Bag those bags

Oct 04, 2008 (The Arizona Daily Star - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- DDS | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or so believes Lynnie Bradley, owner of Blue Jewel Bodycare.

Bradley prides herself in seeking out beauty products for her customers and being able to sleep at night knowing she's recommending only the safest remedies. But when it comes to those nasty under-eye circles, Bradley warns it's better to avoid the causes in the first place:

--Get lots of sleep.

--Don't let yourself get dehydrated.

--Watch your intake of salt.

--Avoid sun damage, which can thin the skin around the eyes.

Once the damage is done, Bradley recommends applying a blend of cyprus, lavender and jojoba oils twice daily around the eye area to reduce puffiness. The oils can be found at most aromatherapy stores, or look for products that contain them.

"The under-eye area is one of the first places (next to the hands and neck) to show sun damage and age," said Ilkin Cheyenne Senner, a counter manager at Dillard's at the Tucson Mall. "The tissue under the eyes is different. It's thinner and blood vessels are closer."

Senner recommends eye creams that are specifically for dark circles under the eyes and says to pay attention to the ingredients. Good products do more than treat just one issue, she said. They also offer firming, anti-aging, brightening and lightening properties.

Looking for another place to browse for skin-care products? Sephora Inside J.C. Penney has just opened at Tucson Spectrum near West Irvington Road and Interstate 19.

Angela Pittenger / Arizona Daily Star Courtesy of Origins Angela Pittenger / Arizona Daily Star Angela Pittenger / Arizona Daily Star Chris Richards / Arizona Daily Star 2002

Cucumbers

--Where it's found: Grocery stores.

--Price: Varies.

--Why it works: You may not look as cool as a cucumber, but try placing cool slices over your eyes for 10 minutes while you lie down. The cucumber has natural lightening properties that help discoloration under the eyes, said Lynnie Bradley, owner of Blue Jewel Bodycare. The coolness also soothes skin.

No Puffery

--Where it's found: Origins (go to origins.com for Tucson locations).

--Price: $21 for 1 fluid ounce.

--Why it works: Contains yeast extract to de-pouf puffs, brighten and lighten dark circles. Hoelen mushroom extract, aloe vera and cucumber extract calm surrounding skin. Caffeine protects delicate eye area against environmental damage. Calming essential oil blend of rose, chamomile, lemon and orange help soothe skin.

La Prairie Cellular Revitalizing Eye Gel

--Where it's found: Dillard's at Tucson Mall.

--Price: $145 for 0.5 fluid ounce.

--Why it works: Reduces chronic puffiness and under-eye darkness, smooths lined areas. Ingredients include cucumber extract and caffeine.

Temps Majeur Yeux

--Where it's found: Dillard's at Tucson Mall.

--Price: $120 for 0.5 fluid ounce.

--Why it works: Temps Majeur Yeux is part of the new line of Yves Saint Laurent beaute (beauty products) -- available only at the Tucson Mall location. The product's main ingredient is Ganoderma Lucidum (mushroom of the eternal youth), which "relaunches the production of collagen and elastin in skin," said Crystal Douglass, beauty adviser for Yves Saint Laurent at Dillard's. It also uses almond protein to help hydrate skin.

--Pro tip: Apply by gently patting on the bone under the eye using your ring finger. The ring finger applies the least amount of pressure and patting doesn't tug the skin tissue.

Giveaway

Did you find a stranger looking back at you in the mirror this morning? Well we won't talk about that -- let's talk about getting rid of those puffy dark circles under your eyes. We're giving away two products, thanks to Origins and Dillard's at the Tucson Mall.

To celebrate the introduction of its new Yves Saint Laurent beauty product line at Dillard's, the store has given us a jar of its Temps Majeur Yeux under-eye cream. The half-fluid-ounce container retails for $120 and contains a mushroom ingredient and almond extract to treat and hydrate skin.

We're also giving away Origins No Puffery under-eye cream. The 1-fluid-ounce container retails for $21 and contains natural products not tested on animals.

Enter at azstarnet.com/contests by 9 a.m. Monday, and we'll randomly select two winners.

Black tea bags

--Where it's found: Grocery stores, markets, tea shops and some coffee shops. (Make sure you look for tea bags and not loose leaf tea.)

--Price: Varies.

--Why it works: It's the caffeine, baby. Place used black tea bags in the fridge to cool down. Place on eyes for 10 minutes while you lie down. Lynnie Bradley, owner of Blue Jewel Bodycare, said the caffeine opens the capillaries in the skin around the eye to increase the blood flow and movement, thus reducing swelling.

Kinerase Under Eye Rescue

--Where it's found: Available online at Sephora.com; other beauty lines also are available at the new Sephora Inside J.C. Penney at Tucson Spectrum.

--Price: $75, 0.7 fluid ounce.

--Why it works: "The Kinerase Under Eye Rescue is popular for clients who want to reduce the look of under-eye circles and puffiness," said Jerry Hutchinson, Sephora Pro Beauty Team Expert, via e-mail. The product contains kinetin, which treats visible signs of aging, and aloe vera, which soothes the skin. Additional ingredients help alleviate the appearance of under-eye circles and reduce noticeable wrinkles.

--Contact reporter Jennifer Sterba at jsterba@azstarnet.com. or at 573-4179.

To see more of The Arizona Daily Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.azstarnet.com. Copyright (c) 2008, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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