How to look less tired: 13 tips to look fresh and wide awake

Woman looks tired and is yawning

Are you feeling the effects of a bad night’s sleep and want to know how to look less tired? Leading beauty experts reveal their best-kept tips.

We all know how not enough sleep can affect the body. Whether it's repeatedly waking up early or struggling to fall asleep, poor quality slumber can leave us slow, sluggish and feeling exhausted. Yet whilst we can often conceal these consequences, sadly our skin cannot - with us often reaching for a good eye cream for dark circles following a bad night’s kip. 

As celebrity facialist and aesthetician Abigail Oleck notes: “Lack of sleep, stress and tiredness all cause the skin to look dull, as well as accelerating the ageing process.” Abigail and other beauty gurus swear by a number of  smart skincare swaps to help target the initial tell-tale signs and we've shared their results below. 

1. Try facial massage

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The benefits of facial massage are three fold, especially when enjoyed as part of your pre-sleep or morning routine. It’ll not only help to reduce puffiness, but help you to unwind too. And, when adopted in the mornings, it'll help boost circulation for wider awake appearance. 

“At its core, facial massage uses the potent power of touch to help transform a person’s face, giving a sense of deep connection and peace,” says massage expert Beata Aleksandrowicz. “Face massage boosts blood circulation, firms the skin, and tones the muscles. It relieves tension and stress too. It also helps to encourage the flow of lymph and releases endorphins, which is one reason why, after a facial, we look, and feel younger.”

Woman demonstrating a facial massage to look less tired

All you need is a facial oil or moisturiser and five minutes. A quick YouTube search will reward you with a barrage of how-to videos and guides, but the following is a great place to start. 

“Gently press the flat part of the fingers of each hand into your temples and start to make mindful circles breathing regularly,” advises Beta. “Go slowly and intentionally - you will feel the tension release with every movement. Any soothing strokes that use the fingers of both hands in long brushing motions across the face will also bring a sense of calm. Make sure that your hands are light and you stroke gently.”

Our beauty editor recommends:

Sanctuary Spa 10-in-1 Super Secret Facial Oil | £20Lightweight and non-greasy, this oil could be used day or night. This plumping oil promises to give skin a radiant and rested look. It smells gorgeous too.
Sanctuary Spa 10-in-1 Super Secret Facial Oil | £20
Lightweight and non-greasy, this oil could be used day or night. This plumping oil promises to give skin a radiant and rested look. It smells gorgeous too.
Biossance 100% Squalane Oil | £27Squalane is great for boosting elasticity and bounce in dry skin, to help conceal those signs of a bad night's sleep. This multi-tasking oil can be used on your hair and body as well.
Biossance 100% Squalane Oil | £27
Squalane is great for boosting elasticity and bounce in dry skin, to help conceal those signs of a bad night's sleep. This multi-tasking oil can be used on your hair and body as well.
By Beauty Bay The Jade Facial Roller | £9.95Facial rollers make for a nifty alternative to finger-tip facial massage. Pop in the fridge before use to max out on it's de-puffing powers.
By Beauty Bay The Jade Facial Roller | £9.95
Facial rollers make for a nifty alternative to finger-tip facial massage. Pop in the fridge before use to max out on it's de-puffing powers.

2. Consider your eye cream 

The skin on our faces is thinnest around the eye area, and really takes the brunt of a bad night’s sleep. While the experts are in agreement that everyone should be treating this delicate skin, they’re divided as to whether this needs to be with a dedicated eye cream, or your normal moisturiser. 

“A dedicated eye cream will help to reduce the look of puffiness, illuminate the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet,” says Abigail Oleck. 

“There’s no reason why you can’t use your regular moisturiser around the eye area if you choose to do so, assuming there are no active ingredients which may cause irritation such as exfoliating acids,” adds Dr Anjali Mahto. “However, many people opt to have a separate eye cream because the formulation is often lighter and therefore better for the delicate skin around the eye area. An additional reason why someone may opt for a separate eye cream is you’ll often find ingredients specifically included for their benefit for the area, such as caffeine.” Look out for nourishing ingredients such as vitamin E and hyaluronic acid too.

Our beauty editor recommends:

Super Facialist Retinol + Anti-Ageing Firming Eye Cream | £19Retinol used to be considered too powerful to use around the eyes, but not any more. Tired skin looks smoother and brighter.
Super Facialist Retinol + Anti-Ageing Firming Eye Cream | £19
Retinol used to be considered too powerful to use around the eyes, but not any more. Tired skin looks smoother and brighter.
Weleda Prickly Pear Cactus Hydrating Eye Gel | £14.95A joy to use after a long night tossing and turning, this cooling gel immediately soothes tight, puffy eyes.
Weleda Prickly Pear Cactus Hydrating Eye Gel | £14.95
A joy to use after a long night tossing and turning, this cooling gel immediately soothes tight, puffy eyes.
E.l.f. Holy Hydration Eye Cream | £12A great way to try a dedicated eye cream without breaking the bank. Peptides and hyaluronic acid work hand in hand to rehydrate fatigued skin.
E.l.f. Holy Hydration Eye Cream | £12
A great way to try a dedicated eye cream without breaking the bank. Peptides and hyaluronic acid work hand in hand to rehydrate fatigued skin.

3. Rehydrate your skin 

Dry skin tends to be low in lipids, the fatty acids that help give skin its bounce. “You can tell if your skin is lacking in oil or lipids by the following characteristics: dull, irritated, flaky, and lacking in glow,” explains Abigail Oleck. Not only are these characteristics frustrating and at times uncomfortable, but they serve to make you look tired too. The problem then becomes two-fold, as fatigue can cause you to neglect your skincare regime, exasperating these issues.

“To remedy this, we need to use products such as hyaluronic acid, take supplements such as Omega 6 and Omega 3 and eat foods such as oily fish, fruit, vegetables and seeds,” continues Abigail. Drinking plenty of water will help too, working from the inside out. 

Our beauty editor recommends:

Vichy Laboratories Liftactive Supreme H.A. Epidermic Filler | £38Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in our skin, but its levels deplete as we age. See this as a top-up, restoring lost radiance and bounce for tired skin.
Vichy Laboratories Liftactive Supreme H.A. Epidermic Filler | £38
Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in our skin, but its levels deplete as we age. See this as a top-up, restoring lost radiance and bounce for tired skin.
CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum | £16.99Developed by dermatologists, this serum offers a fuss-free way to give thirsty skin a big hit of hydration to prevent skin looking sleep deprived.
CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum | £16.99
Developed by dermatologists, this serum offers a fuss-free way to give thirsty skin a big hit of hydration to prevent skin looking sleep deprived.
Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Toning Mist | £25Double-down on moisture by using a hydrating mist before you apply your moistruriser. Especially gorgeous on hot days and early mornings.
Biossance Squalane + Hyaluronic Toning Mist | £25
Double-down on moisture by using a hydrating mist before you apply your moistruriser. Especially gorgeous on hot days and early mornings.

4. Rediscover blusher

If you’re not using a blusher, you’re missing a trick. “Our skin is made up of a multitude of shades and tones,” says Kaytlin Scott, Senior Pro Artist at MAC Cosmetics. “When we apply foundation and concealer we are blocking this variety of tones from being visible. This is why we have highlighter, bronzer, contour and blush: to bring that dimension and life back to our faces! Blusher replicates the natural blood flow we get when our cheeks are flushed and so makes us look perky and youthful.  For a lifted look, apply your blusher starting just behind the apple of the cheeks and blend up to the temples.”

Powder formulas are the longest lasting, while cream and liquid formulas provide a softer, more diffused pop of colour.

Our beauty editor recommends:

Iconic London Sheer Blush | £18Once you get used to the watery feel of the formula, this is so easy to use. Just dot on and blend for a bright and rested appearance.
Iconic London Sheer Blush | £18
Once you get used to the watery feel of the formula, this is so easy to use. Just dot on and blend for a bright and rested appearance.