10 beauty hacks to look less tired if you've had little sleep

Start with a clean slate


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Just because you’re not stepping out of the house doesn’t mean you should forgo your skincare routine. Give your skin a good rinse with a gentle cleanser like the Allies of Skin Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser, $62 from Sephora, and follow up with your regular daily moisturiser. Hydrated skin perks you up because it naturally makes skin look more glowing and vibrant.

Curl your lashes

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When your lashes are upturned, your eyes look more open and awake. To achieve this, squeeze a lash curler once at your lash line, once in the middle of your lashes and once at the ends. Finish with a layer of lengthening mascara to enhance the effect and seal the curl. We like Gucci Beauty’s Mascara L’Obsur, $56 from Takashimaya, for its lengthening and defining benefits that don’t clump or smudge by mid-day.
 

Shape up your brows

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No, we’re not talking about the overdone Instagram brow here. Instead, go for a full, softly arched brows that can make your eyelids look lifted and draw attention away from undereye puffiness and dark circles. Using short, feathery strokes, fill in your brows with a pencil and then brush them up and out with a spoolie brush. Try Hourglass Arch Brow Micro Sculpting Pencil, $47 from Sephora – it delivers ultra-precise, hair-like lines and has a spoolie on one end.


 

Even out your complexion

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It may be tempting to reach for a foundation with industrial-strength coverage to cover up washed out skin but in actual fact, the formula will only cling onto every imperfection brought about from a sleepless night, leaving your skin looking cakey.
Instead, opt for tinted moisturiser or a sheer, dewy foundation like Giorgio Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Fluid Foundation, $90 from TANGS. The formula blends like a dream, gives a dewy yet matte finish and can do more than a concealer alone to make you look beautifully awake. In short, it can even out redness and discoloration even though it’s light, making you look instantly refreshed.

Perk up cheeks

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A pop of coral or rosy pink colour on the cheekbones brightens your entire face and distracts from shadows underneath the eyes.
Tip: Avoid shades that are too orange as these can make eyes look tired.
We like the Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush, $33 from Sephora, which makes us look vibrant instantly.
 

Go easy on the eye makeup

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Now’s not the time for smokey dark eyes – black liner and dark brown shadows can look sexy at night in dim light, but they’ll drag your complexion down during the day. Instead, choose a nude eyeshadow palette with mauve, peach and shimmery taupe like the Dior Backstage Eye Palette in 004 Rosewood Neutrals, $83 from Sephora. The combination of muted brown liner, mascara and pale shimmer on your upper lids restores shape and keeps the emphasis there. Skip makeup on the lower section of the eyes, where liner and mascara can emphasise eyebags and crepey skin.

Hit refresh and mist away

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If you feel that your face needs a quick perk-me-up in the middle of your Zoom call, excuse yourself and refresh your complexion by misting generously. We like Payot’s My Payot Brume Eclat Anti-Pollution Revivifying Mist, $49 from TANGS.

Shake up your hair

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Pulling hair back or wearing it up can exacerbate a fatigued complexion, especially if hair is pulled too sleek and tight. If ponytails are your thing, let a few pieces float here and there. Otherwise, your best bet is to keep your hair loose, tousled and free.
Want to play up texture? Then, try Kristin Ess Dry Finish Working Texture Spray, $27 from Sephora. Yes, it’s a distraction but one that works and makes you look lively and animated.

Tidy up your locks, please


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Messy, dishevelled hair isn’t going to help your case, so make sure you don’t forget to give your mane a good brush before your meeting starts. If you’re washing your hair the night before, reach for the IGK Antisocial Overnight Bond-Building Dry Hair Mask, $50 from Sephora. Simply spray the time-release formula generously on clean, dried hair and then brush thoroughly from scalp to ends to make sure your hair gets coated evenly. You’ll wake up with smooth and shiny locks the next morning – no brushing or styling tools necessary.

Tame that mane

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Speaking of giving your hair a good brush, opt for the GHD Glide Hot Brush, $275 from Sephora if you’re often struggling to tame frizzy hair. Its ceramic technology, ioniser and optimum 185 degrees Celsius setting can smoothen hair effortlessly, giving you extra time to snooze for another 15 minutes. Just make sure you keep the brush bristles pointing outwards and away from your scalp to avoid burning yourself.