How To Fake A Good Night's Sleep
Whether you’re pulling all-nighters in the library or spending late nights on the dancefloor/in the office (guilty!) – lack of sleep takes its toll on more than just our energy levels. The skin around our eyes is the first place to show the physical signs of sleep deprivation – dark circles, puffy under-eye bags, and bloodshot eyes are the unfortunate side-effects of not clocking the recommended eight hours of shut-eye.
If your goal is to look like you didn’t miss a single wink of beauty sleep, here’s how to fake it ‘till you wake it.
DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE MORNING…
Lack of sleep compromises the skin’s moisture barrier and makes it difficult to retain water – the dehydration which then occurs accentuates fine lines. The solution? Pump moisture into your skin before it’s even had a chance to leave. Pretty much any eye cream or serum will help to restore the balance, but recently for me, nothing works faster than Bare Minerals Vital Power Eye Gel Cream. The weightless formula melts into a serum that provides instant hydration, and works to tighten and brighten the eye area, reducing the appearance of dark circles and fine lines overnight.
APPLY AN EYE MASK AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP…
If (like me) you like to lie in bed for a few minutes before you get up, make the most of those 10 minutes of laziness to get a head start on your eyecare. Talika’s Eye Decompress is an innovative sheet mask-style treatment – simple squeeze the blue liquid from the one half of the capsule into the other to soak the mask before placing it over your eyes. The liquid contains escin, a powerful decongestant which reduces puffiness and dark circles, and even goes as far as to whiten the eyeballs. There’s a reason why this is my go-to hangover treatment…
USE HEAVY-DUTY EYE PATCHES…
The old ‘cucumber slice on the eyes’ trick works for good reason – the pressure quite literally pushes away puffiness. Go one step further and upgrade to PIXI’s DetoxifEYE Eye Patches – aside from the pressure effect, the patches are infused with hyaluronic acid for hydration and caffeine (which constricts blood vessels to reduce swelling/puffiness). They perfectly adhere to the eye contour, and have a tightening effect which enhances the penetration of ingredients. Top tip: Keep these in the fridge – the cold will help to shrink capillaries and stimulate lymphatic drainage.
BOOST YOUR LASHES…
Curling your eyelashes and wearing mascara is one way to make eyes appear wider and more open. But why not achieve the same effect, without the use of makeup? Talika Lipocils Expert is a long-term treatment, so it won’t work overnight, but it delivers wow-factor results. Swipe the supercharged serum on day and night to grow ultra-long, ultra-thick eyelashes that naturally give eyes that wide-eyed Bambi effect.
MAKEUP TO FAKE UP…
And if all of the above fail? Makeup artists are pretty much unanimous in the best instant fix for faking awake-looking eyes – concealer. I adore Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Away Concealer – it’s a concealer/highlighter hybrid which provides good coverage but keeps skin looking like skin. For the most fresh-eyed look, apply it with your fingers so it really melts into your skin, and build sheer layers rather than caking it on too thick. Dab any excess onto your eyelids – pink lids are a tell-tale sign of exhaustion that is easily eradicated.
