Ask the Expert: How Do I Avoid Waking Up With Puffy Eyes on My Wedding Day?
Question: When I don’t sleep, I wake up with crazy puffy and creased eyes, and I just know I’m barely going to sleep the night before my wedding. When I wake up looking like an alien, what can I do before my makeup artist arrives to try and fix it?
Answer: Once you’ve got the puffiness, no amount of cucumbers, tea bags, ice or specialty skin care will actually reduce it, says local makeup artist Béke Beau, but there are some precautions you can take to avoid getting too puffy in the first place. “A good night’s sleep—but not oversleeping—is the best way to prevent puffiness,” she says, “plus avoiding salt (which can cause fluid retention) and alcohol.” Sleeping on a wedge pillow or with your head elevated is also a big help.
Consider this, too: If you have allergies that can cause puffiness, it’s best to talk to your doctor in the months leading up to your Big Day to find a medication that will help your symptoms.
Although creams and eye masks won’t make much of a difference on the morning-of, Beau suggests staying upright, getting a bit of exercise and drinking caffeine (for its diuretic properties) as ways to help drain the fluid around your eyes.
And if all else fails, your makeup artist will come to the rescue. “Your makeup artist should use a darker-than-normal concealer under the eye to help the puffiness recede visually, and then you can absolutely count on your photographer to work some post-production magic.”
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