When my alarm dings at 8 a.m. these days, there’s a good chance I’m already up — and have been for the last seven or so hours. Like everyone else across the globe experiencing the effects of a pandemic, I’m not sleeping. And it shows.
Ever since March, I’ve noticed my undereyes looking a little more, well, noticeable. What may have been a faint hint of discoloration under my eyes has quickly developed into a case of chronic puffy, dark circles. The lack of sleeping, of course, doesn’t help. But when you add in the extra glasses of “coping wine” and my refusal to wear makeup in the comfort of my own home, my undereyes are left to their own puffy, purple devices. And in the grand scheme of things, they don’t really bother me, but now that I’m in Zoom meetings, staring at myself, for what feels like 12 hours a day, my newfound discoloration has slowly started to wear and tear at my confidence.
Luckily, I’ve discovered an easy “fix” — and it only takes 15 minutes to take effect. Introducing, the SkinMedica Instant Bright Eye Mask. These hydrogel undereye patches — formulated with glycerin to hydrate and antioxidant-packed golden root extract to increase circulation — plump up my tired eyes faster than the length of my morning news meetings.
The fuzzy, cloth-like patches are super easy to apply: just tear open the silver sachet and plop on the masks directly under your eyes. Then, wait 15 to 20 minutes for the de-puffing patches to do their magic. (You can also toss the masks into the fridge a few minutes before applying for a slight cooling effect.)
While my dark circles aren’t gone after removal (I’d like to thank my parents for this lovely hereditary gift), the discoloration and puffiness are definitely minimized, albeit for the short term. Considering I’m living life hour by hour during this uncertain time, short-term effects are all I can really ask for these days.
You’ll find the SkinMedica Instant Bright Eye Mask in our November 2020 Allure Beauty Box.
You can follow Allure on Instagram and Twitter, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.