THE JOURNAL
Illustration by Mr Calum Heath
A little too much food, a lot of alcohol and fun-induced lack of sleep will a puffy face make. Our social calendar during the holidays is the perfect recipe for bloating, but fear not, we have collected some expert tips and tricks that will be your saving grace – and save face – during and after this holiday season.
01. Treat yourself
The most effective way to get your cheekbones back, your chin snatched and eye bags smoothed is to treat yourself with a sculpting facial treatment. Ms Sharin Shafer, founder of Skinfluencer clinic in Chelsea, London, suggests her Signature facial for an all-in-one brightening, exfoliating and de-puffing treatment. It includes a massage for lymphatic drainage which helps circulation, rids toxins and sculpts your face. “It also features a laser peel to remove dead skin cells and stimulate cellular turnover,” she says. “As well as an enzyme peel and LED light therapy – all of which help reduce puffiness.”
Face Gym’s “workout” facials also provide quick and easy sculpting results with no downtime, making it a great option for getting yourself extra chiselled for an event during the party season. The Signature Sculpt treatment uses EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) technology, ie, electric pulses that work hard to depuff and contour the face.
Dr Yannis Alexandrides, founder of 111 Harley Street and 111SKIN, suggests the Endermologie treatment at his clinic. “It’s a non-invasive mechanical massage treatment, which is detoxifying, depuffing and rejuvenating for both the face and body,” he says. “Through stimulating the circulation, water retention is eliminated to help reduce bloating water weight and puffiness. It’s been shown to increase circulation 300 times more effectively than a regular massage.”
This is a good option as it also involves no downtime, however it will require a few visits for long-term effects. “For best results, we recommend doing an initial course of 10-12 treatments, twice a week. Once desired results are achieved, you can do it once a month for maintenance.” Alexandrides also adds that drinking a lot of water and dry brushing will provide optimum results.
02. Treat yourself at home
If, among all the social events of the season, you don’t have the time for an in-clinic treatment, we’ve got you. Some of the most effective depuffing tricks are done at home.
Face Gym’s education manager Ms Ellie Clark is a big fan of massaging tools. “Gua sha is a great tool for puffiness as it literally translates to ‘scrape away’,” she says. “It’s best to use this daily in the morning to give your system a kick start, and make sure you drink a glass of water before you get out of bed.”
Clark adds that tapping the face is also a good technique to break down the stagnate fluid and aid detox in the face, and applying anything cold on the area will take down any inflammation. “I would always recommend more tools and massage moves and then home remedies like chamomile tea bags, which are good for their natural anti-inflammatory properties.”
“The 111SKIN Cryo De-puffing eye masks are an excellent at-home and on-the-go treatment,” Alexandrides says. “Apply after cleansing for an immediate effect. They feel cool on the skin and help depuff around the delicate eye area. This is especially good if your eyes are feeling fatigued.” Shafer also suggests looking for an eye cream with anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as caffeine, ceramides and liquorice extract, which would really help reduce your eye bags.
03. Keep it flowing
“Eating more high-salt food than normal can create a less favourable environment for the gut microbiome,” says Dr Emily Porter, specialist gut health dietician at The Gut Health Clinic. This can contribute to fluid retention. Hydration is crucial, she advises. Drinking plenty of water will help the flow of your digestive system, and “herbal teas such as peppermint or ginger can also aid in digestion”.
“Pacing yourself is key,” she says, adding that opting for non-carbonated drinks without artificial sweeteners and alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be gentler on the stomach.
“Keep some kind of routine with your eating times and include some salad or vegetables alongside your leftovers to nourish your gut bacteria,” Porter says. “It’s important to not skip meals as that leads to overeating and bloating.”
And don’t eat too close to bedtime. “It can cause problems such as heartburn or acid reflux,” she says. “Leaving a few hours between eating and bed gives your stomach time to empty. If your body is busy digesting a recent meal, it isn’t focused on rest and repair overnight – eating early can improve sleep quality.”
04. Walk it off
“One of the simplest remedies to battle the bloat is to go for a walk,” Porter says. “This means your muscles have to work, drawing on the glucose from our blood, helping to bring blood sugar levels down. Walking can also stimulate the gut to get things moving, helping you feel less bloated.”
She adds that if you can’t get outside doing a yoga flow or a gentle stretch will relax your muscles, increase circulation and encourage your digestion.