Wake up call

I'm taking a bit of a different angle on this week's topic of BAGS. Let me start out by asking the question, "Who's tired?" It's OK if you raise your hand. No one will know what you're doing unless they're looking over your shoulder this moment. If you're like me, the BAGS under my eyes make my current state of mind quite obvious.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume I'm not alone. Who can blame us? Whether our exhaustion comes from working, mommy-ing, playing (the good kind of exhaustion), or simply the result of a foolish decision to stay up way past our bedtime, it can show on our faces, and in my case it does!

So what to do? All sorts of expensive serums, surgeries, acupuncture and gadgets claim to take away the evidence of our exhaustion. But I'm not exactly in the market for one of these:

(eye massager - what the ???)

Anyway, I decided to try a couple of home remedies and give you my review.

• Of course, you've seen the old cucumber-slices-on-the-eyes trick. Place a slice on each eye for 15 minutes. The coolness will help under-eye tissues contract. Pro: inexpensive, cooling sensation, effective. Con: must repeat several times a day to retain effectiveness.


• Tea bags. Ironic that you would use bags to get rid of bags, eh? This is my favorite remedy. After getting your daily antioxidants from your tea (this is one of my favorites), place two used tea bags in the fridge and apply one to each eye for 15 minutes. Pro: inexpensive, feels good, stays on eyes better than cucumbers because you can really fit it on your eyes, effective. Con: same as cucumbers. And you look sorta freaky, so make sure your little kids aren't around to see Mommy with black eyes.


• Diet. I'm not a big salt-craver, but I've been more aware of the sodium levels in my diet. Salt can make you retain water, and under your eyes is one place it likes to settle. Drink ample water to flush salts and toxins from your system. Pro: looking and feeling good. Con: none, other than the discipline to monitor what you're putting in your body, but we should be doing that anyway.


• Hemmorhoid cream. This is one I haven't tried, but I've heard it touted as a viable and effective treatment. It works to constrict the tissues just like it does for the *ahem* original intended use. Apply it under your eyes twice a day. Pros: less expensive than pricey eye creams, effective, less applications needed. Cons: getting it in your eye, and living with the knowledge of exactly what you're putting on your face!

What tried-and-true remedies do you use to keep yourself looking awake, refreshed and glowingly radiant? You know you have some secrets to your beauty regime, so spill it. And here's to looking and feeling gorgeous!