BLOG 102: 5 WAYS TO REDUCE EYE WRINKLES WHILE YOU SLEEP

If we could watch your face while you sleep, we would probably be surprised by how much we move it about. Most of us crease up our faces and scrunch our eyes as we sleep.

Over time, all that scrunching and creasing can cause eye wrinkles to deepen. This is especially true as we get older and start to produce less elastin and collagen to keep our skin firm and elastic.

In today’s post, I’m looking at five easy ways to reduce eye wrinkles while you sleep. I’m starting with some massage and facial exercises that you can make part of your evening or morning routine. Then I’ll move on to a couple of tools I like to use to prevent and reduce eye wrinkles. You can also follow this video on my youtube channel.

1. PULSING MASSAGE

This is such a simple move and can be very effective in reducing eye wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness.

Take the index, middle, and ring fingers of both hands underneath your eyes. Keeping the fingertips in contact with your skin, gently pulse your fingers for up to a minute.

You might want to apply some eye cream or a moisturising serum too before starting the massage.

You can do this at night before you go to bed, in the morning when you first wake up, or ideally both.

The massage helps to stimulate the lymphatic drainage, making this a lovely technique to use if you are prone to puffy eyes, especially first thing in the morning.

It also boosts blood circulation, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the skin. Not only will this help to prevent wrinkles, but it also reduces dark circles and eye bags.

2. FACIAL EXERCISES

Facial exercises strengthen and tone the muscles of our faces. In this case, we are particularly interested in the orbicularis oculi muscles – these are the muscles that encircle our eyes. They are responsible for opening and closing the eyelids and play an important role in our expressions.

As we strengthen the muscles around the eyes, we also lift, tighten, and firm the skin that attaches to them, reducing eye wrinkles.

Place one hand on your forehead. You want to move your eyes without wrinkling up your forehead, so your hand is there to help you keep this area still.

Keeping the rest of your face as still as you can, move your eyes to look up and to the right. Then look down and to the left so that your gaze is moving in a diagonal motion.

Continue to look up and then down for 30 seconds to a minute. As you do, focus on taking deep breaths through your nose.

Then switch hands and start to move your eyes in the opposite direction, looking from the top left to the bottom right.

How hard you find this move will depend on how often you use your eyes. Many of us find it surprisingly hard work, especially at first. This is because we tend to overuse our foreheads when we express, instead of moving our eyes. This can cause forehead lines. 

Strengthening the muscles around our eyes helps to retrain us to express with our eyes instead, preventing forehead lines as well as reducing eye wrinkles.

3. CRYOTHERAPY

Cryotherapy is cold therapy. It has many uses, including reducing inflammation and swelling, and providing pain relief.

Localised cryotherapy can also boost the health of our skin by increasing blood circulation and tightening the pores. It makes our skin look brighter and helps to reduce wrinkles.

Cryotherapy is especially soothing for the eye area. Our eyes can be prone to puffiness, especially first thing in the morning. Cold therapy reduces inflammation and can prevent swelling and puffiness.

The tools I like to use on my eyes are Fraîcheur Ice Globes. They combine cryotherapy with facial massage and are a lovely option for tackling puffy eyes. I was gifted a set but with no obligation to share – I talk about them simply because they really do work.

You can keep the Ice Globes in the freezer, but I usually just put mine in the fridge. You simply press the Globes gently under each eye and then roll outwards. 

If you are prone to puffiness, you might want to continue up and around to the corner of your eyes. I suggest keeping the Globes in the fridge instead of the freezer if you’ll be using them this way. They might be too cold for the delicate skin closer to your eyes otherwise.

I have a quick tutorial on using the Ice Globes to de-puff your eyes on my YouTube channel. I also have a discount code, so if you are thinking of investing, enter FACEYOGAEXPERT15 at the checkout for 15% off.

4. BEAUTY PILLOW

One of the reasons that sleeping tends to make eye wrinkles worse is that our faces get scrunched and pushed up by our pillows. Over time, those wrinkles get etched into our skin. This is especially the case for side sleepers like me.

One genius product that solves this issue is the Sleep & Glow Pillow. Long-time followers will have heard me mention this pillow before. I was originally gifted one, and I love it. I have two myself now, and my husband uses one too.

What makes this pillow special is its shape. It has two dips on either side so that it supports your head without compressing and pushing up your cheeks. This helps to reduce existing eye wrinkles and prevent new ones.

The Sleep & Glow Pillow is ideal for side sleepers. If you sleep on your back or are trying to train yourself to, they also have the Aula Pillow, which is designed for back sleepers.

Using the discount code faceyoga10 will give you $10 off either pillow.

5. USE A SILK PILLOWCASE

As well as using a pillow that won’t scrunch your face, using a silk or satin pillowcase can prevent eye wrinkles. 

Cotton pillowcases tend to grab at our face and hair, causing fine lines (and frizzy hair). But silk pillowcases are smooth, so they protect your skin while you sleep.

The Sleep & Glow Pillow comes with a silk pillowcase, so you can use them both together to prevent eye wrinkles.

LEARN MORE

For more beauty and wellness tips, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me on social media. I share regular Face Yoga and facial massage sequences, as well as wellness hacks to support you on your journey.

And if you’re ready to make your wellness a daily priority but aren’t sure how to start, my new book will give you everything you need to commit to self-care.

It’s called The Face Yoga Journal and it takes you through a full year. As well as 52 weeks’ worth of Face Yoga techniques, wellness hacks, and affirmations, it has plenty of space for you to make your own notes and track your progress.

You can order the book now via Amazon.