Struggling after a lousy night’s sleep? Maybe you have little children who don’t sleep through the night, or you lost track of time binge-watching Netflix. Whatever the reason, your skin will be struggling. Puffy eyes, anyone?
This is because your body does most of its repairing at night. In fact, between around 10pm to 2am is when the magic happens.
Why does my face look dull and tired?
Another reason for losing our glow when we haven’t slept well is because a lack of sleep is stressful to your body.
Yong-Li Zhou, the founder of luxury stem cell skincare brand, Enbacci, says when you don’t sleep, your skin becomes dehydrated.
“This results from high cortisol (stress hormone) levels that impact effective collagen production, which is important for maintaining effective skin barrier function.”
So how can we combat tired, stressed skin?
Drink water and get moving
It sounds obvious, but drinking a few glasses in the morning will help combat dehydration. And if you can muster up the energy, exercise is a great way to get your circulation going and possibly bring back a little glow.
But if exercise is off the cards, there are some other things you can do to help you look less tired quickly.
How to de-puff your eyes
Puffy eyes are a big giveaway regarding how much sleep you have (or haven’t) had.
While techniques work for different people, Yong- Li says, “Blood vessels dilate from a lack of sleep, so what we are trying to do is look for ways to constrict those dilated vessels.”
And an excellent way to do that is with something cold. If you’re game enough, you can try splashing cold water on your face or placing cold spoons on your eyes.
However, Yong-Li says some people’s skin requires a little extra help.
“This is where massaging around the eyes can help to reduce puffiness,” she says. “The 24K Rose Quartz Roller we have is a great way to massage around the face and gently roll around the eye area.”
What about tea bags?
Leelah Linke, a certified Dermal Clinician and co-founder of St Skin, says tea bags work because they contain caffeine.
“The trick to tea bags is that the caffeine acts as a vasoconstrictor which visibly reduces the appearance of blood vessels and dark circles.”
If you’re after a product, Skin expert Lauren Lee, host of the Korean Beauty Show podcast, says placing hydrogels under your eyes “can make you feel better, and they can help brighten dark circles and hydrate the skin.
“Heimish makes an eco-friendly option that can be dissolved in hot water after use.”
How to de-puff your face
Again, cold water is excellent for increasing circulation to your face and reducing puffy skin.
Otherwise, Lauren’s go-to is a Korean facial massage to drain the lymph nodes. She explains how to do that here.
What skincare ingredients help tired-looking skin?
Yong-Li says to hydrate skin, “you are looking for humectants in your ingredients list or ingredients with deep moisturising and skin conditioning properties.”
“Examples of humectants include glycerine, panthenol, sodium hyaluronate (or hyaluronic acid) and aloe vera.
“Other moisturising or skin conditioning ingredients include sunflower oil, macadamia oil and shea butter (think fruit and plant oils and butters).”
Fake it with makeup
If all else fails, there’s always makeup to help hide dark circles under your eyes.
Lauren says, “A good concealer can help. Korean beauty brand Skinfood makes a cult favourite dark circle eye concealer with Norwegian salmon oil to boost skin immunity. It also assists in concealing dark spots, under eye marks and fine lines.”
Cindy Luken, the founder of natural cosmetics brand Lük Beautifood, says a liquid highlight or luminiser can help give the illusion of fresh skin.
“Apply to the high points of the face, including the inner eye area, to help skin appear more awake and refreshed.
“If you have a long day ahead, consider carrying a hydrating facial mist with you and spritzing the skin throughout the day to replenish depleted moisture.”
You might also like:
Tired all the time? 5 common causes of fatigue and how to fix them
5 reasons why you’re feeling completely exhausted
This is the best position to sleep in
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