Anyone who utters the words "You look tired!" to a hardworking mom deserves a very special gift ... like a night spent rocking a teething baby. Or a 2 AM laundry room session with freshly vomited-on sheets. Or a nice warm glass of shut-the-heck-up. But since it's nearly impossible to quiet the clueless, how about heading them off at the pass? These sleep-faking tips will help you look as if you actually logged a full eight hours!
Reduce Puffiness
The numero uno revealer that you're operating on too little beauty sleep is a puffy face and eyes swollen into slits. (Why can't our BOOBS inflate like that when we're tired?) The old-school beauty trick of applying cucumber slices or cold, used tea bags to swollen eyes actually works well to bring down the swelling. We're also fans of new-school remedies like
eyeSlices reusable eye compresses or applying eye cream that's been stored in the fridge, like
Skinn EnergEyes.
Moisturize, Moisturize, MoisturizeTired moms are often dehydrated moms, and a parched bod will equal a parched, tired-looking face. Slather on a cream or serum that will deliver the dewy look of a good night's sleep to your skin. For oily and combination complexions, we love how
Olay Regenerist Serum hydrates and smoothes skin without clogging pores. And
Aqualia Thermal Mineral Balm is moisturizing magic for sensitive, dry and normal skin.
Skip Powder and Heavy FoundationAfter awakening your sleepy skin with fresh moisture, don't cover it with a coat of dulling paint! Piling on the makeup base and powder will only make you look more washed-out and tired, so don't be afraid to let your skin's natural texture shine through! Nervous about going naked? A tinted moisturizer like
Smashbox Sheer Focus will provide coverage and preserve your fresh, not-too-matte look.
Don't Skip ConcealerIf there's one beauty product you can't skip when you skimp on sleep, it's concealer. To successfully cover up dark circles, the trick is to pick a shade that's just a teensy bit lighter than the skin at the tops of your cheeks. Then lightly dot it on and don't over-blend (otherwise you're just smearing it away from the target area).
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage and
Neutrogena 3-in-1 Concealer for Eyes are both fab circle covers.
Whiten EyesBloodshot eyeballs just scream "My kids were up all night!" but you can keep 'em quiet with the right eye drops or makeup. If you don't wear contact lenses, beauty pros swear by pricey drops like
Collyre Bleu Eyelights, as well as good ol' $1.99-a-bottle
Visine. Applying pure white eye shadow or an eye pencil like
Benefit Eye Bright to the inner corner of your eye will also help de-zombie your eyes' appearance.
Brighten With Eyeliner Even the most gorgeous actresses show up on-set with "lack of sleep" written all over their famous faces, says Hollywood makeup artist
Vicki Fischer. She says a great trick-of-the-trade is to apply taupe eyeliner to the upper and lower lash lines. The neutral hue will erase the pink hue around the eyes that makes you look exhausted. Vicki recommends
Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Underground.
Rub On Lip and Cheek Stain
When you're operating on little sleep, forget fussy bronzers and lip liner kits that can make you look overly made-up ... and even more tired in daylight. Instead, choose a subtle, natural shade to color both your cheekbones and lips. Products like
Stila Cherry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain will mimic the natural flush of exercise and energize your look.
Use Dry Shampoo in a RushSo you're going to skip a shampoo (okay, the whole dang shower ...) because you've spent every single second possible cuddled in the comforter. That doesn't mean you have to walk around with limp, oily roots all day. Dry shampoo is the perfect rescue.
TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo works in a pinch to remove oils and give it some bounce and pep. (Warning: This only works on hair, so don't be tempted to spray it in your coffee.)
Pull Hair Into a PonytailYou know how your mom was always telling you to pull your hair off your face? Well, she's right again ... at least when you're exhausted and don't want to look it. A sleek ponytail will help you look polished and put together, sure, but it's also the freshest and most youthful of hairstyles. A high ponytail with a minimum of wisps left hanging off the sides will also de-puff a tired face.
Choose Bright Colors
We don't care if your favorite clothes' colors are black and, well, more black: When you're pooped, you've got to ditch the funeral duds. Wardrobe stylist Joyce Neave of
That Mom, Inc. recommends finding a bright color that complements your skin and wearing it near your face. Neave also advises skipping pastel tops and scarves—they wash the color from the face, making you look even more exhausted.
Hey Bright eyes! If you have any awesome tips or products do share and help someone out after all we know that we need only one thing in common to make a new friend!
Here's something for baby to do while you get ready to dazzle
Counting Friends Phone The Laugh & Learn Counting Friends phone dials up the fun for baby!
This pull-along phone offers three modes of play: learning, music and imagination.Flip the pages to see different animals and press the buttons to hear the realistic sounds and more.In the music mode, baby can build a song by pressing the number keys.Imagination mode offers realistic phone sound effects. Baby can play with the hand-held receiver attached to the phone for early role play.
Here's how this fab site works; you join and the person who joins just before you coaches you to keep YOUR resolutions and you coach the person who joined just after you. Community in action!
The Brilliant Basics Nursery Rhymes Keys unlocks a world of fun for baby!
