Textural changes are a natural effect of skin ageing, but some concerns are more prominent than others – like under-eye bags. So, what are bags under eyes?

Eye bags are a type of mild swelling or puffiness beneath the lower lids of the eyes. Under-eye bags can appear temporarily because of lifestyle triggers or they may take up permanent residency beneath your skin – often due to ageing and genetics.

While age-related eye bags can be especially stubborn, it is possible to diminish their appearance with the right care. From lifestyle tweaks to supportive skincare products, find out what to use for bags under eyes to reduce skin swelling.

What causes bags under eyes?

The causes of under-eye bags typically fall into two categories: natural ageing and genetics, and fluid retention caused by lifestyle factors. Let’s take a closer look at each category.

Natural ageing and genetics

Your skin’s natural collagen and elastin decline over time, meaning there is less structural support to keep the skin under your eyes taut and plump.

When skin becomes thinner, it can make the underlying fat and fluid more prominent. Weakened under-eye muscles also cause fat pads to protrude from the lower lid. If your family has a history of under-eye bags, you are also more likely to develop them with age.

Fluid retention from lifestyle triggers 

Under-eye bags can be related to a wide range of lifestyle triggers, including:

• Lack of sleep, which can cause fatigue and affect the skin’s natural circulation and lymphatic drainage.

• Alcohol consumption, which can dehydrate the body and impact fluid distribution under the eyes.

• Smoking, which can restrict blood flow to the under-eyes and cause puffiness. Over time, smoking can also cause collagen and elastin to break down, affecting your skin’s natural firmness and elasticity.

• Medical conditions – such as seasonal allergies – can cause bags under eyes.

• High-salt diets can cause excess water retention and lead to under-eye swelling¹.

How to get rid of eye bags: 5 skincare and lifestyle tips

While age-related eye bags can’t be removed entirely, you can take a dual skincare-lifestyle approach to reduce their appearance.

We recommend using skincare ingredients that constrict blood vessels, hydrate, and stimulate collagen alongside lifestyle habits that minimise fluid retention around the eyes.

Below, you’ll find five tips on how to reduce bags under eyes.

1. Use a caffeine- and retinol-infused eye cream

Topical caffeine is regularly formulated in skincare for under-eye bags because it has vasoconstrictive effects on thin skin – which helps tighten and de-puff skin². Retinol is another powerful ingredient worth adding to your skincare routine since it’s known for its ability to stimulate collagen production to promote firmer skin.

The best under-eye cream for bags – like the Redermic R Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream – will include a combination of both ingredients. This under-eye cream is designed to specifically combat signs of fatigue, including wrinkles around the eye contour and under-eye swelling. Pairing caffeine with pure and slow-release retinol helps remove bags under eyes and leave skin visibly smoother and firmer.

2. Incorporate a hydrating eye serum

When the skin is lacking moisture, it can make under-eye bags look more pronounced and give the skin a more ‘sunken’ appearance. You can help improve skin laxity and re-plump the skin surface with a nourishing eye serum like Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Eye Serum.

This powerful serum is formulated with two types of hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate the skin surface, vitamin B5 to reinforce the skin moisture barrier, and a 10% dermatological eye complex containing caffeine, niacinamide, and Hepes to re-plump the eye contour and reduce puffiness.

3. Seek out skin-firming ingredients

The breakdown of structural proteins such as collagen and elastin are a major contributing factor for what causes bags under eyes.

However, you can support smoother, denser, more resilient skin with firming ingredients such as retinol, as well as vitamin C and peptides. These two powerful ingredients both stimulate collagen synthesis to support firmer, more ‘lifted’ skin.

As a bonus, vitamin C also offers antioxidant protection from free radicals, which can prevent further collagen depletion.

4. Get at least seven hours’ sleep per night

Your skincare routine can only take you so far; sleep is fundamental to skin health.

After all, there’s a reason it’s dubbed “beauty sleep” – because your skin does most of its cell repair while you’re sleeping¹. Sleep also helps with your skin’s lymphatic drainage, and not clocking enough hours can result in puffier under-eye bags³.

Be sure to get at least seven hours of sleep each night to help remove bags under eyes. When you’re upright all day, gravity causes fluid to accumulate under the skin. However, getting enough sleep with a slightly elevated head helps reduce fluid from pooling under the eyes and encourages blood vessels to return to their normal size

5. Eat a balanced diet

As we touched on above, your diet can have a direct impact on the appearance of your under-eye bags.

To help minimise your exposure to lifestyle triggers that compromise the texture and laxity of your skin, here are some general guidelines to reduce puffiness:

• Limit your alcohol consumption

• Cut out smoking

• Reduce your salt intake

• Drink plenty of water

Cumulative lifestyle stressors are a big part of what causes bags under eyes, but did you know that the habits you form now can contribute to other visible signs of ageing? Next, we unpack another common ageing concern: marionette lines.