Starved for sleep and showing it? Even if you haven't caught enough z's, you can hide the telltale signs of tiredness - puffy eyes, dark circles and dull, dehydrated skin - with a few star-worthy tricks of the trade. Dermatologist Dr. Paul Cohen of Toronto's Rosedale Dermatology Centre and celebrity makeup artist Jackie Gideon (who has worked with Julia Roberts) share how to quickly wake and fake a rested complexion.
A treat for the tired
You may not have time to steal more sleep, but you can give your skin what it's missing after a restless night: hydration. Lack of sleep dehydrates the skin, leaving it with uneven, dull tone, says Dr Cohen. One way to boost your skin's hydration is by applying a rich moisturizer before you hit the sheets, no matter how late it is or tired you are. This aids the skin's ability to renew cells, which happens while you sleep.
When you wake up, before moisturizng, take a few extra minutes for an at-home microdermabrasion or mini glycolic peel - which instantly revives dull skin, giving it a healthy- looking rosy glow. Then dab an eye cream containing cucumber extract (an anti-inflammatory) or Vitamin C (a potent antioxidant) under your eyes.
Often puffiness is accompanied by dark circles because delicate skin under the eyes is the thinnest on the body, and when you're tired, the blood vessels around your eyes becomes dilated. If this is the case, pat on an eye cream containing retinol, a collagen-boosting ingredient.
If lack of sleep is a common occurrence for you and you're starting to look like a prize fighter, Dr Cohen recommends injecting a gel filler like Juvederm (made from hyaluronic acid) inder your eyes. ''It increases the distance between blood vessels and the skin to decrease puffiness and darkness,'' he explains. The procedure takes 15 minutes and lasts a year. And the day after pulling an all-nighter, be sure to load up on water and fruits to stay hydrated, and try to avoid salt-packed, de-hydrated processed foods.
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