How to Look More Awake Instantly—Without Makeup or 3 Cups of Coffee

Saying “you look tired” to another woman is a girl-on-girl crime as high up there as giving Regina George a Kälteen bar. As much as we’re all juggling these days, of course we’re tired! That said, it still doesn’t mean you always want everyone knowing you didn’t exactly get eight hours sleep.

While using heavy makeup to disguise exhausted eyes sometimes works, other times it can just make you look as if you’re wearing a mask of your face. Spend the same amount of time invigorating your skin and combatting signs of fatigue (instead of covering them up) and you’ll be in a much better place by the time you’re ready to walk out the door. You might not even want to wear any makeup at all—your call. Here, our favorite skin-saving and eye-awakening tricks that don’t involve a single drop of makeup.

Breathe in an Invigorating Scent
Step one to looking more awake: Actually wake up. And yes, coffee might help, but you could also try something a little bit gentler, like essential oils. Muji’s so-space-age diffuser ($120, muji.com) vaporizes oils into your bathroom or bedroom, so you can go about your business while inhaling a restorative, heavenly scent. Try its “Refresh” blend of citrus and eucalyptus oils, or look for peppermint or rosemary oils, which are also known to make you feel more alert.

Give Your Skin a Fresh Flush
Bringing some color and life back to your skin is one of the easiest ways to look more well-rested and generally alive. You could do this by working out for 30 minutes or—since we’re guessing you’re like most of us and probably don’t have the time—you could grab your best facial mask and go to town. We love the Glossier Mega Greens Galaxy Pack ($22, glossier.com), which features white clay, avocado, and greens to help detoxify and hydrate skin to a very satisfying degree. Put it on for 10 minutes while you’re styling your hair or eating breakfast. #multitasking

Clear Up Bloodshot Eyes
If you’ve been up all night—and not exactly chugging water and doing yoga—your eyes are probably dry and red, or just generally dead looking. Give them some moisture and relief with eye drops or, for a more natural alternative, put fresh cucumber slices on your eyes for five minutes. Cucumbers have antioxidants that help reduce irritation while the cold temperature (assuming they came from the fridge) also reduces inflammation.

Reduce Puffiness and Dark Circles
When you haven’t been getting enough sleep, your eyes are usually the first thing to go. Deal with the situation head on with a hydrating, de-puffing eye mask, which you can wear while your facial mask does its work (and maybe even grab an extra 10 minutes of sleep while you’re at it). One that’ll get the job done? BioRepublic Lost Baggage Under Eye Repair Kit ($5, bloomingdales.com). Alternatively, if you’d rather DIY it, you can put two used green tea bags in the refrigerator for thirty minutes, then use them as a cool compress on puffy eyes for 15 minutes.

Rehydrate Dry, Cracked Lips
Kim Kardashian is a fan of the newly launched KNC Collagen Infused Lip Masks ($25 for 5-pack, kncbeauty.com), which have fewer chemicals than many other formulas, but plump and hydrate lips just as well. If your lips are feeling extra dry (thanks, matte lipstick), exfoliate with a lip scrub (or toothbrush!) first, then apply this mask for 15 to 20 minutes and you won’t even long for lip balm. The results will be that good.

Groom Brows and Curl Lashes
Once you’ve brought your skin back to life, and given your eyes some very necessary lubrication and hydration, there’s one more thing you can do to look refreshed without picking up a tube of mascara. Comb your brows and curl your lashes. You’ll look purposefully fresh faced, instead of like you slept through your alarm clock. To get that eyelash curler really working, gently heat it up with a blow-dryer for a few seconds before curling lashes.

Spritz Your Skin Throughout the Day
Not sure if all that work is going to get you through a grueling day at the office or a birthday party you need to rally and attend? Stash a facial mist in your bag to refresh and your hydrate skin throughout the day. While it doesn’t yet come in a travel size, we love the Kate Somerville Nourish Hydrating Firming Mist ($48, nordstrom.com). It’s light in fragrance and doesn’t sit on top of skin like many mists do. It’s also packed with skin-loving ingredients and free of alcohol.

For more tricks on waking up tired eyes and skin, check out:
-The Makeup Trick Bella Hadid Uses to Look More Awake Instantly
-Quick Makeup Hacks That’ll Instantly Make You Look More Awake (Even If You Barely Slept!)
-The Makeup Trick That Will Make Your Eyes Look Bigger and Brighter