You know sleep is essential to your health and wellbeing, and you know your health and wellbeing reflect on your skin. Sleep is an important part of a beauty routine! However, we know you can’t always get those eight hours of blissful, uninterrupted sleep. If you just woke up and your skin looks a little worse for wear, we can help. These skincare products won’t replace your lost sleep, but they might just help you fake the look of someone who’s actually well-rested! Here’s how to look awake using only a handful of skincare and makeup tricks:
Try a cooling massage
“Ice rolling”, or the practice of rolling a cool device all over your skin, has plenty of benefits. The icy temperature can reduce redness, minimize puffiness and undereye bags, and even create the feeling of slightly tighter, firmer skin. If you’ve underslept and need to give your skin a little pick-me-up, a cooling massage might just be what you need to look a little more awake.
If you’ve got a facial roller at home, like the Real Techniques Cryo Sculpt Facial Roller, you can try keeping it in the fridge. Then, use it in the morning to apply your favorite serums or moisturizers.
Fans of ice cubes might want to kick things up a notch with the AMEŌN Ice Cubes Supreme Energy, a set of “ice cubes” that aren’t actually made from water–but from a frozen skincare essence.
Slip on a sheet mask
If you have a little extra time in the morning, you can apply a moisturizing sheet mask to give your skin a boost of hydration and suppleness. You can use any hydrating sheet mask you have on hand–most are pretty hydrating!–, but we couldn’t not share our favorites:
Some members of our Care to Beauty team swear by the MartiDerm Moisturizing Sheet Mask, a deeply hydrating mask infused with three types of hyaluronic acid, Coenzyme Q10, and an anti-aging peptide. If you’ve got a little extra time, use it in combination with the MartiDerm The Originals Flash Serum Immediate Anti-Fatigue for a serious pick-me-up!
We also like–speaking as the author of this post–the Missha Airy Fit Sheet Mask Potato, a creamy sheet mask that revitalizes and brightens the complexion using hyaluronic acid and, of course, potato extract. It may not sound very appealing, but you’d be surprised–this sheet mask is truly a hidden gem.
Illuminate the skin with a primer
If you wear makeup, you know that you can’t always achieve the look you want when your skin is tired. The skin feels dull and lackluster, the texture just doesn’t look right, and so on. An illuminating primer could be the product that will solve this problem, creating a uniform base that will not only improve your makeup and extend its longevity, but also give your skin a much more even and radiant look.
Let’s start with the Clarins SOS Primer White, a handy little product that combines skincare benefits with instant color correction. With a plant-based formula that combines prebiotic algae, natural antioxidants, and a botanical antipollution complex, this primer is the perfect ally for tired skin. The pearly white formula brings out the skin’s natural luminosity, for a glowing, radiant look.
We also like–who doesn’t?–the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, an all-in-one primer and moisturizer that provides the skin with in-depth nourishment through the combined benefits of hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and vitamins B and C. The rich velvety formula melts into the skin, creating a smooth, supple base for your makeup.
Bring some color to your lips
Adding a little color to your lips can make all the difference between looking tired and looking, well, like you actually want to be out and about. For this purpose, we recommend avoiding liquid lipsticks (which tend to be a little drying) and opting for lip glosses, oils, and tints instead. They’re nourishing and hydrating, and they add a lovely touch of bright, subtle color to your lips without overpowering your features.
Our Care to Beauty team loves the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil, and we’ve tried pretty much every shade. With an ultra-nourishing formula made from jojoba, hazelnut, and rosehip oils, this lip oil nourishes the lips without leaving them feeling heavy or tacky. The finish is smooth and a little glossy, perfect for a quick touch of glamour!
And now for something a little different, we also like the Romand Juicy Lasting Tint, a versatile lip product that’s somewhere between a lipstick, a lip gloss, and a lip tint. The fruit-inspired “juicy” formula is glossy as you first apply it but, as it fades throughout the day, it leaves behind a bit of a tint–so your lips are never quite bare. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance trick for those mornings when you just can’t be bothered to do your makeup, this lip tint is a great option.
Try a rosy blush
There are people who don’t wear blush (they don’t even want to think about it), and there are people who can’t live without blush. For those days when you feel tired and want to add a little extra color to your skin, it might be a good idea to follow the lead of the second group. It’s very hard to look tired when you’ve got a rosy look to your cheeks!
We’ve selected two blushes we like that are super easy to apply: one’s a cream, the other one’s a stick. The aptly named Flormar Mood Booster Blush is perfect to bring your cheeks a quick touch of color. The liquid formula offers medium color payoff that’s quite easy to build up, so you can create a naturally flushed look or, if that’s more your style, a bold color statement.
The Makeup Revolution Fast Base Blush Stick is also pretty interesting! With its practical stick presentation, this blush is super quick and easy to apply. Use a couple of swipes to give your skin a hint of color, or built it up for a bolder look. And if you feel like you might want to top up your blush during the day, no problem: just slip this handy little stick into your bag, and you’ll be good to go.
Give your eyelashes a boost
If you’re anything like the author of this post (hi!), your lack of sleep shows mainly in your eyes–they just can’t seem to open all the way through! To help you counteract the tired, half-lidded eye look, a little dash of mascara might be all you need. If you’re used to mascara, just use your favorite! If you’re not, consider going for a clear or brown mascara instead of the classic black. Here are our favorites:
If you want to look like you’ve got your eyes wide open and, at the same time, increase the definition of your lashes, a clear mascara might just be what you need. We like the Clarins Lash & Brow Double Fix Mascara, a transparent mascara that not only helps define the natural shape and texture of your eyelashes, but also strengthens them. Use it on its own after a bad night of sleep, or as a base for your favorite mascara.
If you prefer a colored mascara but don’t feel like using something as bold as a black mascara, brown mascara can be a really good compromise. We like the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara True Brown, a discreet mascara that helps you define the natural beauty of your lashes without overwhelming them. The formula is fragrance-free and ideal for sensitive eyes, or for contact lens wearers.
Energize your eyes
What are some characteristics you immediately associate with a bad night of sleep? We immediately think dark circles, puffy eyes, and eye bags. We don’t know what it is about the eye area, but it always seems to betray our lack of rest! To solve this issue, you may want to reach for an energizing eye cream–something that will help you minimize bags and puffiness and, if at all possible, brighten your dark circles.
Filorga Optim-Eyes Eye Contour Cream is one of our Care to Beauty team’s favorite eye creams. With a 3-in-1 effect that combats dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines all at the same time, this refreshing cream helps to reduce the signs of fatigue that appear around the eyes as soon as we miss a few hours of sleep. The formula combines plumping hyaluronic acid, firming peptides, and the exclusive MELATON-EYES technology, which helps to revitalize the skin after each application.
For fans of roll-on eye creams, we have the Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Eye Cream, a refreshing gel that not only hydrates the eye contour but also helps reduce signs of fatigue such as dark circles and puffiness. The ceramic applicator helps to smooth and massage the eye area, all the while offering a slight cooling effect. Perfect for a morning massage!
Give your skin a tall glass of vitamin C
If you are tired and your skin looks tired and dull, then there is no better solution than vitamin C. Now, let’s be clear here: vitamin C won’t bring you instant results, but some vitamin C serums offer a bit of a glowing finish that will be immediately visible. We’ve selected two options we love:
![SVR Ampoule [C] Anti-Ox Radiance Concentrate 30ml](https://static.beautytocare.com/media/catalog/product//s/v/svr-ampoule-c-anti-ox-radiance-concentrate-30ml_4.jpg)
The SVR Ampoule [C] Anti-Ox Radiance Concentrate is a vitamin C serum with a rich, silky texture, ideal for normal and dry skin. Although the objective of this formula is, obviously, to brighten the skin and help fade hyperpigmentation over time, the finish is so luminous that it will help you revitalize the appearance of your skin after just one application. Tried and tested by the author of this post!
We also like the Sesderma C-Vit5 Liposomal Serum, a vitamin C serum that needs no introduction. Formulated with five types of stabilized vitamin C, as well as plumping hyaluronic acid and soothing Centella asiatica, this serum promises impressive results over time. However, it also provides an instantly beautifying effect, thanks to the properties of Filmexel, a high-tech complex ingredient that creates a lifting and firming “film” over the skin, which is visible immediately after each application.
There you go: now you know how to look more awake and “fake” a good night of sleep using only a handful of skincare and makeup products. A little eye cream and a tiny dash of mascara, and you’ll be good to go! Just make sure not to overdo these tricks: getting a good night of sleep is still the best way to wake up feeling rested and rejuvenated. Sleep tight!
