Style Skincare Facecare 5 Easy Ways to De-Puff Your Face at Home Bloated face begone. By Melanie Rud Updated on March 20, 2023 Fact checked by Haley Mades Fact checked by Haley Mades Haley is a Wisconsin-based creative freelancer and recent graduate. She has worked as an editor, fact checker, and copywriter for various digital and print publications. Her most recent position was in academic publishing as a publicity and marketing assistant for the University of Wisconsin Press Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email We've all been there—you wake up in the morning, take a look in the mirror, and recoil in horror. Puffy face! There are many different factors that might be the culprit. "Facial puffiness is essentially caused by water retention, which can occur as a result of things ranging from hormones to diet to stress," explains Marie Hayag, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of 5th Avenue Aesthetics in New York City. More specifically, dehydration can be a major cause (and remember that caffeine and alcohol are both dehydrating), as can a high salt intake, points out Sydney Givens, PA-C, founder of Skincare by Sydney. (Hence why you wake up puffy if you've had too many chips and margaritas the night before.) A lack of sleep and allergies can contribute. The good news? There are easy things you can do, both to address the root cause(s) of the issue and to quickly de-puff when swelling does strike. 01 of 05 Drink more water. The body retains more water where it can (the face) as a response to the dehydrating effects. So first and foremost, take steps to reduce those effects. Watching your diet and drinking plenty of water throughout the day are the best ways to combat the causes of puffiness. For example, eat less salt, particularly right before bed. "Eating high-sodium foods at night makes people thirsty so they drink more water right before turning in. The water is retained by our bodies and gathers in different areas, including the face," explains Dr. Hayag. The effect is similar when you drink too much alcohol and/or caffeine. So, if you needed yet another reason to aim for that goal of drinking eight glasses of H2O throughout the day, this is it. 02 of 05 Change your sleeping position. Blame the basic laws of gravity: Sleeping on your stomach or side can lead to increased fluid retention—aka puffiness—in the face. Instead, try sleeping on your back with your head elevated on an extra pillow. Dr. Hayag says that this simple tip is one of the best ways to wake up noticeably less swollen. RELATED: This Is the Best—and Worst—Sleeping Position for Facial Aging 03 of 05 Use cold water. Tamp down puffiness by lowering the temperature. Dr. Hayag suggests washing your face with cold water, running an ice cube across your face, or applying a cold compress to "instantly constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling." We're also big fans of using the Esarora Ice Roller ($19; amazon.com). 04 of 05 Reach for a tool. Face rollers are all the rage these days, and their benefits are legit. Rolling one across your face stimulates lymphatic drainage, getting all that stagnant, excess fluid moving towards the lymph nodes where it can be carried away, says Dr. Hayag. For the best results, roll in a lateral motion, moving away from the center of your face, towards the lymph nodes, which are located along the jawline and in front of the ears, advises Givens. This will be even more effective if you stash your roller in the fridge or freezer, she adds, noting that jade rollers are especially good because the stone retains the cold quite well. One to try: Herbivore Jade De-Puffing Face Roller ($30; sephora.com). 05 of 05 Look for eye cream with caffeine. Puffy eyes are a super common complaint because the skin here is so thin, says Dr. Hayag. All of the above tips and tricks can help, but consider picking up a caffeine-based eye cream, too. "The caffeine constricts blood vessels and diminishes puffiness as a result," she says. Being deliberate with the application can further enhance the benefits. Givens suggests applying three dots to the undereye area and gently massaging it in with your ring finger in sweeping motions. Bonus points if you can find a product that has a built-in metal applicator to help massage it in even more effectively. RELATED: The 15 Best Eye Creams Dermatologists Actually Swear By Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Real Simple is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Sundelin T, Lekander M, Kecklund G, Van Someren EJ, Olsson A, Axelsson J. Cues of fatigue: effects of sleep deprivation on facial appearance. Sleep. 2013 Sep 1;36(9):1355-60. doi: 10.5665/sleep.2964.