Too busy to spend an hour on your appearance every morning? Here's a secret: So are the rest of us. Here is a handful of the most tried-and true techniques that every woman should have in her arsenal of last-minute shortcuts to looking great.
Refresh Tired Eyes
After a long night the tissues around your eyes tend to look thin and wrinkled, and you are probably seeing new under-eye "bags" – but not to worry. A few quick steps can help you disguise.
• Very gently massage and exfoliate your under-eye tissues. This will help minimize those new fine lines, and massage can temporarily help fill out that "tear trough."
• Splash your face with cold water. Late nights usually leave your body water-depleted, which is a big part of why your skin looks papery afterward. Cold water can help hydrate your skin quickly and shrink the enlarged blood vessels that make your skin look "puffy." Bonus tip: Drinking cold water will help your body re-hydrate quickly while further chilling nearby blood vessels.
• Moisturize your upper and lower eyelids; a few good coats will lock in the moisture from the previous step and help your skin look fresh longer. If you can, apply the moisturizer right after you dry off from showering. This will ensure maximum absorbency – and maximum lift.
Disguise Overindulgence
Salt or alcohol intake can leave your skin looking puffy and red, and the best fix is a good night's rest and plenty of water. For a quick fix, though, you can get away with these steps:
• Don't just splash cold water on your face; follow that step by draping a washcloth soaked in cold water over your whole face for 5 minutes to shrink enlarged blood vessels even further.
• Use green shimmer powder to help minimize redness. To hide puffiness, use a bit of foundation or bronzer slightly darker than your skin to re-create that barely-noticeable shadow below your cheekbones. Be sure to blend thoroughly!
Reinvigorate "Dead"-Looking Hair
If you don't have time to shower, grab a spritzer – or just use your fingers and cold water – and dampen your roots, then blow dry. This gives your hair a bit of lift and freshness, fast.
Get Glowing Skin That Looks Well-Rested
For healthier looking skin and lips, use peachy, subtle tones makeup instead of overcompensating with dark or bright tones that will only make you look paler. Also avoid blues and purples, as these tend to emphasize the blue-gray undertones of tired skin.
Get dewy, younger-looking skin fast by skipping foundation in favor of a lightly tinted moisturizer or sunscreen. For brighter-looking, more alert eyes take a few seconds to curl your lashes, then apply an off-white or peachy toned eyeliner to the lower lid.
Refresh Tired Eyes
After a long night the tissues around your eyes tend to look thin and wrinkled, and you are probably seeing new under-eye "bags" – but not to worry. A few quick steps can help you disguise.
• Very gently massage and exfoliate your under-eye tissues. This will help minimize those new fine lines, and massage can temporarily help fill out that "tear trough."
• Splash your face with cold water. Late nights usually leave your body water-depleted, which is a big part of why your skin looks papery afterward. Cold water can help hydrate your skin quickly and shrink the enlarged blood vessels that make your skin look "puffy." Bonus tip: Drinking cold water will help your body re-hydrate quickly while further chilling nearby blood vessels.
• Moisturize your upper and lower eyelids; a few good coats will lock in the moisture from the previous step and help your skin look fresh longer. If you can, apply the moisturizer right after you dry off from showering. This will ensure maximum absorbency – and maximum lift.
Disguise Overindulgence
Salt or alcohol intake can leave your skin looking puffy and red, and the best fix is a good night's rest and plenty of water. For a quick fix, though, you can get away with these steps:
• Don't just splash cold water on your face; follow that step by draping a washcloth soaked in cold water over your whole face for 5 minutes to shrink enlarged blood vessels even further.
• Use green shimmer powder to help minimize redness. To hide puffiness, use a bit of foundation or bronzer slightly darker than your skin to re-create that barely-noticeable shadow below your cheekbones. Be sure to blend thoroughly!
Reinvigorate "Dead"-Looking Hair
If you don't have time to shower, grab a spritzer – or just use your fingers and cold water – and dampen your roots, then blow dry. This gives your hair a bit of lift and freshness, fast.
Get Glowing Skin That Looks Well-Rested
For healthier looking skin and lips, use peachy, subtle tones makeup instead of overcompensating with dark or bright tones that will only make you look paler. Also avoid blues and purples, as these tend to emphasize the blue-gray undertones of tired skin.
Get dewy, younger-looking skin fast by skipping foundation in favor of a lightly tinted moisturizer or sunscreen. For brighter-looking, more alert eyes take a few seconds to curl your lashes, then apply an off-white or peachy toned eyeliner to the lower lid.
