How to look less tired?

[ECT22]

My NY resolution (v shallow but there we are) is to not look so bloody tired all the time. I would be really grateful for any tips - products, supplements, lifestyle changes, hair, style - based on the info below.

I’m mid-forties, perimenopausal, white (and pale), long mid brown hair which is slowly silvering, and I am letting it do so. I have a thin face with dark shadows under my eyes and getting a bit saggy around the mouth area. Otherwise pretty good skin. For colouring, face and hair ‘type’, think Kate Middleton esque - but very tired and without the benefits of immense wealth 😆

I have an intense job and don’t always drink enough water (as I don’t have time to wee). I feel better when I exercise regularly, but when I’m busy this drops off. I gave up booze a few months ago and don’t intend to start again. I’m
on HRT.

I’m not that arsed about ageing - it’s a privilege after all - but I would like to look brighter, plumper (of the face, not arse) and generally sparklier.

Drink more water, establish regular sleeping hours, exercise.

Ok, so I worked on busy in patient units where I couldn't drink water because I didn't have time to pee, so whatever you do for a living, I hear you.

Can you try electrolyte powder once you are home? I get one from super drug it's lemony which is nice but there's others.

I take collagen and it helps my nails (hand gel is a menace to nails!) but I think gives my skin a bit of help too.

I add tanning drops - just two at this time of year, and it stops people from asking if I'm unwell 🫠🤣 (I'm not, I'm just ghostly white)

Hope that helps op, I'm not radiant but it helps me feel better about myself. half the battle

Ha @Emergencysandwich yes if I don’t wear make up, people always ask if I’m ill! Electrolytes and collagen are a good shout ✔️

I swear by:
Ice balls - if I sleep badly or need to get up really early, these are my saviors. I do a rapid mini facial with them while waiting for the kettle to boil, concentrating on around my eyes and forehead.
Vitamin C serum - any one. Main thing that has made a difference to my skin. Big fan of the Roc one and Inkey List.
Pai Rosehip facial oil - I mix a few drops in with my moisturizer and it's slightly orange which in turn gives me a bit of a glow. Plus I have very dry skin so this is particularly good in the winter.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter - just a couple of dots on my forehead, under eyes and nose then blended with fingers. Suddenly makes me look alive and glowy. I will never be without this product and a little goes a long way so it lasts for ever.
Nars creamy concealer - this gets dabbed on any odd red patches/melasma.
Bronzer - the No7 creamy Chanel dupe is so, so good. If I don;t wear this, I look dead. I use as directed by Sam Chapman - where the sun touches your face, not as a contour.
A pat of pigmented blusher on the apples of my cheeks. I like a coral as I'm prone to redness so pink just doesn't work for me. This makes me look alive and like I've had a bracing walk through the fields. Love Merit and No7 Pro artist ones. I then put a teeny bit on my eyelids to match.
Tight lining my eyes - I use a brown/green/navy eyeliner to tight line my upper eyelid on the waterline. Makes most mascaras look fab. I co-ordinate the tight lining with whatever colour I use on the eyelid itself.

Then I make sure my eyebrows are dyed as they have got lighter and sparser as I have aged.

Bit of nice tinted lip balm/lip oil and you're good to go (I really love the Ole Henrikson, Summer Friday and Kiko Milano ones).

Everything aside from the ice balls can be done in the dark in five minutes!

Amazing wealth of tips, thank you! 👏

Try Origins Ginzing moisturiser or Boots Vitamin C Moisturuser. My SIL uses the Origins, I use the Boots one.

You have very similar colouring to me and I think the thing that has made the biggest difference to me is Vitamin C serum in the mornings (I just use Garnier and find it great) and Erborian CC cream as my foundation (I use shade Clair).....I adore both.

Plus water. If I haven't drunk enough during the day I make sure I have peppermint tea after dinner as it's still hydrating.

And eat healthy fats. Nuts, avocados, oily fish. "Eat your skincare."

I find tinting my brows and lashes or putting makeup on them helps me look more awake.
I’m a big fan of La Roche posay cica plast for giving my skin a hydrated dewy look- it’s really thick but doesn’t feel sticky to me.
I also really recommend the vitamin c serum from skin + me, I really saw a difference when using that.

Not to state the obvious but go to bed early and drink loads of water. Thought I had a UTI coming last week so excused myself from parenting etc and drank lots of water and went to bed with a book at 8, asleep by 10. Didn’t have a UTi but caught my reflection the next day and was all ‘oooh!’

When you have a little time off work, experiment with herbal teas.

I find that water and 'conventional' tea go straight through me, but for some reason no kind of herbal tea does that.

So in the last year or so I've been able to drink a great deal more water in that form than I ever have before, and I think my skin and health is a bit better due to that.

I aim to drink 3L a day. I know it sounds a lot but your body really does adjust. I find when I don’t drink that my skin looks much more tired and lines exaggerated presumably because I’m a bit dehydrated.

There are lots of brightening under eye skincare/make up to help with dark under eyes or a colour corrector would help to cancel out the dark circles.

Vit C serum very good for giving skin a glow. Lots of primers out there too which you can use alone or under make up to help your skin look less dull and more alive. Mac do one as do Erborian but there will be many more too.

Clarins beauty flash balm is a staple in my skincare for the days I’m looking particularly exhausted.

I’ve just started doing a face massage every evening and definitely noticed my skin is brighter and less puffy. The bonus is that it’s completely free! m.youtube.com/watch?v=LONbNTnF1OQ&pp=0gcJCR4Bo7VqN5tD

Herbal teas are a great shout - I could have a few of these throughout the day at work. Have ordered a Vit C serum and the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Filter - got a good discount with Blue Light Card 👍

I am also pale and aging. Here are a few things I have done to bring out the best of my new, mature face.

Wear earrings. I can't wear them when working but have got in the habit of just putting hoops in on days off. Check whether silver or gold looks better.

Moisturise every day. The inkey list ceramide moisturiser really plumps up my skin.

Shortened my hair a bit, especially round the face. I found my long blunt hair style was dragging my features down

Exercise/ get sweaty regularly .Brightens me up mentally and gives skin a glow.

Added lots more veg and fruits to meals.I feel a lot better and I think it helps with skin.

Wear lipstick more often. Not at work but on days off. Hair is going silver so lip colour adds colour back.

I'd ask your hairdresser (or one whose styles you like, check their Instagram) for advice about what could suit you. I now cut and style my hair in a more flattering way and it took ten years off me!

I also agree with the PP who said to use those metal or ice rollers on your face in the morning. A little cold water in the morning shower also helps!

The Ordinary vitamin C with HA spheres
Any old moisturiser
SPF 50+ all year round
Skin + Me (Here’s my link if anyone wants to try it - it’s the glowiest of glow-things)
More water than seems reasonable
Enough sleep- my Oura ring keeps me honest these days!

Look. No creams are going to help you here. I am 56. When I was 52, I had a facelift, a neck lift and an upper and lower bleph. I have gone from looking around 60 to around 40. Surgery is the only thing that works.

Hi,

looking at this. How long was the recovery? Seriously considering this.

@DailyMaui where do you buy the ice balls please? I suffer from very puffy skin first thing, definitely more so as I age, late 30s. Have to agree with you on CT flawless filter. I got a trial last month and I’m a convert, I love their blush sticks too, one dab and instant colour. I’d love the magic cream. This is a great list

Update on my tired face: CT Flawless Filter is great, as is Weleda Vit C serum - thanks for those suggestions! Considering micro-blading my brows, as I feel being generally more groomed will help.
I’m not keen on the idea of surgery, however I would consider Botox or similar if finances ever allow.

I look tired too at 46 and thought I’d give eyelashes extensions a go to help open up my eyes a little. I didn’t realise the price or the salon time involved so bought some home diy extensions from Lola’s Lashes. Just arrived and will be trying to get them on tomorrow as they can last for 5-10 days apparently.

I’ve started on tret a few months ago and I’ve got microbladed brows, both of which I’d recommend.

Blusher. On the apples of the cheeks and a little bit higher up than you think it should be. It takes five years off me when I put blusher on.

The biggest difference comes from upping iron for me
Spatone liquid iron and floradix/boots own brand liquid iron and multivitamins everyday followed by orange juice chaser! Also taking high strength vit D and lots of it in winter.
Makes a huge difference to my face, undereyes and general pallor
Sometimes I know I'm low iron because my lips go all pale

They are from Boots Organic range - I love them so much.

If you're confident on dying your brows yourself I highly recommend RefectoCil eyebrow tint (and the mixer you need to go with it). It seems to catch every tiny hair and lasts for a good few weeks unlike the eyelure one. I brush up with a spoolie then use a fine angled brush to paint the dye on where I want it. It makes a huge difference. Their medium brown is fab.