A nice cup of tea can feel like it’s able to solve all of your problems, and making a delicious beverage is not the only use for a tea bag. You might have heard of the benefits of placing them over your eyes, but does it actually work? Do tea bags help dark circles under the eyes?
Although the science is relatively limited, tea bags are believed to reduce the appearance of dark circles under your eyes, and they can have other benefits besides. They can reduce redness and puffiness too, and may help to treat issues like styes, and pink eye.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about this particular health trick so that you can give it a go yourself and start soothing your eyes today.
Do Tea Bags Actually Reduce the Appearance of Dark Circles?
There are so many different home remedies out there that seem to be based on no science whatsoever, so you might be surprised to hear that placing tea bags on your eyes does actually work!
Not only is it likely to reduce dark circles, but applying tea bags to your eye area can have many other potential benefits besides.
How Do Tea Bags Help Dark Circles Under Eyes?
The science behind this cheap and easy home remedy is relatively simple. To understand how it works, though, you need to know what is causing the dark circles to appear in the first place.
One of the main reasons why you see a dark coloration below your eyes is because the blood vessels have become dilated and are more visible through your skin. The caffeine within a tea bag helps to narrow the blood vessels around your eye, which constricts blood flow and lessens the visibility of dark circles.
Additionally, tea bags can help to reduce puffiness around the eye, which reduces the amount of shadow that is darkening the area. Black, green, and white tea bags are generally best for treating dark circles, rather than herbal teas.
What Other Health Benefits Can Tea Bags Provide for Your Eyes?
If you’re not convinced by how beneficial a little tea bag treatment can be, let’s take a look at the other positive effects that you can expect! There are quite a number of advantages to placing different tea bags over your eyes, and it can help to treat:
Inflammation and Swelling
If you’re struggling with bags under your eyes as well as dark circles, this remedy can help with that as well. The caffeine in a tea bag doesn’t just lessen the appearance of dark circles, it can also reduce swelling and puffiness, as well as make the skin around your eyes more taught.
Besides the caffeine, there are also antioxidants in black and green teas (flavonoids and tannins) that have anti-inflammatory properties. Tannins can help to make the skin tighter and draw fluid away, which will reduce puffiness as well.
Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye
Pink eye, technically known as conjunctivitis, can be partially treated with tea bags as well. They can be used to reduce the dryness, irritation, and inflammation that occurs with the condition. Calendula, chamomile, and fennel tea in particular are believed to help treat this particular problem.
Styes
Styes are painful, red lumps that appear around the eye, and they can be very unpleasant to deal with. A warm tea bag can encourage the pus to release and help a stye to heal, as well as reduce the overall swelling and irritation.
Redness
If your eyes are looking red or bloodshot, this means that the blood vessels have become irritated. Tea bags can help to reduce this irritation and the anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile, rooibos, and green tea, in particular, are good for lessening any swelling.
Rosacea
If you struggle with blushing and flushes that are commonly associated with Rosacea, a tea bag treatment can help. The anti-inflammatory properties of a tea bag can help to soothe the skin and reduce redness.
Dryness
Warm tea bags can be a great way to help the skin around your eyes to stay moist and healthy. It can also help your glands to release oil, which will improve your tear ducts’ ability to produce moisture.
How To Apply Tea Bags To Your Eyes
Not only can a tea bag treatment be beneficial for many different reasons, it is also incredibly easy to do! There are two basic ways that you can apply tea bags to your eyes that have different positive effects, and both are very simple.
Cold Compress:
This method is best for reducing the appearance of dark circles, treating swelling, redness, and puffiness, soothing conjunctivitis symptoms, or easing minor injuries.
- Steep two tea bags for 3-5 minutes
- Squeeze out the excess liquid
- Leave them until cold, or place them in the refrigerator
- Place them over closed eyes for 15 to 30 minutes
Warm Compress:
This method is best for reducing dryness and inflammation, draining a stye, or helping to release oil build-up in the glands.
- Steep two tea bags for 3-5 minutes
- Squeeze out the excess liquid
- Let them cool to room temperature
- Place them over closed eyes for 15 to 30 minutes
It is important that you don’t place tea bags over your eyes while they are still hot, and make sure to remove them if you feel any discomfort, pain, or irritation.
Do Different Tea Bags Treat Different Eye Problems?
The type of tea that you choose will have an effect on the sort of benefits that it might provide. Black tea bags, green tea bags, and white tea bags are best for reducing the appearance of dark circles as they contain antioxidants and caffeine.
Certain herbal teas like lavender and chamomile, on the other hand, can be better for treating inflammation and irritation.
Recap: Do Tea Bags Help Dark Circles Under Eyes?
So, do tea bags help dark circles under the eyes? There is evidence to suggest that they do, and many people swear by this cheap and easy home remedy for many more conditions as well.
The caffeine and antioxidants in tea bags can help to reduce dark circles, shrink bags under your eyes, soothe redness, lessen puffiness, and they can even relieve some of the symptoms of issues like styes and pink eye.
It’s cheap, safe, and easy to do, so why not try it out for yourself?
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.