Exactly How To Look Fresh After A Big Night Out

by | Jul 8, 2016 | Skincare

The Issue: Dead-Give Away Dark Circles

Those eyes bags make us wish we could get away with wearing sunnies indoors, Karl Lagerfeld style.  Yes, genetics, allergies and differences in skin tone all play their part, but lack of sleep is the main culprit: when we’re tired, capillaries around our eyes become weaker, causing leakages that appear in the form of dark, sallow-looking circles.

FIX IT The shadow should fade during the day, but, to help it along, use a rich eye cream.  Hide the remaining evidence with a brightening light cover-up such and you can ditch the shades.

The Issue: Tossing and Turning — a.k.a Bed Hair

Blame stress: the surge of hormones makes us toss and turn in our sleep. And, according to a study in Alcohol and Alcoholism, it’s worse if you’ve had a few cheeky cocktails. Drinkers spend 4.5 percent more time awake in the second half of the night, which means more hair-mussing movement. Add the fact that hair follicles are the weakest in the morning and you’ve got a recipe for a giant bird’s nest.

FIX IT Slather on a deep nourishing mask. Rinse it out and you’ll be left with smooth and manageable hair. And if your fro is more like “yoh”, use and oil moisturiser to soften your strands and get your Foxxy Cleopatra on.

READ MORE: 10 Lipsticks And Lip Stains That Won’t Budge This Holiday Season

The Issue: Creasy-Pillow Face

Most people who don’t sleep on their back will wake up with pillow creases and indents on their faces. Not only are the lines cause for remarks, they’re also bad news for your skin. “When you sleep on your side or with your face down into your pillow, you ‘push’ your skin into awkward positions over time, which can ultimately lead to wrinkles”, says dermatologist Dr Howard Murad. What?!

FIX IT Use a product with hyaluronic acid spheres for line-lifting effects. And to help you sleep on your back, try wedging two small cushions on either side on your head. Yes, it’s a passion killer, but it works.

The Issue: A Long Week and Tired Skin

Work week from hell? Your skin knows it. Stress causes cortisol levels to shoot up, which in turn disrupts your sleep-and lack of sleep alters cell and oil production. This means skin cells build on top of each other, causing dullness, while excess sebum coagulates to create the perfect airless environment for blemishes to form. Awesome…

FIX IT Exfoliate to remove dead skin cells. Alternatively, use a refreshing face mask to pamper your tired skin, to illuminate, hydrate and nourish, for an instant glow. You’ll look brighter, healthier and a lot less like a Madame Tussauds exhibit.

READ MORE: How To Deep Clean A Beautyblender So It Looks Brand New

The Issue: Too Much Booze and Partying

Alcohol dehydrates, causing your tissues to swell and trap moisture, so you look puffer than Khulubuse Gupta, er, Zuma. Booze is often loaded with sugar too, which will ruin your beauty sleep. “Excess sugar ferments at a rate we can’t process. Our systems try to expel it, meaning we need the toilet and sweat excessively,” says facialist to the stars Alexandra Soveral. Eish! If only we didn’t have that last glass of Merlot…

FIX IT A quick detox mask will absorb accumulated toxins from the night before. Also practice this quick one minute facial massage: use the heels of your palms and gently glide your palms from your temples down the sides of your face towards your neck. This will help move stagnant fluid and aid in lymphatic drainage.

Three Other Ways To Look and Feel Wide Awake

Chew Gum

A study in Nutritional Neuroscience found it can increase alertness.

Pull Your Ear Lobe

It’s natural pressure point and pulling on it will perk you up if you’re tired.

Spritz

Grapefruit-based scents can make you appear six years younger. Yoh!#GrapefruitEveryDamnDay

This article originally appeared on womenshealthmag.com

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