Maybe it’s work that’s killing your eight-hours-a-night, or you’ve got a cranky baby, or well, you’re just enjoying those night outs with your crew, but you’re looking a little more tired than usual and people are starting to notice. Sure, you’ve loaded up on your favourite concealer, but what else can you do? Four ways, above.
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The time you sleep is the same time your skin’s repair mechanism kicks in. Stem cells in the epidermis reproduce largely at night, and are responsible for creating new skin cells, so if you’re not getting enough sleep, there’s probably a lot of buildup from dead skin cells and products that result in dull, lacklustre skin. Exfoliate your skin to get rid of the buildup — try chemical exfoliation if you haven’t.
Your panda eyes — or the dark pigmentation under your eyes — doesn’t get darker when you’re tired; it just looks that way because the skin above it is dehydrated. Likewise, fine lines stem from the dehydration your skin is put through when lack of sleep throws off its pH. Drink even more water than usual, use a hydrating serum, moisturiser and even a sleep mask that you can use under your eyes.
Yes, you can order a triple espresso but a super juice might do your skin and body good instead. Beetroot juice has a high concentration of nitric oxide, which has an energising effect.
Think of niacinamide as your skin’s personal barista. This Vitamin B3 derivative is an antioxidant that reduces the negative impact of oxidative stress and improves the skin’s ability to fight back.