How Much Would You Pay to Banish Under-Eye Bags?

If you’re looking for ways to send your excess (eye) baggage packing, you only need $1. Or maybe you need $500. It all depends on which beauty route you want to take.

According to The Huffington Post, Neotensil, a brand-new product describing itself as Spanx for the eyes, promises to reduce bags under the eyes for several hours. Before you get too excited about the product, check out the price tag – a hefty $500 for a seven-week supply. And the results are short-lived – just 16 hours of reduced bagginess with each use.

Or you could always try the cheap route first – using cucumber slices or cold tea bags to reduce under-eye swelling.

Under-eye bags can be caused by a number of factors, but the bags come naturally as we age. Diane Berson, an attending physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital and an associate professor of dermatology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, told The Wall Street Journal:

You are not going to be able to control the normal aging process.

But you can exacerbate its effects by eating a high-salt meal, consuming a lot of alcohol or not getting a good night’s sleep, all of which can bring on puffiness.

Berson said the following remedies can help cover up or reduce eye bags:

• Creams. An SPF moisturizer throughout the day and a retinoid-based cream at night are a good start.
• Makeup and vitamins. Concealer or foundation is great for covering up, but make sure there’s no fragrance or chemicals that can cause inflammation. And supplements that contain vitamins B, C and E or soy can help, Berson said.
• Cool it. Cold compresses, like a cold caffeinated-tea bag, can reduce swelling. Caffeine helps cut down on swelling by constricting blood flow to the area. Cucumber slices can also help with puffiness and inflammation.
• Show me the money. In-office peels and laser treatments can be an option, as well as invasive surgery to help reduce the bags.

Berson said she also likes the expensive Neotensil product.

As a busy, stay-at-home mama, who averages about six hours of sleep a night, the dark circles under my eyes are so common, I hardly notice them. I cannot imagine spending $500 on a beauty product, period. Sure, I have an array of makeup, face lotions and a few impulse buys (exfoliating Dead Sea mineral facial peel, just to name one). But in the end, I’m well aware that I’m getting older, I don’t buy into most quick-fix beauty solutions, and I don’t think showing signs of aging is a bad thing.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “growing old gracefully” or, as a wise person might say, “growing old without buying a bunch of anti-aging and hocus-pocus serums that don’t work and put you in the poor house.”

Would you fork over $500 to send those under-eye bags packing? Share your thoughts below or on our Facebook page.