Look less tired, it’s a requisite

Considered the happiest soul of the jungles, Jane Goodall has correctly elevated the concept of happiness.

‘How are you?’ It’s something we’re asked countless times a day by friends, family and colleagues, and the resounding response is usually along the lines of, ‘I feel tired.’ One of the many outcomes of the upheavals of the past year and the uncertainty of the months ahead is a feeling of perpetual tiredness—and that fatigue is written all over our faces as dullness, dark circles and angry, misbehaving skin.So, even if we are sleeping well, the constant hum of stress that many of us are experiencing right now is causing us to feel tired and making our skin look fatigued in the process.
1. Establish a good bedtime routine
Around 9pm, as the day closes, the body prepares for sleep by producing melatonin, a powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant. Melatonin helps to balance the circadian rhythm and counteract inflammation and oxidative stress, which are key players in ageing. If this process is interfered with by broken sleep, anxiety or stress, the body produces cortisol, which in turn prevents your skin from producing hyaluronic acid, its natural hydrator. What all this means is, poor sleep can result in dry and dehydrated skin, leading to dullness and an impaired skin barrier. With many of us working from home now and foregoing makeup, it’s tempting to skip an evening skincare routine, but if you do, you are missing out on an opportunity to support your skin’s repair mechanisms while you sleep.
2. Hydrate the eye area
When think you look tired, they are often referring to changes in the upper third of their face, especially around their eyes, the concerns can range from pigmentation or dark circles to fine or deep wrinkles, to hollowing due to volume loss and subsequent tear troughs.Ensuring the eye area is well hydrated and using a good moisturising eye cream with caffeine or peptides can temporarily improve the appearance of fine lines by smoothing out the skin’s surface. Additionally, products containing Vitamins A and C can help brighten dark circles to some degree.
3. Always remember to cleanse
You might think that if you haven’t left the house all day that you don’t need to cleanse your skin before bed, but the air inside your home can also be polluted and it’s important to remove the oils and dead skin that accumulate throughout the day. Start your double cleanse with an oil-based cleanser for a deep clean and to help lift impurities and dissolve makeup. Follow your first cleanse with a formula that targets your skin concerns such as dehydration or breakouts. When you have doubled cleansed, you are creating a blank canvas for oils and serums to work at their maximum efficacy.
4. Take a deep breath
Perhaps the easiest option of the lot, a round of deep breaths. Because many of us spend our days hunched over a desk, working all hours, our breathing is quite shallow. Breathing — really breathing—is key to our bodies functioning properly. From digestion to detoxification, without oxygen, our cells just can’t do their job to the best of their ability, and that includes our skin cells. When we breathe deeply, the diaphragm lowers into the belly, allowing the lungs to expand and fill. In the lungs, oxygen is replaced in deoxygenated blood, which is then redistributed throughout the body, supporting all our vital processes. This is what our skin needs right now.
5. Be happy at any cost
Someone who is determined to be happy is unstoppable. Happiness begets happiness; make sure to be happy, with your soul mate and kids and immediate family. One who is happy naturally looks fresh and less tired.