Eyes Swollen from Crying? Try One of These 13 Home Remedies

A cool compress can help reduce swelling. Simply grab a clean washcloth and wet it with cool water. Sit up in bed or in a comfortable chair. Hold the cool washcloth to the skin under and around your eyes for a few minutes.

If you’re using a frozen cold compress, make sure to wrap it in a clean, dry towel. Never apply ice directly to your skin.

Cucumber slices can also help soothe puffy eyes and reduce swelling. Take a cucumber from your fridge, give it a wash, and cut off two 1/4-inch slices. You can save the rest of the cucumber for snacking. Lie back and keep the slices on your eyelids until they’re no longer cool.

Tea bags combine a cool compress with de-puffing caffeine. Most varieties of black, green, and white tea contain caffeine. There’s some evidence that it can penetrate the skin, reduce swelling, and increase circulation.

To try this method, wet two tea bags, refrigerate them for 20 minutes, and then place them on your eyes for 15 to 30 minutes.

You can work to increase blood flow to the affected area by gently tapping or massaging around your eyes. The pressure from your fingers may help move fluid away.

Use the soft pads of your fingertips to make tapping or sweeping motions around the contours above and below your eyes. The skin in your eye area is delicate, so be extra gentle and avoid dragging or pulling. You can try using a gentle eye cream to help your fingers glide over your skin.

You can try this for several minutes. But if you notice any pain or irritation, stop right away.

You may have witch hazel hanging around in your medicine cabinet. This astringent can help with inflammation and redness, making it a good choice to treat puffiness. But it’s best to avoid getting the liquid directly in your sensitive eye area.

To use, lightly wet a cotton pad — you do not want it to drip — then press the pad gently onto your upper cheek, away from the lower eyelid.

Take a second to read the product label first to check if it’s safe to use near your eyes.

Items like facial rollers and gua sha tools can help you massage your skin. They’re often used with a facial oil or serum to glide over your face.

Some say they can help with circulation or help your skin care product absorb. And tools that feel cool to the touch might help with puffiness.

If you happen to have a roll-on eye serum in your skin care stash, now might be a good time to give it a try. The cool metal ball can feel soothing when it’s swept over your undereye area.

Always use a light touch when applying a massage tool to your eye area, and stop if you notice pain or irritation.

Again, cooling down the eye area can help reduce puffiness. Try chilling your favorite face cream or other products, such as eye cream, before applying. But remember, keep products that are not eye-safe away from your direct eye area.

Eye drops can be used to help with dryness and irritation. Other varieties are intended to reduce redness that you experience with crying or allergies.

To avoid causing more irritation, use eye drops only as directed on the label. Using them too often can make your symptoms worse.

Also, many formulas are not recommended for people who wear contact lenses. Read labels carefully and be prepared to take out your lenses before using eye drops.

If your eyes are not too sore for eyeliner, you can try adding some to enhance the whites of your eyes.

A “tightline” is a technique that’s similar to tracing the waterline. It’s sometimes called “invisible eyeliner” because it simulates the natural area of darkness in your lash line.

Gently wiggle your liner of choice along your upper lash line. You may need to do a “dot-dash” to get the whole way across, and then softly blend the line.

This look can help your eyes appear brighter. But consider keeping makeup away from your lashes and waterline if your eyes are feeling extra irritated.

The skin under your eyes can look darker after crying. You may also have redness around your nose or other spots on your face. A good concealer can help mask these telltale signs and give you a refreshed look.

You can also consider using a green concealer to help neutralize redness. Green is the opposite of red on the color wheel, leading the two colors to cancel out. You can apply concealer to affected areas and blend well using your fingers, a brush, or a sponge.

Adding color to other areas of your face may distract from redness around your eyes and nose. For example, you can apply blush to your cheeks and add your favorite lip color.

This can help you to look livelier and draw attention to other parts of your face.

Grab a tall glass of water and keep drinking. Water infuses your whole body with hydration. Although you may have heard that you should drink eight glasses of water per day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there’s no exact recommended amount for U.S. adults today.

The amount of water you need depends on your age and other health factors. You can also get some of your hydration from other foods and drinks you consume. But as the CDC explains, drinking water is a great way to protect your health.

If you don’t like plain water, you might try squeezing in a bit of lemon. You can also use slices of cucumber or your favorite fruit to flavor your water.

Although tears are not bad for your skin, over time, they have the potential to cause dryness. Rinsing them away with cold water can help. Use a soft towel to gently pat your skin dry.

When needed, you can also use a face wash. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using an alcohol-free cleanser that is free from physical exfoliants.

But keep in mind that washing your face more than twice per day may actually make dryness and other skin problems worse in the long run.

Your skin may feel dry and itchy after crying. To help your skin recover, the AAD says that this is the right time to reach for your moisturizer.

Once you’ve finished cleansing your skin, apply a moisturizer right away. Doing so will help further lock in moisture. Read the product label before getting any products too close to the direct eye area, and be extra gentle when touching the skin around your eyes.