You look tired! Don't you just hate it when someone says that to you? They're pretty much telling you that you look like *#@!. Many of us work long hours (whether at an office or at home) and are under a lot of stress, so throw us a bone. And do you really think we don't know we look tired? No matter how much concealer you use or coffee you drink, sometimes it just doesn't do the trick. How can you get people to start saying, wow you look so wide awake?
Here are some simple and quick ideas to try:
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Cold Eye Masks: I'm talking about those blue gel masks that your mom would wear after a long day at work. While you're making your coffee grab one out of the fridge and wear it for 10 minutes. The cool temperature will help reduce swelling. I wouldn't recommend wearing it while walking your dog in the morning though.
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Daily Facial Serum: A lot of us have an anti-wrinkle eye cream or serum. Some experts recommend you keep that stored in your fridge. The extra boost from the cool temperature will double depuff your eye bags.
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Hemorrhoid Cream: It's said to be a staple in a beauty queen's make-up bag. Even actress Sandra Bullock used it in the movie "Miss Congeniality" to make her eyes look more awake. But does it actually work? Dr. Leslie Baumman says it can help shrink blood vessels around the eyes to temporarily decrease swelling. However, the product is not tested or approved for under-eye use. She says if you're using it on a small surface area the risk of serious problems is minimal.
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Pilates: This doesn't mean you have to get up at 5am and do an entire hour of stretching. Robin Long, a pilates instructor and fitness blogger recommends that her clients start their day with a few simple standing Roll Downs. Long says, slowly rolling forward into a forward bend and slowly rolling back up causes your blood to circulate through your system as does taking big deep breaths. This will cause your body to feel energized and will give your face some life and color - a natural blush to wake up those tired, pale cheeks.
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Makeup Tricks: After you've tried all the above tricks of the trade, try this "makeup magic" idea. Sarah Lasky from Murad says to look more awake, add a white eye shimmer on your lower lash line, brow bone, and corners of your eyes. This will at least play tricks on other people's eyes to make you appear more vibrant.
If I'm really looking scary and all else fails, I just wear my biggest sunglasses all day long. Hey, celebrities get away with it, why can't we? At least people won't say you look tired, they'll just ask you where you got your sunglasses from.
