Low on sleep? Look fresh-faced with these beauty cheats

May 15, 2015

Somedays there just aren't enough hours on the clock to get everything done and still fit in your eight hours. Unfortunately, if we don't get enough sleep, it can show on our skin.

For those times when you have no option but to jump out of bed and get going, there are some quick beauty fixes to have you looking fresh and alert, even if you feel the complete opposite.

Next time your skin is in need of an energy boost, try these beauty cheats…

1. Tackle puffy eyes
Swollen eyes are a dead giveaway for lack of sleep, so combat them first. The key here is to lightly apply pressure with something ice cold, to decompress the eye area and reduce redness. Either use a wet ice cube inside a piece of kitchen roll, or a spoon that's been placed in the freezer for a few minutes. Whatever you choose, press it gently against the eye socket for a few seconds and follow up with a tightening eye cream.

2. Get rid of red-eye
Brightening eye drops are your best friend when it comes to bloodshot eyes. Squeeze two drops into each eye and you're good to go. Using eye drops every day can dry out the eyes in the long run, so keep the drops for when you really need them.

3. Give yourself a facial massage
Often it's how we apply our moisturiser than what we're using that benefits our skin most. Whether you're using facial oil, cream or serum, apply it with the pads of your fingers, massaging the skin upwards and outwards in small circles. For the delicate eye area, gently tap the product into the skin without pulling.

4. Use a brightening moisturiser
For days when you're standard day cream just won't do, it's time to call in the big guns. A brightening cream not only rids your skin of that dull pallor but also evens skin tone and reduces redness. Two of our favourites:

Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum, €27.99

MAC Strobe Cream, €33.50

5. Open up the eyes
Skip your black or brown liner for the waterline of your eye, and really open up your peepers with a nude liner instead. Nude is a less startling choice than white liner, so it's perfect for fooling people into thinking you've been in bed since 9pm.