Look naturally bright and beautiful—even if you're lacking beauty sleep.
If you constantly burn the midnight oil and keeping struggle to keep up with an inbox that rivals Mount Kilimanjaro, you're bound to lose your A-game when it comes to your appearance. Don't reach for a paper bag to cover your head-we polled top pros for tricks to look fabulously refreshed when your usual get-up-and-go has gotten up and gone (letting you nix the naps and the Red Bull). Find quick pick-me-ups for skin, hair and makeup, plus 13 products to help you glow outside and in. "Liking what you see in the mirror raises endorphin levels, so you feel happier," says Amy Wechsler, M.D., a dermatologist and psychiatrist in New York City. Getting a more gorgeous look and a sunnier disposition? Now that's a reason to jump for joy!
Power your shower
Break out the bubbly. A stimulating scalp-massaging shampoo preps strands for styling and washes away oil that makes hair limp, says Frédéric Fekkai, a hairstylist in NYC. "Be sure to fully saturate hair so suds flow from root to tip," he says.
Shine on. Tossing and turning at night tangles strands and roughs up cuticles, leading to dullness, says Elie Noufal Gerdak, owner of the Elie Elie Salon in McLean, Virginia. Banish bed-head: Spritz damp hair with diluted lemon juice before blow-drying. "Citric acid smooths hair so it reflects light," he says. Bonus: The scent is mood-lifting.
Add salt. Moving in slow-mo means your circulatory system is sluggish, too. The result? Less oxygen-rich blood reaches the skin's surface, making you look less radiant, says Jeannette Graf, M.D., a dermatologist in Great Neck, New York. Exfoliate your body with a salt scrub to kick-start blood flow, invigorate your skin and elevate energy.
Related: Kitchen beauty solutions you gotta try!
Glow naturally
Multitask with a mask. While brushing your teeth, let your face absorb rejuvenating ingredients. "Treatments packed with vitamins and antioxidants plump the skin's surface to create a dewy complexion," says Vermen M. Verallo-Rowell, M.D., creator of VMV Hypoallergenics skin care in Manila, Philippines.
Soothe irritation. "When you're under pressure, the body begins releasing chemicals that cause inflammation," says David E. Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. "Skin becomes easily aggravated." Calm redness with products that contain calming chamomile and aloe. To fend off dry, itchy skin caused by dehydration, halve your weight and drink that many ounces of water per day, Dr. Graf says. (If you're 130 pounds, that's 65 ounces, or eight 8-ounce glasses.)
Treat your eyes. Apply a caffeine-laced eye cream first thing in the A.M. to perk up peepers as fast as a cup of joe sharpens attention. Caffeine is like a diuretic for skin, drawing out excess fluid to depuff undereye bags, Dr. Wechsler says.
Give your skin the star treatment in your own home (and on a reasonable budget!) with these tips from the pros.
Wake up your makeup
Be clear. Bloodshot eyes are a red alert that you're running on empty. Fatigue causes blood vessels to expand and absorb more invigorating oxygen, Dr. Graf says. Shut down the bleary look by defining upper inner lash lines with a deep blue eyeliner. "Blue counteracts red, making the whites of the eyes brighter and veins less noticeable," says Petra Strand, a makeup artist in London.
Also, try these flattering ways to wow this spring, from rosy cheeks and bright lips to smoky eyes.
Brighten up. Opt for a light-reflecting foundation (rather than a matte formula) to impart an energized luminescence, Strand says. Apply with a sponge for even results and dab a pink-toned concealer under eyes to diffuse shadows.
Play with color. "Cream blushes effortlessly fade into skin for a just-back-from-a-run rosy flush," Barose says. Smile broadly, then apply onto the apple of cheeks using a circular motion. Berry and pink shades are best for fair skin; corals work well for medium and darker complexions.
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