Ah, exhaustion. The 24/7 mood that we all seem to be in. Whether it’s from lack or sleep, stress, or just…the outside world in general, being tired is more of state of being these days.
If you’re not into rocking your eye bags anymore there are a couple solutions to bring you from “I just got out of bed and I don’t wanna be here” to “I just got out of bed but I’m okay with it I guess” in just a few steps.
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Undereye masks
First thing’s first: those under eye bags. I wear mine as badges of honor, just so people know not to mess with me. (It doesn’t work.) If you’re not feeling yours, try a basic under eye mask, like this one from Sephora.
Cream everything
For a light, luminous look that will make you appear refreshed and dewy, opt for cream blushes and highlighters. They’re lighter than powders and don’t get cakey after a few hours.
Bronzing lotion
For those times when you want that summer glow in the middle of winter, but don’t have the budget to just get off to Hawaii. Try COOLA Sunless Tan Body Mist, or L’Oreal Self-Tanning Milk.
Jade roller
Jade rolling dates back back to 17th century China.
Rolling the jade on your face will help stimulate your skin, which will increase blood flow and give you a healthy flush.
It’s good for a pick-me-up when your skin is duller than a Ted Talk on concrete.
Setting spray
I’m not gonna lie—I have been known to do a quick spritz to my face in the middle of the day.
A spray of setting spray can help reinvigorate your makeup, and wake you up, too.
Luxury: Luminous primer
If you want a bit of a glow before you put your makeup on, then luminous primer is the one for you.
If you want a glow without putting makeup on, luminous primer is actually still the one for you. Guerlain wants you to put 24k gold flakes on your face, and I kinda do, too.
Drugstore: Luminous primer
L’Oreal makes one for under $15, and there’s a pretty good chance that it’ll rock your world.
Lip scrub
A good lip scrub is perfect if you’re like me and stress-bite your lips every 5 minutes. (Okay, I lied. I actually do it more frequently than that.) Jeffree Star makes some in delicious flavors, like french toast and pink lemonade.
And yup, they’re edible.
Body exfoliators
Specifically, the Water Hyaluronic Acid Mineral Body Polish by Bath & Body Works.
Not only do I have this, but I ran out of it and need to buy more. It’s the perfect wake-me-up, with a light, clean scent. And it leaves your skin feeling baby smooth.
Ice roller
An ice roller is a simple roller that you store in your freezer.
A quick roll over you face will reduce redness, cool you down, and help soothe the swelling of acne flair-ups. If you have puffy eyes or irritable skin, an ice roller will help calm you down and wake your skin up.
Dewy foundation
The easiest way to look bright and polished while feeling exhausted inside is dewy foundation.
It has a built-in subtle satin to it that will be there for you when your sleep schedule isn’t. Try Chanel Vitalumière (high end) or Maybelline Fit Me Dewy & Smooth (drugstore).
Bath melts
Whether you’re into bubbles, bombs, or melts, there’s nothing more relaxing for your tired body than a good soak in the tub (if that’s your thing, that is.)
I think we all know to hit up Lush for this one.
Stress-relieving lotion
Yes, it exists, and now I want to bathe in it to see if it will solve all my problems. Aveda makes a whole Stress Fix line, but the body lotion looks the most promising.
Is the stress-relieving scent just lavender? Yes. Will it probably work? I mean…yes.
Luxury: Brightening pencils
A makeup hack as old as time, but also as useful: using a light-colored liner on the inside of your eye to make your eyes look more open and awake.
I’ve done it, and it works. Try Benefit High Brow at Sephora.
Drugstore: Brightening Pencils
If you’re not into trying High Brow, Rimmel has you back: they have a dupe available for High Brow called Brow This Way, which is a peachy-pink pencil that will highlight under your brow or along your waterline.
Face masks: sheet
A good sheet mask can bring some intense relaxation, especially if you wear glasses and thus will have a good excuse to not look at a screen or generally do anything while you have the mask on and your glasses off.
You glasses wearers know what I mean.
Face masks: peel-off
This is a double one: you get the relaxation and benefits of a face mask, plus the satisfaction of peeling it off your face.
Can you get it all in one go? Only you have control over that one.
Acne patches
I stopped myself from calling these miracle patches…but they low-key are.
Place one over an irritated or surfacing pimple and leave it for about 8 hours. When you remove it, the pimple and the inflammation it brought will be toned way down, if not gone completely.
Bright Eye Complex
This hard-hustling mom knows what’s up: she applies Rodan + Fields Bright Eye Complex before she heads out for the day.
Given how much her under eye bags have reduced, I’m probably…gonna buy that.
Cooling eye masks
There’s nothing quite like kicking back and just closing your eyes.
Whether it’s for a short nap or to slip an eye mask on, you’re guaranteed some refreshment from your day.
Cooling sticks
I know. Hang on.
Go with me on this, because I’m so serious right now: this is relaxing.
One touch of one feels like a refreshing splash of water on your skin. Go into your local drugstore or Sephora and try it.
You can thank me later.
Luxury: Brightening Concealer
YSL Touche Eclat Radiance Perfecting Pen is a cult favorite for a reason: it’s like magic.
Under eye bags disappear under it. It highlights you perfectly without adding glitter or grease to your skin. It will probably give you good grades, idk. (It won’t.)
Drugstore: Brightening Concealer
For those of us who can’t afford to break the bank, endless dupes exist for Touche Eclat.
Get the radiance it offers for a quarter of the price! Is there anything better than a deal?
Let me know.
Highlight your life
When in doubt, grab your highlighter and disco ball yourself.
Whether you’re all done up, or looking to throw some glow on before heading out the door (yes, I have left the house with just highlighter on my face), highlighter is always the answer to life’s problems.
