Why Is My Face So Puffy In The Morning?

I absolutely love my daughters’ morning faces. There’s something so sweet about their bedhead, their sweet sleepy eyes, and their rosy cheeks that just make me so delighted. My own face in the mornings? Well... she’s puffy. And it’s hard not to glance at myself in the mirror and think I resemble a slightly squished marshmallow. What is it about sleep that makes our faces so puffy in the morning? And is my deep desire to marry my facial ice roller actually rooted in anything, or is it just a placebo effect to freeze my cheeks every morning?

Why is my face so puffy in the morning?

While there can be a difference in face puffiness if you’re a person who needs to drink more water throughout the day or falls asleep after having a lot of sodium or alcohol, the bottom line is — your face is puffy in the morning because of fluid accumulation. “Overnight, fluid can accumulate in the face due to lying down for extended periods, slowing lymphatic drainage. Other culprits include high salt intake, alcohol, allergies, or hormonal fluctuations. The result? Morning puffiness, especially around the eyes and cheeks,” certified physician assistant Paula Brezavscek tells Scary Mommy.

It’s incredibly normal, and if you’re working on things like staying hydrated before falling asleep and avoiding alcohol or salt but still seeing puffiness, don’t panic. This is just what our faces do, and it’s best to just love your puffy morning face as much as you love your children’s.

But there are things you can do, too.

Can ice rollers help with puffiness?

Generally, your face will lose its puffiness throughout the morning as you move around and get your day started. But if you’d like to help the process along (and enjoy what feels like a spa treatment), you can use an ice roller. You can find these viral beauty tools virtually anywhere, and they are incredibly safe — and effective — to use. Dr. Brendan Camp tells Scary Mommy that an ice roller is safe to use daily, but you don’t want to overuse it. Since these items are stored in a freezer, being too excessive with it does have the potential to cause an ice burn.

“An ice roller is a fast, effective way to reduce puffiness, tighten pores, and calm inflammation,” Brezavscek tells Scary Mommy. “The cold constricts blood vessels, which helps minimize swelling and redness while boosting circulation for a refreshed, radiant look. It can also soothe irritated skin, reduce post-procedure redness, and even relieve tension in the jaw and temples.”

Camp agrees, sharing that an ice roller can bring great relief for those who are sensitive to or itchy from skin conditions like rosacea or sunburn.

Is there a right way to use an ice roller?

While my personal favorite is applying pressure to my forehead and even resting the ice roller on my eyes as I wait on my coffee, there is an actual correct way to use your ice roller. Brezavscek recommends rolling gently — especially if you have sensitive skin. You just need a few minutes of rolling in an upward motion, and that’s enough to refresh and depuff without overstimulating your skin.

“Always roll in outward and upward motions to encourage lymphatic drainage,” she says. “Start at the center of the face and move toward the jawline, ears, and temples. Be extra gentle around the eyes, where the skin is most delicate. Two to five minutes is all you need for a lifted, refreshed look.”

Can you avoid a puffy face in the morning?

Ice rollers just feel good regardless of how puffy your face is in the morning, but if you’d like to help reduce some of the fluid retention in your cheeks and around your eyes, there are some things you can do before bed. Camp says you can use an ice roller at any time, but using it at night can be especially relaxing. “They can also calm irritated skin after exposure to environmental stressors like UV radiation and pollution,” he says.

Brezavscek agrees, suggesting that a little bedtime ice rolling can calm and prep your skin for a restful night. But she also recommends sleeping with your head slightly elevated, cutting back on salty foods and alcohol in the evening, and staying hydrated to keep any fluid retention in check.

All in all, your face is bound to be a little soft and puffy in the morning. There’s nothing wrong with you, and while you can do some things to help avoid it, it’s pretty much inevitable to experience some puffiness around your eyes and in your cheeks. Just grab your ice roller, give yourself a little mini Elsa treatment, and enjoy the process.