10 Ways to Wake Up a Tired-Looking Face

April 08, 2024

By: Tanya Sangani | skincare.com by L'Oréal

No matter how many times you tell yourself you’ll go to sleep early, sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Unfortunately, the repercussions of too few hours of shut-eye go beyond yawning all day. You might end up looking as tired as you feel — it’s called beauty sleep for a reason. Thankfully, there are a number of easy ways to combat a tired-looking face. With the right skin-care products in your arsenal and makeup tips in your knowledge bank, no one has to know you had a late night. Check out these eight beauty tips and products recs to help brighten your complexion and make you look more awake.

TIP 1: Target Concerns While You Sleep

When you’re sleep deprived with a tired face, the last thing you want to do is make time for a complex skin-care routine in the morning. That’s why it’s a good idea to tackle your complexion concerns overnight. Before you slip between the sheets, smooth on a sleep mask like the Lancome Renergie Lift Multi-Action Night Cream. Start catching z’s then cleanse when you wake up.

TIP 2: Cleanse Your Face

If you need an extra boost of energy in the morning, start by cleansing your face with water andYouth to the People's Kale + Antioxidant Superfood Face Cleanser. This cleanser is specially formulated with superfood antioxidants derived from kale, spinach, and green tea. It provides your skin with a thorough cleanse, leaving you feeling refreshed and revitalized.

TIP 3: Make Eye Cream Your Best Friend

Dark circles and under-eye bags are a dead giveaway that you’re feeling tired, which makes being diligent about applying eye cream a must. So go ahead and add a multitasking eye cream to your skin-care routine. We like the CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream, which reduces the look of fine lines, crow’s feet wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles around the eye.

TIP 4: Energize Your Skin with a Caffeine Infused Serum

Invest in a high-quality serum like the 15% Vitamin C + Caffeine Energy Serumby Youth to the People. This serum contains plant-derived caffeine from superleafs yerba mate and guayusa, which work together to brighten your complexion, visibly reduce morning puffiness, and provide hydration to your skin. Incorporating this serum into your skincare routine can give your skin a refreshed and awakened appearance.¹

TIP 5: Exfoliate your Skin

Exfoliating your skin regularly can help remove dead skin cells and reveal a fresh, glowing complexion. We love the Micro Exfoliating Scrub by SkinCeuticals.

TIP 6: Brighten Cheeks With Blushr

Grab a peach or coral blush and blend it onto the apples of your cheeks. By adding a little color to your face, you’ll immediately appear more awake. We love the YSL Nu Lip & Cheek Balmy Tint for a healthy flush of color and glow.

TIP 7: Mix in Highlighter

The more luminous your skin looks, the less tired your face will appear. And the best part is, you can take care of your skin while you illuminate your face. We recommend using the NYX Jumbo Multi-Use Highlighter Stick.

TIP 8: Enhance Your Natural Lip Color

Sometimes wearing super bright colors — can draw more attention to dark circles. We suggest that you try a lip color that matches more along your natural hue. We’ve been loving the YSL Loveshine Lip Oil Stick it gives the color of a lipstick and a slip of a lip oil!

TIP 9: Spritz to Refresh

Opportunities to help your face appear less tired don’t only arise in the morning and at night. You can refresh your face and wake up the look of your skin throughout the day with a hydrating facial mist. Keep one on your desk and give your face a few quick spritzes whenever you need a midday pick me up. A soothing formula we love to reach for is the Thayers Rose Petal Facial Mist!

TIP 10: Use a Brightening Concealer

To instantly brighten your under-eye area and hide any signs of fatigue, reach for a L'Oréal Paris True Match Radiant Serum Concealer or a Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles. Apply it under your eyes and blend it gently for a refreshed and awake look.