Make it yourself:
Relaxing Herbal Eye Pillow

This little eye pillow blocks light and provides slight weight and pressure, which will relax the eyes and facial muscles, thus removing tension, stimulating circulation, and relieving mild headaches. If you have a sewing machine and can stitch a straight seam, you can easily make your own version that matches any store bought ones.  You can wash the cover without having to clean the entire pillow.

1/4 yard (23 cm) silky, natural, washable fabric (silk or cotton is best)
1 cup (250 ml) flaxseed
1/2 cup (125 ml) lavender flowers
3 drops essential oil of lavender (optional)

Yield:  one eye pillow

To Make:

1.  Choose a fabric in a color that is soothing to you.
2.  Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, and trace the eye pillow and cover patterns onto the wrong side of the fabric.  Cut on the lines.
3.  With right sides together, stitch a 1/2 inch (1 1/4 cm) along the long sides and one end of the pillow.  Turn right side out.  Stitch the two long sides and one short end of the cover as well.  Hem the edges of the open end of the cover by hand or machine.  This end stays open so that the pillow slides in and out with ease for cleaning.
4.  Mix the lavender and flaxseed (adding the scent, if desired).
5.  Stuff the pillow with the flower and seed mix.
6.  Hand-sew the remaining side closure.

To Use:

1.  Squeeze the lavender and flaxseed in the eye pillow to release the soothing lavender scent.
2.  Place the eye pillow in the washable cover.
3.  Place over the eyes while relaxing or receiving another treatment.

CUCUMBER EYE PACK

Cucumbers have long been known to soothe puffy eyes.  We've all seen in magazines the models with cucumbers on their eyes.  It doesn't get much easier than this!1/4 cucumber

Yield: 1 treatment

To Make:
1. Slice 5 to 10 extremely thin slices and use several on each eye.

To Use:
1. Spritz eye area with water.2. Lying down, place cucumber slices on eyelids and leave in place for 5 to 10 minutes.

VIOLET EYE CREAM

Tired of spending a fortune on eye creams?  this recipe is great for tired, puffy, or irritated eyes - or just for day-to-day makeup removal.  This exquisite formula is very popular.  The blue chamomile essential oil is expensive (approximately $50 for 1/2 ounce).  It's high in azulene - an anti-inflammatory agent extracted from chamomile flowers - and it's very soothing to the delicate area around the eye.  It is not crucial for the recipe... but if you can afford the indulgence, it is a great addition.
If you are allergic to chamomile tea... leave it out.

1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh violet flowers
1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh violet leaves
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) almond oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh horsetail
2 tablespoons (30 ml) beeswax
10 drops vitamin E oil
10 drops blue chamomile essential oil (optional)

Yield: Approximately 30 1/4 ounce containers

To Make:

1.  Gather the violet leaves and flowers and place them on a towel to wilt overnight.
2.  In a double boiler, steep the leaves, petals, and horsetail in oil over low heat for 5 hours.
3.  Grate the beeswax or cut into small pieces.
4.  Strain the plant material from the oil completely.
5.  Pour the oil back into the double boiler, adding the grated beeswax.
6.  Melt the beeswax into the oil completely, then remove from heat.
7.  Quickly add the vitamin E and blue chamomile oils.
8.  Pour into dainty 1/4-ounce (7-g) containers or jars.
9.  Decorate with violet stickers.
Applying Eye Treatment:

In applying creams, lotions, and eye makeup, it's worth taking a bit of extra care so that you keep the skin around your eyes looking as healthy as possible.  Following are the application steps:

1. Dab the product of choice onto your ring finger.
2. Gently pat the lotion, under the eye, starting at the outside and working in.
3. Next pat the lotion on top of the eye, again starting at the outside and working in.  
*Note:  Working in the other direction, from inside to outside, encourages crow's-feet wrinkles.

In all your herbal preparations, the type of cooking utensils you use is important.  Use nonreactive utensils made of stainless steel, glass, or enamel.  Do not use aluminum, copper, or cast iron; these metals will affect the finished product.