We’ve all had that exceptionally long weekend that was a once in a lifetime good time, or the work week that was not so great but lasted forever. Whatever your reason for going days with no sleep, you’re now faced with a Monday morning meeting with your boss or a first date with Mr. Perfect and your face is an awful shade of gray, your eyes are sunken and the dark circles may never go away. It’s a good thing for you that there are more than a few tricks that can fake sleep until you can hibernate and catch up on your own.

Start with a terrycloth face mask. It’s just like a super thick, super soft washcloth but it’s formed to fit perfectly over your face and comes complete with neat little holes near your nose so you can breathe easy. Soak the mask in ice water for two minutes and lay it over your face for three to five minutes. The cold will stimulate the blood flow to your face and help to revive your skin’s color, texture and will help reduce those dark circles.

Remove the cloth and, with a light rejuvenating moisturizer, massage your face for a full ten minutes. These moisturizers are infused with mint, caffeine and other essences that stimulate the skin. Be sure to massage in a circular motion moving primarily in circles toward your nose. Rub the forehead, chin, jaw line and cheeks. Avoid rubbing near the eyes under the brows and above the cheek bones. Massaging after a cold compress continues to stimulate blood circulation and improves the color and fullness of the skin. Professionals swear by a cold face massage when their models need to look their best on little or no sleep.

Gel eye packs were created with the sole purpose of adjusting dark under-eye circles that appear as a result of lost sleep. Apply one under each eye after the massage. The packs should sit just along the top rim of your cheek bone. They are soothing and should never cause any discomfort. Results come as the gel packs work to simultaneously reduce fluid build-up and stimulate the collagen in the eye area.

While your gel packs are doing their thing, gently rub an exfoliant designed for use on your lips to the upper and lower lip from the center to the corners and just slightly beyond the natural lips line. Tired lips look pale and are often dry and tend to peel. A gentle exfoliation removes dead skin and stimulates color and texture. Wipe with a warm cloth and apply a lip balm immediately to lock in moisture.

These simple steps prep your skin for concealer and makeup that will help you look like you spent the day relaxing in a spa. When your skin is tight and smooth your makeup can do its best work to cover and stay bright through the day and night.

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