made my own at-home) with caffeine or coffee grinds. But, I never saw quick results.
Eye puffy creams might work over time, but I’m always looking for a quick fix, so I can go about my day and look refreshed, not tired.
A: Yes, tea bags can help a little, but it might take 20–30 minutes to see results. Tea bags contain natural compounds, like tannins and caffeine, that have anti-inflammatory properties.
And, if you use cold tea bags, the cool temperature can also help constrict blood vessels, reduce swelling, and alleviate puffiness.
A: Taking antihistamines is the best if you get swollen eyes from allergies. An under eye serum can also help.
A: Try cold compresses. This includes: cold tea bags, cucumbers, cold spoons, ice packs, frozen peas… Anything cold can help reduce swelling.
You can also try massaging the eye area and when you’re done, apply a good eye lift serum for an instant lift.
A: Some say that since witch hazel helps reduce inflammation, it can help reduce puffy eyes, if the puffy eye cause is due to inflammation.
Witch hazel contains tannins that have astringent properties and can cause blood vessels to constrict or tighten when applied to the skin.
However, witch hazel (and the tannins they contain) can be very drying and can irritate delicate under eye skin. This is a case where each individual needs to find out what works for them.
I’d proceed with caution.
A: I would proceed with caution when applying witch hazel for puffy eyelids. You might want to do a skin test first to make sure it doesn’t irritate.
If you still want to try it, here’s what you can do:
Pour a few drops of witch hazel onto round cotton pads. Then close your eyes and place the pads over your eyelids. Leave in place for 10–20 minutes. Rinse well and apply an eye cream.
A: Thermalift is an in-office cosmetic procedure that helps tighten and lift the skin. How it works: A special device heats up the skin, which encourages it to produce more collagen, a natural substance that keeps our skin firm and youthful.
It’s not intended for reducing puffy eyes. But it might help reduce puffiness in the area due to lymphatic drainage. Also, if the skin is tighter, the puffiness may not be so visible.
However, if your puffy eyes are due to bulging fat pads, only a lower blepharoplasty surgery can help. That’s where the surgeon removes the excess fat and tightens the skin.
Answer: Sometimes under eye puffiness can cast a shadow above the cheek bone which can look like dark bags or dark circles under the eyes. If you reduce the puffiness, you can reduce the look of shadows or dark circles under the eyes too.
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