If a gua sha feels like too much effort, a device can do some of the work. They are the bigger commitment in this edit, and they all work best with regular use.

NuFACE's FIX MicroWand is a small microcurrent device, made to visibly depuff under the eyes, plump lips and smooth lines. Microcurrent sends a very low electric current through the skin, and a few minutes on each area is enough. Shani Darden's Facial Sculpting Wand uses sound wave technology on crow's feet and the lines around the mouth, for skin that looks firmer and smoother.

THOME's The Glow is a professional-grade ultrasound device, which the brand says is clinically shown to visibly firm, tighten and brighten. It is the most serious tool here, and it rewards patience. Give it a month of regular use before you decide whether it is for you.

Cold is the fastest depuffer of all. Shark's Depuffi is a hot and cold contrast tool that visibly depuffs and contours in a few passes, and it is the one I would use the morning after a salty dinner. Shark's CryoGlow is an under-eye mask that combines cooling with LED light to soften the look of fine lines.

With any device, use a conductive gel or a slippery serum so it glides, move slowly upward and outward, and stop if anything stings. Results build over weeks, so do not judge a device on the first try. In my experience, the clearest change is around the eyes, which simply look more rested.

A massage handles the morning. An eye cream keeps the area looking fresh for the rest of the day, and the best depuffing ones rely on caffeine, peptides and a cooling texture.

The Ordinary's Caffeine Solution 5% with EGCG is the simple one, a water-based serum for puffiness and dark circles. The INKEY List's Caffeine eye cream adds peptides, light and hydrating. Kiehl's Avocado Eye Cream is richer, with avocado oil to hydrate and brighten, better for dry skin.

Sunday Riley's Auto Correct pairs caffeine and watermelon with light-reflecting particles, so it brightens as soon as it goes on. Caudalie's Resveratrol-Lift eye cream is a fragrance-free gel with peptides that visibly lifts the eyelid area. Clarins' Total Eye Lift uses harungana, a plant-based retinol alternative, for lines, dark circles and puffiness. Fresh's Lotus Youth Preserve eye cream is light and depuffing, and Dieux's Auracle serum uses algae extracts and peptides to hydrate and smooth.

Keep your eye cream in the fridge. Cold on its own tightens and calms, and a chilled cream turns application into a tiny massage. Tap it on with your ring finger, from the inner corner outward, instead of rubbing.

Puffiness also comes from what happens before bed. Salt, alcohol and sleeping flat can all make it worse, so an extra pillow and a glass of water may do as much as any cream.

A daily habit beats an occasional long session. Two minutes most mornings, on clean skin with a few drops of face oil or serum so the tool glides. Start at the neck with light downward strokes to clear the path, then work from the center of your face outward: from the chin along the jaw, from the nose across the cheeks, and from between the brows out to the temples.

Use feather-light pressure, since lymph sits just under the skin. Keep stones clean, skip massage on broken or inflamed skin, and enjoy it for what it is, a calm start to the day and a face that looks a little more awake.