Shocker of a sight in Harvey Nicks (me!!)

[bakedbeansandtuna]

I need help and advice from you lovely people!!

I’m a long time lurker but post now and again. I look at this board a lot and you seem to give out some good advice. Well - I need help.

I’m 34 and have a HUGE problem with insomnia and I’m an academic, full time. I’ve got a lot of worries but haven’t we all. Well anyway I noticed yesterday I had big bags under my eyes and decided to get some concealer today to try and look a bit more human. Well. I ended up in Harvey Nicks to try some concealer out, I don’t know if its just me but bloody hell I looked especially haggard. They seem to have especially monster making lighting in there. Or more likely, its just me. Argh! I don’t smoke or drink, but there’s a lot of stress. Well I ended up buying a concealer (apparently it will make me look ‘radiant’…..!!) but I could do with any other suggestions skin care wise.

The insomnia problem has went on for years but basically, I imagine a lot of you are in the same boat, especially if you have kids too. So what do you use in terms of cosmetics and skin care that actually works?

Thanks a lot!

B

[Maudlinmaud]

Lymphatic massage is supposed to work for puffy eyes. My beautician does it as part of a facial and I copy what she does. Cold tea bags or tea spoons on the bags may help to reduce them too. Top tip never put make up on a tired face, wake up first .
I get about 7 hours sleep now on average and don't have a huge problem anymore. I limit caffeine and drink lots of water. I did try an eye cream that shrunk the bags instantly but didn't like the feel of the product and can't remember the name. It was ££'s.

[bakedbeansandtuna]

Thank you Maud! I've not had a facial in years so now is a good excuse! I'll get the tea bags out tonight. Yes...make up on a tired face does not seem to work. I'd just been in the gym after getting up and then put the warpaint on straight away, this was just before the mirror of horrors experience at the shop. I am a coffee addict so I'll try and cut that out. and pepsi max... If you do remember the name let me know. I know mind spending the money on stuff if it works and lasts for ages. Thanks again. If my confused H asks why I have tea bags on my face tonight I'll tell him its down to you :)

[EnidButton]

Boring af advice but up your water intake, cut out added sugar (including the Pepsi) and reduce carbs and salt. All of those things will reduce puffiness. Dehydration can make dark circles darker too. Although dark circles can be hereditary so not much you can do other than use a peach toned under eye concealer if you're white and the circles are blue toned or a pink toned concealer if you're olive/darker skinned and the circles are brown toned.

Applying concealer in a v shape under the eyes is more effective than applying it right in the corner. Although I do both. Google it for some images that'll explain better than me.

[EnidButton]

(Affective? Damn it I can't remember which is right. You know what I mean though. )

[Maudlinmaud]

My pleasure tuna yeah blame me for the teabags. Cannot remember the name of the cream but if I do I'll let you know. It was most bizarre but did work. I was approached in a shopping centre to try it. Was told not to move my face for a few minutes whilst they applied it and it dried.
They only did one eye so I looked really unbalanced but it definitely made a difference. It felt quite grainy to touch though. My aunt told me I might get the same effect using egg whites.

[bakedbeansandtuna]

Enid yes I thought I was going to have to cut out some vices. Ill buy decaff tea and coffee. I'll try and cut down on the pepsi max. oh dear..! I do like a bit of salt too, oh well. It's not so much dark circles but puffy ones, but I looked like a thousand years old when I looked at myself in the shop lol! Maud, I'll keep getting updates on this topic so I'll make sure I come back to it.

Thanks a lot. This is my favourite board on the site. Everyone is very nice and helpful. H has announced he is going to a film social tonight so I can do my tea bags without 20 questions :D

[JontyDoggle37]

Nip n'Fab do a Dark circle corrector you can put on under concealer that works pretty well. Using. Eyeshadow that includes a highlighter colour in the corner of the eye makes you look more awake. Skin cream that makes your skin more radiant - I use Reversalist from Avon (£13 a pot) and get lots of compliments. Hope that helps!

[UnbornMortificado]

Have you tried OTC stuff for sleep?

I use sominax (it's proper name is phenergen/promethazine it's just an antihistamine) and find it helps get my sleep pattern back on track.

Currently PG though so can't take it, best concealer I have tried is urban decay.

[prettywhiteguitar]

Laura mercier secret camouflage was my god send when I was averaging 3 hrs of sleep a night, bloody ds3

[seefeld]

The Ordinary caffeine solution tightens up my eye bags and only costs about a fiver, could be worth a try on top of the advice given above. The Ordinary Caffeine solution

[seefeld]

I use the Bobbi Brown corrector (peach for my skin tone) under my concealer (Nars radiant concealor or Bobbi Brown). The Bobbi Brown concealor duo I have comes with a yellow powder to brush on top which is also supposed to tone down the darkness as well as set it in place.

[Slimthistime]

I have raging insomnia but I don't get puffy eyes, just very dark circles.

I have been using Superdrug Make up alley stuff - the stuff that comes in a colour palette. I put the yellow one on first as it helps counteract the dark circles, then the actually concealer coloured bit. Lasts all day. cost about £3.

on particularly bad days I use a dot of cream blush and blend well.Those who know me as a no-make up person still do - only my sister spotted it in the sense of "oh are you sleeping better?" and I was like ha ha ha ha ha NO.

btw I gave up my one cup of weak coffee in the AM for a while - made no difference. Sorry but just saying in case you are expecting a lot. However, it sounds like you drink a lot of tea/coffee, in which case hopefully you will get a good result from reducing/cutting out.

[BumbleNova]

I second the coloured concealer palette things, it makes me look human. I find the peach colour most effective, then a brightening concealer. I like the clinique airbrush stuff. make sure you let the coloured concealer dry a bit first or you end up veryy crepy under the eyes.

re the insomnia - I have slept terribly for most of my life. I wake at 3 am and worry about anything and everything. I started taking a probiotic supplement from holland and barrett and three days later I started to sleep perfectly, I havent woken at 3am since. I watched the bbc sleep documentary so there is science behind it. anecdotal yes - but its cheap and it bloody worked!

[Dowser]

I take probiotics on a regular basis still get insomnia

[Slimthistime]

Bumble, that's funny - I began taking probiotics about a year or so ago after hearing the anecdata and it made it worse - unless no connection at all and it was a coincidence that couple of weeks, you never know for sure.

re the Superdrug palette - I don't leave any time for the yellow to dry, it's fine to just put the yellow on, put the normal tone on and away I go. Glad I tried it first rather than go for anything pricey but a friend used to work at makeup counters and she told me they were good, so that was a lucky tip.

[bakedbeansandtuna]

Right just got in. I bought some decaf Tetley :)

Quite touched to see all these helpful responses. I got the NARS radiance concealer today - it should last a while although I'm probably going to go through the entire tube in 3 days at this rate (!). I'm going to look at all these other tips for insomnia too. I've tried it all; Kalms, Zopiclone, Valium. The latter two are just awful and you can't take them long term anyway. Unborn, see and Bumble, I'll google these things now. Anything is worth a shot.

I go to sleep for an hour. Wake up. Up and down up and down all night, always freaking out about something. Unfortunately H is the same. I have to be on form for work though whereas he is self employed so doesn't always have to face the world so to speak. The worse thing is when you are knackered and you STILL can't sleep.

Although: for all you insomniacs - one thing works but I can't do it much due to money considerations...sports massage. Agony at the time but you generally get a good night afterwards. It's obviously not a long term fix though.

[Slimthistime]

ooh NARS is pricey isn't it? I hope it's good.

I would take a bit of Diazepam every night if I could. Hypnotics makes me nauseous but I take them occasionally anyway.

I am a tight arse - as you can tell - but the few times I forked out for massage it didn't help anyway. I backed out of a night out last night as I have reached the "nauseous from no sleep" stage. I'm also having to miss runs as I'm at the stage where I'd fall over very easily ....grr.....

I have also reached the "calling colleagues wrong names" stage. So don't worry you are not alone. Not sure if that makes you feel any better - but it does mean that the research will continue amongst us all, while we are wide awake at 4am we will surely find a cure...!

I'm not freaking out about anything, just can't sleep.

anyway, hope you get some luck with reduced caffeine.

[OCSockOrphanage]

Sleeping properly seems to be the crucial bit. There was an interesting sounding program on R4/WS last night (at 3 am!) about a big Canadian research project into sleeping. (I turned it off, to sleep). To cut to the chase, the hypothesis is that insufficient sleep hours are a causal issue in many of the chronic issues -- obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke, Alzeimhers, and the rest. People who are not sleeping deeply for 6 or 7 hours are subjecting themselves to increased risk of these conditions. Humans need enough sleep and good quality sleep.

[Angeldt]

Buy Piriton ( it's an antihistamine ) I take 0.5 a tablet and it works a treat.

[Slimthistime]

no offence Sock but I'm always a bit baffled at the amount of programmes there are telling us how ill we will get from our insomnia.....as if we don't already know.

OP forgot to say - in case it's helpful - sometimes I have an hour's kip immediately after getting in from work. I have learned it has no effect on later sleep and essentially if I feel I can sleep, I'm gonna!!

[BitofaPoorEffort]

Another vote for The Ordinary here..my eye bags and shadows are the bane of my life and their caffeine stuff is actually helping..unlike many much more costly products. At a fiver it is a really great buy. I think some of the eye bag products (the Ren one may be the pricey option mentioned upthread and is a case in point) work well on their own, but just don't work with make-up over the top...and I need lashings of concealer too!

[OCSockOrphanage]

No offense taken, Slim. I am as guilty of not sleeping as anyone. Since I downtuned paid work, it's not better so I think a lot is hormonal.

In case you may find it useful, I read a y bey book, that I already know, so as soon as my eyelids droop, I put it down. And I have a skin care ritual that says, end of day. It may be training and familiarity with routine.

[OCSockOrphanage]

a book I I already know... duh....!

[Slimthistime]

ah, I can never figure out how people can nod off reading a book. If you already know it, it's like reading poetry or listening to familiar songs...your brain will just go along with the familiarity and all the interestingness of the words....

when I was a teenager I found the odd smoke - I mean just a ciggy, no funny stuff - helped me - but now I have asthma, so I think I'd just start coughing at the first puff.

[Glamorousglitter]

I suffer with insomnia a bit especially when stressed - best thing I ve found is regular height intensity exercise - needs to be 3/4 times a week for a good 30 mins - at the end I m sweaty and red and manky but I sleep endlessly better, plenty of water good too, I m trying to drop the caffine but I love it :).

Just can't emphasise the difference having regular exercise makes me such a different person. Dh and dc even notice. Life is nuts and for ages I just kept saying o couldn't fit exercise in but then thought f3€€ it I m awake anyway and went for a run one evening, then added in weights / aerobics classes in the gym, I now swim/ run/ do weights / early in the mornings or later in evening s then come home do some deep breathing and have a camomile tea then sleep like a baby for 7-8 hours if the dc don't wake. Honest you would t believe the difference