A treat for tired eyes

Hi ladies! Today I thought I would discuss something that affects most brides during the week of their wedding; lack of sleep which equals puffy, tired looking eyes. After the week I just had full of meetings, tastings, weddings and an engagement party I threw for my friends (and assistant) Taryn and Greg, I was completely worn out. My sleep was interrupted many nights dreaming about my DIY projects and a bit of anxiety if everything would go well. Yes, even the pros go through that! By the morning of the party, I was starting to look like I was suiting up for a football game with eye black under my eyes.

The good news is I have many products in my arsenal that allowed me to treat and repair the look of my eyes by the time the party began last night. So, here are the products and tools I recommend for any bride (or anyone who ever deals with these issues):

1) Gel Eye Mask: This is something I keep in my fridge at all times. Sometimes I wake up with just puffy eyes, and I like to put an eye gel on (will discuss further below), and place the cool gel mask over it. I lay on the couch for about 10 minutes while I boil water to make some green tea. It's nice to relax if you can for a few moments and have some time to yourself, especially if it's the morning of your wedding. By the time I see some of my brides, they look like they've been on a week long bender, and most say they didn't sleep the night before whether it was anxiety or their bridesmaids keeping them up all night!

2) Origins No Puffery: I can never be without this product, and neither should any bride. I keep mine in the fridge also, and put the gel on for as long as I can when I wake up with that not so bright eyed look. Slather it on, put your coll gel mask over it, and ta-da, you are de-puffed. I don't recommend wearing it during the day, it can be a little too tacky under makeup.

3) Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller: This is a brand new product that I have instantly fell in love with. It's perfect for a quick treat if you don't have time for the treatment discussed above. It is a small tube of gel with a roller dispenser on the top, so you quickly spread it back and forth under your eyes, and the cooling sensation of the roller and the treatment gel seem to de-puff and diminish the dark circles. You can even toss it in your purse, this is a must have!

4) Shu Uemura Depsea Moisture Replenishing Eye Mask: This is a product that the participants on the September bridal tour got to take home in their goodie bag, and it's such a treat! It is a hydrating, fresh sheet mask that intensely moisturizes dehydrated areas of the eye in just minutes. The shape of the mask perfectly covers the eye contour to significantly minimize the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. This is something easy to throw on your eyes as you get out of the shower, before you put on makeup.

5) Stay hydrated: Since this is free, you would think we as women would do it more, but the truth is, when we are stressed and overly busy, we don't drink enough water or eat well. That's why if you can keep a bottle of fresh water with you throughout the day, you can try and combat that sleepy look from within as well. With more water intake, make sure to keep the alcohol intake that week down as well, as it causes sleep disruptions, bloating and puffiness.

So, those are my tricks of the trade for keeping your eyes looking as good as you do in your wedding dress! They say that the eyes are the first to age us, and you want to look as fresh and youthful as you can in your pictures.

Here is a picture at the end of the party last night of me, the beautiful bride-to-be, Taryn, and my boyfriend Joe. We had a great time, and I'm looking forward to posting the professional photos here soon!

As always, happy planning!

Cheers,
kathryn