How To Depuff Your Face: A 5-Step Morning Self-Care Beauty Routine

Follow this 5 step self-care beauty routine to reduce facial puffiness through proper hydration, massage, and cold therapy.

Ensuring you stay hydrated, using lymphatic drainage techniques consistently, and applying cold therapy can go a long way to remedying the underlying causes of puffiness.

If you constantly struggle with facial puffiness, you’ll want to make this 5-step depuffing approach a regular part of your self-care routine.

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Quick Summary:

The key is proper hydration, massage to stimulate lymph drainage, and cold therapy to constrict blood vessels. Even a few minutes a day can help prevent progressive puffiness!

1. Hydrate Properly- Drink plenty of water, especially first thing in the morning
2. Cleanse and Exfoliate- Use a gentle, anti-inflammatory cleanser and exfoliate with a caffeine scrub to boost circulation
3. Lymphatic Drainage Massage- Use light strokes to massage face and neck before applying cold treatment
4. Apply Cold Therapy- This can be an ice bath, ice roller or even and ice cube which constricts blood vessels to reduce puffiness
5. Finish With a Depuffing Mask or Treatment- Use a cold mask or quick serum to further tighten skin and reduce puffiness

What's Causing The Puffiness?

Waking up with a puffy or swollen face can be frustrating, but there are some common underlying reasons you can address if you deal with puffiness on a consistent basis

The Role of the Lymph System

Your lymph system plays a big role in facial puffiness. Lymph fluid transports waste and excess water in the body. When lymph drainage slows, fluid can accumulate in the face and cause swelling. Things like lack of sleep, high salt intake, allergies, and even sleeping face-down can impair lymph drainage and lead to puffiness.

Inflammation and Irritation

Inflammation caused by seasonal allergies, skin irritations, or simply from tossing and turning on your pillow at night. Anything that causes blood vessels to dilate and allow fluid into surrounding tissues can trigger facial swelling.

Traveling and Lack of Sleep

If you travel often, you might notice fluid retention and puffiness after getting off the plane due to long flights with little movement, jet lag, dry recirculated air, and changes to your regular diet or sleep schedule. The lymph system slows down when your body's routines are disrupted, causing fluid to accumulate.

Lack of adequate sleep is another major culprit of puffiness and under-eye bags. Not getting your full 7-9 hours means the body doesn't have time to fully repair and restore itself. Skimping on sleep increases inflammation and fluid retention, which can manifest as facial puffiness.

Why You Should Include Lymphatic Drainage As Part of Your Skincare Routine

If you consistently struggle with facial puffiness, you’ll want to make lymphatic drainage a regular part of your skincare routine.

How the Lymph System Works

As we mentioned, your lymph system is your body's drainage network, carrying away waste, excess fluid, and toxins. While our heart keeps blood moving through our circulatory system, there is no automatic pump to keep your lymph system moving. It relies on muscle contractions or physically moving the lymphatic fluid yourself to flow properly.

Stagnant Lymph Causes Puffiness

When lymph drainage is impaired, it struggles to keep up with clearing fluid from your facial tissues. Fluid can accumulate, especially around the eyes and cheeks. Boosting lymphatic flow will help transport trapped fluids and prevent ongoing puffiness.

Lymphatic drainage techniques manually stimulate the lymph system when you gently massage the face and neck. This helps boost circulation and minimize fluid buildup that causes puffiness. 

Consistent Massage Is Key For Reducing Puffiness

Lymphatic stagnation and puffiness can progressively get worse over time, so you’ll want to make a facial massage a consistent component of your daily routine to prevent fluid from building up excessively in the first place

A single lymphatic drainage session provides only temporary benefits. Even just 2-3 minutes a day will help. It's easier to prevent than eliminate existing swelling!

The 5-Step Morning Self-Care Beauty Routine to Depuff Your Face

Step 1: Kickstart Depuffing By Properly Hydrating

Drink Up- Your Body Holds Onto Water When You’re Dehydrated

Staying hydrated may seem counterintuitive as the first step to depuff your face, but it’s actually crucial.

When you’re dehydrated, the body tries to hold on to whatever water it can. This causes swelling as the fluid gets trapped in the face and around your eyes.

Drinking plenty of water is essential for proper hydration so you won't hold onto excess fluids, leading to puffiness.

If you wake up puffy, aim to drink at least 8 oz of water right away. Adding a pinch of Celtic sea salt can help to optimize hydration. The electrolytes in Celtic salt help the body absorb and utilize water more efficiently.

Try Hydrogen Water

You can also try adding a hydrogen supplement to your water. Drinking hydrogen-rich water may help to keep your skin hydrated and healthy by fighting off harmful molecules that can damage cells. Hydrogen-rich water acts as a shield for your skin cells for a more hydrated complexion.

Warm Lemon Water

You can also start your morning with a glass of warm lemon water. The vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine and antioxidant to reduce inflammation while helping to balance your body’s pH, which promotes good circulation and drainage.

Step 2: Start with a Clean Slate Exfoliate Dead Skin Cells

Start with a Clean Canvas

Before doing any depuffing treatments, it’s essential to start with completely clean skin. This ensures that any products used to treat puffiness, like serums or creams, are absorbed more effectively without the barrier of dirt, oil, or makeup, which can clog pores.

Choose an Anti-Inflammatory Cleanser

Puffiness is often caused by inflammation, leaving skin vulnerable. Use a gentle, anti-inflammatory cleanser containing ingredients like green tea, cucumber, chamomile, or calendula to soothe and calm the skin as you was your face.

Exfoliate with Caffeine To Enhance Circulation

After cleansing, exfoliate with a scrub containing caffeine to slough off dead cells and boost circulation. Caffeine will help to reduce fluid retention and swelling.

The process of cleansing and exfoliating will help stimulate blood flow to your face, which not only helps to nourish skin cells with oxygen and nutrients while removing excess fluid that contributes to puffiness.

Massage as You Cleanse

As you cleanse, use your fingertips to massage your face, working them upwards and outwards from the cheeks to the temples, then down the neck. This gentle massage starts the depuffing process. Rinse with lukewarm water before moving on to your lymphatic drainage massage.

Step 3: Give Yourself a Lymphatic Drainage Massage

After you’ve hydrated and prepped your skin, you’ll want to do a full facial lymphatic drainage massage, which is essential for moving the trapped lymph fluid while relieving muscle tension to improve your skin tone.

Be Sure To Massage Before Applying Cold Treatments

It’s important to massage before applying any cold treatments since applying cold will cause your blood vessels to constrict and decrease circulation. Decreased circulation reduces the lymphatic system’s ability to drain since it relies on fluid movement through vessels. Cold can also thicken the lymph fluid in your face, creating “sludge” that will be harder to move.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage 101

Really, all you need are your fingertips to get started.

Use light, sweeping strokes starting from the chin and working up around the mouth, cheeks, eyes, and forehead. Gently glide fingers down the sides of the neck to promote drainage. Always sweep toward the nearest lymph nodes around the chin, neck, and décolletage.

Finish by lightly tapping all over the face to boost circulation. We have a full, in-depth post on how to do a facial lymphatic drainage massage at home.

Our post How To Naturally Lift and Sculpt Your Face With Lymphatic Massage has a helpful video tutorial on how to do an effective facial massage on yourself.

Handy Massage Tools

To up your game, you might want to try incorporating a tool specially designed to promote lymphatic drainage. These tools mimic the motion of your fingers so you can get the most out of your lymphatic massage. 

Gua Sha Tool- Typically made from jade, rose quartz, or other semi-precious stones, gua sha tools are flat with curved edges.

• How It Works: Gua sha is used to perform a scraping technique that helps to move lymphatic fluids and increase blood circulation.
• Specific Benefit: It can specifically target different contours of the face, and the pressure applied can be adjusted to either be soothing or to work deeper into the facial muscles.

Jade Roller- a jade roller usually consists of a rolling stone attached to a handle. The stone can be made of jade, rose quartz, or other materials.

• How It Works: The roller is gently moved over the face in an outward direction. The rolling motion helps to reduce swelling and can also cool and soothe the skin.
• Specific Benefit: Rollers are excellent for reducing morning puffiness and can be easily used daily as part of a skincare routine.

Facial Cupping- Small, flexible silicone cups are used for facial cupping.

• How It Works: By creating suction on the skin, these cups can help to stimulate blood flow and encourage the lymphatic system to drain excess fluids from facial tissues.
• Specific Benefit: Facial cupping can target more specific areas with varying levels of suction, which can be beneficial for relieving tension in facial muscles and reducing puffiness

Facial Reflexology- This holistic practice involves stimulating specific points on the face that correspond to various parts of the body using a reflexology pen.

• How It Works: By applying pressure to these reflex points, facial reflexology aims to promote the flow of energy, enhance balance, and support the body's natural healing processes.
• Specific Benefit: It can improve lymphatic drainage, helping to detoxify the body, reduce facial puffiness, boost immunity, and promote relaxation, which may contribute to a clearer and more vibrant complexion.

Step 4: Take The Plunge- Depuff with Cold Therapy

Once you have prepped your skin and done your facial massage, applying a cold treatment to your face is one the most effective ways to immediately reduce puffiness.

The cold causes vasoconstriction, narrowing blood vessels to minimize the lymph fluid and swelling. It also constricts muscles to create a temporary lifted, toned appearance. Cold therapy also boosts blood circulation, which supports better lymph drainage.

Make An Ice Bath For Your Face

One of our favorite ways to quickly de-puff is to create an ice bath in a mixing bowl. You can do this by simply adding ice to a mixing bowl filled with water about halfway. You’ll want to leave additional room to prevent spillover.

Once the water is icy cold, take a deep breath and plunge your face into the ice bath as long as it is comfortable. If you experience any headaches or pain, stop immediately. It’s a little shocking at first, but it should feel good and give you a healthy glow.

Cold Therapy Tools

There are also a lot of ice therapy tools you can use to refresh tired, puffy skin. If using one of these tools, be sure to glide the ice tools around the face using outward motions.

Ice Roller- An ice roller typically consists of a gel-filled cylinder that is frozen and attached to a handle.

• How It Works: The cold roller is moved across the face, and the cold temperature helps to constrict blood vessels, which can reduce swelling and inflammation.

• Specific Benefit: Ice rollers are convenient and mess-free. They can cover a larger area of the face quickly and are often used to calm the skin after cosmetic procedures or to soothe irritation.

Ice Globes- These are usually glass globes with a liquid inside that retains cold when frozen or chilled. Be sure to pay attention to product packaging to determine if they can be frozen!

• How It Works: Once chilled, you roll or glide these globes over your face, and the cold surface helps to reduce puffiness and tighten the skin.
• Specific Benefit: The soothing motion of the globes can also help to relax facial muscles, and they are often used in professional spa treatments for their relaxing and depuffing effects.

Take Caution When Applying Ice Directly To Your Face

1. Avoid Direct Skin Contact If You Have Sensitive Skin: Do not apply ice directly to your face. Instead, wrap the ice cube in a thin cloth or use an ice pack with a protective cover to prevent direct contact with the skin.

2. Keep It Moving: When massaging your face with ice, keep it in constant motion. Do not let the ice rest on any one part of your skin for too long to avoid irritation, redness, or frostbite.

3. Be Gentle: Use light pressure while massaging your face with the wrapped ice cube. The goal is to soothe the skin, not to press hard, which can be damaging.

4. Moisturize Afterward: After icing, it's important to moisturize your face to prevent dryness, as the cold can strip moisture from your skin.

5. Limit the Time: Facial icing should not be done for extended periods. A few minutes is sufficient. Do not ice your face more than once a day.

If you have a sensitive skin type, broken capillaries, or are recovering from a facial procedure, you should avoid icing your face unless advised by a dermatologist.

Pay attention to how your skin reacts during and after icing. If you notice any adverse effects, discontinue use immediately.

Step 5: Extra Credit: Apply a Depuffing Mask or Treatment

After doing a lymphatic drainage massage and applying a cold treatment, you should start to see some visible reduction in puffiness, and you could stop your morning routine right here.

Perhaps you have an important event you want to look your best for or are just looking to give yourself a little pampering after a long night out. If you really want to amp up your routine, you can do a little extra credit with a depuffing mask or treatment.

Keep It Cool If you've just finished a face massage and used something cold to reduce swelling, a mask from the freezer can be a great next step. It feels refreshing and can help keep swelling down. For a mask that's a bit different, try the Dr. Jart Cryo Rubber Face Mask. These face masks fit snugly to your face and help calm puffiness, leaving your skin smooth.

Quick Serums If you're short on time, a fast-absorbing serum like the Youth to the People Clean Caffeine Energy Serum can be your quick fix. It's like a quick splash of cold water that wakes up your skin.

Caffeine for Your Skin A mask like the 100% Pure Caffeine Mask can also help. Caffeine tightens your skin and reduces swelling. It's like giving your face a brisk, energizing wake-up call.

Suggested Reading: The 5 Best Sustainable Makeup Brands for Every Skin Tone

Additional Self-Care Tips to Prevent Puffiness

1. Eat Mindfully and Reduce Salt Intake: High sodium levels can cause the body to retain water, leading to swelling. Following a low-sodium diet can help reduce puffiness.

2. Adequate Sleep: Ensuring you get enough sleep each night helps to prevent a puffy face in the morning.

3. Elevate Your Head While Sleeping: Use an extra pillow to elevate your head, which can help prevent fluid from pooling in your face overnight.

4. Limit Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol can lead to dehydration, which can cause the body to hold onto water and result in puffiness.

5. Allergy Management: If allergies are the cause of puffiness, managing them with appropriate treatments can help reduce symptoms.

6. Regular Exercise: Physical activity can improve circulation and help reduce water retention.

7. Cold Compresses: Applying a cold compress or chilled cucumber slices to the face can constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling.

8. Proper Nutrition: A balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce puffiness.

9. Consistent Facial Massage: Regular facial massages can encourage lymphatic drainage and reduce the appearance of puffiness.

This blog post was all about a self-care beauty routine to depuff your face. 

Waking up with a puffy face is frustrating! But there are some common underlying causes that you can address if you deal with puffiness consistently. Our 5-step morning routine can help banish puffiness for good.

Follow our 5-step plan to start your day puff-free. Proper hydration, cleansing, facial massage, cold treatment, and a depuffing mask will get your glow back.

Lymphatic drainage should become a regular part of your skincare. Even 2-3 minutes a day helps prevent fluid buildup and progressively worsening puffiness.

Banish morning puffiness for good! Try our 5-step routine and take control of the underlying causes. What morning puffiness remedies do you rely on? Share with us in the comments!

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