According to new research, the UK’s sleep crisis is at a peak; the average person in Britain loses the equivalent of 18 days of sleep every year, while one in four of us survive on just one hour’s rest a night. But I’m here to help. As a beauty editor of more than 15 years – with a penchant for a late night – I’ve tried every trick in the book for faking eight hours of sleep. With these smart tweaks, science-backed tips and insider hacks, you can look half-alive – even if you feel as if you’ve been exhumed.
Skincare rituals that wake up your face
Sleepless skin often looks dull or puffy due to sluggish circulation. But the expert fix is simple: facial massage. “After cleansing, glide your palms from the centre of your face outwards, then down to your collarbones to boost drainage and lift,” says facial massage expert Lana Buckley, who uses this trick on exhausted models during Paris fashion week. “Keep your lips in an ‘O’ and pat your cheeks five to 10 times to revive circulation, then blink quickly and slowly, alternating 10 to 20 times – it wakes up the eyes instantly.”
For the ultimate eye-reviving combo, choose an eye cream with caffeine to boost circulation, brighten and de-puff the area (I rate Innbeauty Project’s Bright & Tight Dark Circle Firming Eye Cream) and follow with L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Eye Bag Instant Eraser; it forms an invisible film that visibly tightens and smooths the skin within 15 minutes. It’s actual beauty sorcery.
Using a mild exfoliating acid such as lactic or mandelic is key to brightening the skin, making it look less corpse-like. “These acids temporarily lower the skin’s pH, dissolving overnight oil buildup and increasing epidermal turnover and micro-circulation which is key to looking fresh and awake,” says Dr Edel Woods, aesthetic doctor and founder of ORA clinic in Dublin. Try Skin Rocks’ The Gentle Acid, which contains both types, and is ideal for sensitive skins.
The final and crucial step is hydrating the skin. Drinking water (with added electrolytes) can help boost our overall hydration, but to plump the skin, a sheet mask works wonders. “My personal trick is to always keep a stash in the fridge,” says facialist and brand founder Sarah Chapman. “Sheet masks are packed with hyaluronic acid, which rehydrates the skin, and cool temperatures reduce puffiness and soothe.”
Makeup that does more
It’s tempting to pile on makeup when you’re zonked, but that can make skin look flatter and more fatigued. Instead, start with a primer that has a pearlised finish, such as Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow Face Primer, which diffuses shadows and dullness. “Skip the heavy foundation,” advises makeup artist Zoë Moore, who works with hard-partying rock bands such as the Offspring and Blink-182. “A tinted moisturiser evens skin tone without dulling your skin’s natural sheen. Then use a little concealer only where you need it – a little under the eyes, around the nose, or on any redness. You’ll look fresh rather than masked.”
Pro tip: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Gel Tint feels weightless on skin, and Makeup by Mario Surrealskin Awakening Concealer conceals without looking cakey – and both work for young to mature skin types.
Bobbi Brown, the famous makeup artist and founder of Jones Road, adds: “Look for a yellow base concealer that is one shade lighter than your skin tone. Apply under the eye, up to the lash line, and in the inner corner of the eye.”
What do the experts do when their clients turn up bleary-eyed? “Before I do anything, I use eye drops for instant brightening,” says Beau Nelson, makeup artist and Lashify ambassador. Drops with glycerine and naphazoline hydrochloride help to lubricate the eyes and reduce redness (and can be found in Boots Brightening Eye Drops). If you need to call in the big guns, Nelson recommends false lashes, but even using eyelash curlers can help open the eyes, making you look less tired. Suqqu Eyelash Curlers are ideal for those with deep-set eyes, while smaller or hooded eye types may prefer Shiseido’s flatter plates. “These are totally gender neutral, everyone can use them,” Beau adds.
A brow upgrade is perhaps the most overlooked way to instantly look less tired. “A more vertical brow instantly opens up the face,” says Lauren Hogsden, national brow and beauty artist at Benefit Cosmetics. “To achieve this, brush brows upwards rather than across to subtly lift the eye area, then set with a defining gel for natural finish.” Finish off with a light application of makeup if you like, and heed this pro blush tip from Moore: “Apply blush slightly higher on the cheeks than you would normally, to lift the face, choosing warm peach and coral tones that mimic natural blood flow.” Pick a translucent formula that isn’t too pigmented, such as Glossier Cloud Paint Plush Blush for a dewy veil of colour that also reflects light and brightens the face.
Beauty beyond skin
How we style our hair is wildly overlooked when it comes to looking fresh. If you have time, wash, dry and style as usual – even if you just wash the front part, or your fringe, says Sally Brooks, creative director at Brooks & Brooks. “If you don’t have time for that, flip your head upside down and mist through a little texture spray for volume.”
When it comes to styling partied-out models, there are a few hacks that stylists always use. The most notable, perhaps, is Kate Moss’s beloved high ponytail. “A high ponytail keeps things polished and the subtle tension gives an instant, more alert appearance,” says Marcos Verissimo, founder of hair and beauty salon The Six in Mayfair, London. A simple bun also works, he adds: “Anything slicked flat pulls the face down, making us look more tired, so position your bun just above the nape rather than low on the neck to look fresh and lifted.”
Also think about scent – not to mask a late night, but to hack your energy levels and trick your brain into feeling more awake. “Certain essential oils are proven to influence both skin and mood,” says integrated facialist and aromatherapist Annee de Mamiel. “Lavender helps lower cortisol, neroli reduces stress, vetiver eases anxiety and overthinking, and frankincense deepens breathing and induces calm.”
Finally, keep an energy-boosting perfume to hand. Perfumer Angela Stavrevska says: “Research shows that citrus notes in particular can lift the spirits and boost energy.” A reminder that sometimes the fastest route to feeling and looking awake is what you choose to breathe in.
Dress as if you’ve actually slept
The wardrobe version of a concealer is what stylists call light-bounce dressing, using pale shades such as light blues, soft pinks and silvery tones to reflect light upwards, making skin appear brighter. “A white shirt is the ultimate clean slate when you’re tired – it’s like splashing your face with cold water,” says stylist and writer Alexandra Fullerton. Texture matters too: silk and satin scatter light, while matte fabrics tend to dull it.
If you seriously need a wake-up call, fashion psychologist Dion Terrelonge says wear yellow, blue or violet. “These shades are the hardest for our brains to process because of the amount of neural activity they trigger. Wearing these harder-to-process colours might help wake us up because of the additional perception effort they require, and may make others project feelings of energy and alertness on to us because of how they feel looking at our sensory-stimulating outfits.”
Stuck on what style to choose? “A blazer is my secret weapon for feeling pulled together even when I’m not. Adding structure instantly makes you look – and feel – more awake,” says Fullerton. Terrelonge agrees: “Wear something that you associate with feeling powerful. If it links to someone you admire, even better; a bold blazer that evokes your inner Michelle Obama, for example, can trick your brain into borrowing her stamina.”
Movement and posture hacks to look less tired
Exposing yourself to daylight within an hour of waking is one of the simplest ways to reset your body’s natural rhythm. “Just five to 10 minutes of outdoor light exposure can help stabilise the circadian clock, making you feel more alert during the day and ready for rest at night,” says Dr Vishnu Nathan, aesthetic doctor at the Taktouk Clinic. A short burst of movement helps too – easy yoga, gentle stretching, or even a brisk 10 to 20-minute walk boosts lymphatic flow and mental clarity.
Functional medicine practitioner Daniel O’Shaughnessy suggests keeping these micro-practices in your back pocket: “When you’re stressed, breathing becomes shallow and muscles brace, affecting our posture, diverting energy away from repair processes like skin renewal and digestion. Conscious, paced breathing – especially when the exhale is slightly longer than the inhale – tells the vagus nerve, a key part of our parasympathetic nervous system, that it’s safe to relax.”
If you need to appear “on it” then try box breathing, says O’Shaughnessy: “Inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds and hold for four seconds, for two to four minutes before a meeting or event for extra focus and clarity.”
Our body language often gives us away – exhaustion shows itself long before we say a word. “We slump forward, our chest collapses and our head juts out, which makes us look more fatigued, restricts oxygen flow and reduces alertness,” says osteopath Anisha Joshi. “The quickest fix is to reset your posture with your breath – inhale through your nose to expand your ribs and lift your sternum, then exhale as if you’re growing taller from the crown of your head. This opens your chest, realigns your spine and boosts oxygen flow, helping you look and feel more awake in seconds.”
If your day is mainly sedentry but you want to look and feel alert, then Anish suggests “rolling your shoulders back every hour activates postural muscles that fatigue when we sit too long and boosts blood flow to the brain”.
Styling: Charlotte Gornall. Model: Lydia C at Diversity Agency. Hair and makeup: Dani Richardson using Haus Labs and Hair Products by Bumble and Bumble. Eye mask artwork: Sarah Timm. Pyjamas: TBCO. On the “yellow” photograph: Blazer, £169, and trousers, £119, Massimo Dutti. Earrings, Maudella, £45. Necklace, Ottoman Hands, £142. Chain necklace, Ottoman Hands, £65. Heels, Next, £38. Bag, Charles + Keith, £79. Sunglasses, Free People, £22. Ring, Enamel, £75. Bangles, ASOS, £10. Beret, Glassworks, £32
