One of the side effects of a cold or allergy is redness and swelling around the eyes and nose. Echinacea is an anti-inflammatory and can help reduce puffiness due to colds, allergies, and other skin irritations. It can be used as a topical lotion or astringent to help heal irritations of the skin like sunburns, bug bites, and rashes. The astringent effect helps skin cells shrink and reduce puffy skin and has an analgesic effect on the skin that takes away the pain. The herb can help promote skin cell growth, which helps heal wounds faster and lessens the chance of getting scar tissue.Next