From facial massage to wearing the right colours, there are plenty of ways to appear well rested, even when you’re anything but
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ccording 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.
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.
