Look instantly energised
By Molly Tiffin
It's hard to feel sexy when you're running out of steam and showing off tired skin, matted hair, and dark circles. Our quick beauty solutions will fire you up from head to toe.
Wake up your skin fast
Splash cold water on your face
The cold temp will restrict your blood vessels, evening out a blotchy complexion. Midday trick: mist on water from a spray bottle or pat your face with a damp paper towel. Then rub on a cleanser with chamomile or other anti-inflammatory ingredients to soothe morning redness.
Smell something minty
The scent of peppermint stimulates your brain, says Dr Bryan Raudenbush of Wheeling Jesuit University. Wash up with shower gel that contains it or something similarly zesty, like the grapefruit notes in Dove Go Fresh Body Wash in Energise. Use a loofah to shed dull dead skin cells (also, the tingly sensation perks you up).
Depuff your peepers
Place cucumber slices over dark, swollen eyes (this shrinks blood vessels) rub on a lotion with caffeine, which reduces fluid retention.
Do a quick detox mask
To zap drab skin, dip a washcloth in freshly squeezed orange juice, wring out the excess, and lay it over your face for five minutes. "The vitamin C evens out your tone for a more luminous complexion," says Los Angeles dermatologist Howard Murad.
Smooth on a cream
When you're busted on energy, your body slows down and functions less efficiently: your cells lose water, and your face becomes dry. Repair with a moisturiser that contains lots of nourishing vitamins and proteins.
Fake awake with make-up
Fix sallow skin
Freshen up your complexion with a creamy tinted moisturiser or foundation, says celeb make-up artist Scott Barnes. You'll score hydration and hide redness. Pat it on with your hands, since the warmth of your fingers will help it blend in.
Conceal creases
Those marks on the sides of your mouth (the ones that look like parenthesis) pop up after a night of sleeping with your face pressed into the pillow. Dot on a concealer that minimises lines, such as Estée Lauder Smoothing Crème Concealer SPF 8.
Be bright-eyed
Dust a little beige eye shadow along the lower rims of your eyes to offset darkness, curl your lashes to open up your face, and coat on mascara. Opt for black, since the contrast will make the whites of your eyes stand out more, explains Barnes.
Go easy on bronzer
If your face looks ghostly, your instinct maybe to pile on lots of bronzer. Don't. That orangey face won't fool anyone, plus powder formulas can strip away natural oils. Instead, apply a cream highlighter on cheeks, under the arches of your brows and down the centre of your nose to boost radiance, suggests celeb make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury.
Choose energetic hues
Shadows and lipsticks in warm tones (coral, berry) project a lively vibe, while darker, cool tones (purple, blue) can make you look drained. If your lips tend to be flat, swipe on a plumper, such as Rimmel Underground Lip Bloomer Lip Stain/Plumping Gloss Duo.
Try a rejuvenating face massage
Gentle rub below your eyebrows, along the sides of your nose, and over your cheeks, says Cara Decesno, clinical aesthetician at Ajune Day Spa in New York. This drains fluid trapped in your lymph nodes, reducing puffiness and firming your skin.
Apply concealer artfully
Too little sleep leaves you blotchy in certain areas: under your eyes, in between your lower lip and chin, and along the sides of your nostrils, Barnes says.