When you’re sleep-deprived, it becomes evident in your skin - the circles under your eyes grow darker, your skin becomes weary and pale, and you don’t feel yourself.
Natural, nutritional supplements can help you unwind and sleep better, but if you’ve struggled to sleep for a while, the toll it takes on your physical appearance can take longer to sort out.
While a healthy diet and lifestyle can help defy the tell-tale signs of tiredness, things like smoking, alcohol, stress, caffeine and too much sun and junk food can have the opposite effect and make you look exhausted. And as you get older, your body slows down its production of collagen, the body’s main structural protein, which makes up many of the cells and tissues we need for healthy bones, hair, teeth, nails and skin. These can be accentuated when you constantly feel tired or stressed, and your face can give you away.
Exercising more, keeping hydrated and keeping your guilty pleasures as occasional treats rather than regular indulgences can help. Also, making sure your body gets the health-enhancing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other vital nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy, youthful and rejuvenated appearance is key. Ensuring you get the right balance daily can help you look and feel at your best. Here are our top tips to look less tired.
•Eight ways to instantly look less tired
Moisturise your skin while it’s damp
When it comes to skincare, it’s all about timing. Moisturisers are most effective when applied to damp skin as it absorbs the product much better because the pores are more open. Targeted moisturises such as eye creams will help tackle those dark circles and wrinkles.
Apply something cool to your eyes
The quickest and most effective way to reduce puffiness is to apply a cold compress to your eyes. If you find your whole face becomes puffy when you’re tired, you may want to look into ice facials. This is where you roll four or five ice cubes in a circular motion across your face to not only aid in de-puffing but also ease acne, reduce oiliness and boost the skin’s healthy glow.
Rethink how you apply your concealer
The rule for concealing dark circles eyes has always been to apply an upside-down triangle shape under the eyes. However, this is changing. Many makeup artists are now going for a lifting technique. You apply concealer to the corners of your eyes before completing the rest of your face. This gives the illusion that your face is more lifted and makes your eyes look wider and more awake.
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Don’t skip your skincare routine
A regular skincare routine helps your skin stay in good condition, helping to reduce and eradicate that tired look. Skincare accessories like facial rollers and gua sha tools also help brighten and shape the face.
Watch how you sleep
Some dermatologists recommend avoiding sleeping on your front/faces because this causes swelling and puffiness, meaning you look more tired. Additionally, silk pillowcases work well to reduce wrinkles and help keep the face moisturised at night, more so than a cotton pillow.
Try taking supplements
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body cannot properly renew your skin cells and collagen, which help give you that fresh-faced look. Sometimes, your skin needs that extra help in getting the right vitamins, proteins and minerals.
Drinks lots of water
Everyone knows the more water you drink, the better. Experts say you should aim to drink six to eight glasses of fluids per day to feel and look more awake, as well as the obvious health benefits staying hydrated brings.
Exercise regularly
A workout is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re tired, but getting the blood pumping and the oxygen rushing through your body and into your face will leave you feeling and looking more awake and rejuvenated.
•How can makeup change the way your face looks?
Applying the right makeup in the right places can completely change the way you look and feel about yourself. The past year has seen makeup trends go from full coverage to a more natural, brighter look.
Concealer
As we mentioned previously, more makeup artists choose to apply concealer to the outer and inner corners of the eye instead of the upside down triangle under the eye area to lift the face shape naturally.
Eyeliner
Nude or pale eyeliner along the lash line will aid in making your eyes look wider and more awake.
Bronzer
Always ensure that you use a large brush to apply your bronzer, make sure you use it only to enhance the colour of skin, not change it. Most importantly never forget your neck!
Mascara
A flick of mascara will help you look wide awake in seconds, and you can emphasise this further by using an eyelash curler.
Highlighter
Glowing skin is a sure-fire way to create that wide awake, radiant and fresh look, and you can do so by using a highlighter. A small brush of highlighter on your cheekbones, nose and under your eyebrows will counteract a dull, sleepy complexion.
Lack of sleep is a very real and frustrating experience we all go through at one time or another in our life. By following the simple steps above, you can help combat tired-looking eyes and skin not only to look better, but feel better too.
Disclaimer: Information and other content provided in Lily & Loaf blogs should not be construed as medical advice and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise. If you have any medical concerns, you should consult with your health care provider.
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