The Morning After : How To Fake Looking Alive

That feeling when you look in the mirror the morning after , and what greets you is no pleasant sight. Puffy red eyes , blotchy dry skin , smudges of mascara and eyeliner ( sometimes you just can't face removing all your make up , the pillow is calling all to loudly! ) and a few extra spots courtesy of whatever was devoured post night out . Ideally , after a night like this , it would be spent indoors , in
low light , and a couple of good rom-coms and lots ( and lots ) of water . Sadly this can not always be the case , and sometimes duty calls and we need to get up and out the door .

So with a little to much experience than I care to admit and quite fitting for a Monday morning , these are my top tips to looking a little more alive than you feel !

Skincare : First things first , have a really good cleanse of your skin to get rid of any grime and residue of the previous night  , my cream cleanser I love using is Ponds Cold Cream , effective , nourishing and so inexpensive . Then I like to wet a face cloth , leave it in the fridge for about 15 minutes , and gently press it on my face , I find it helps reduce any puffiness ( and feels amazing !) .

I then apply a good helping of moisturiser , my skin tends to feel so dehydrated and bleerh the morning after . I like to use something that controls shine , as throughout the day my skin can get oily after a night out , Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser is great for tackling that . Then I bring out my Emu Oil Well Moisturising Eye Cream (review here) which I keep in the fridge , and gently tap it around my eyes . Lastly I heap on a good layer of my little pot of miracle lip balm , Nuxe Rieve De Miel . (here)

Make Up Base : Once I've perked my skin up a little , I go in with a bit of make up , I don't like doing anything to much , I prefer to try and fake a fresh look rather than a whole made up look . So firstly I go in with a bit of concealer , my top choice is Collections Lasting Perfection Concealer , this covers up anything I want covered , and lasts through out the whole day , little hangover warrior ! Sadly I'm yet to find a good dupe that can match it in coverage and longevity over here , but the minute I do , there will be a review ! Alternatively , if I don't have too much to cover I like to use Bourjoirs Healthy Mix Concealer to brighten things up !
 Lastly to top off the base , I lightly buff in Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation , perfect for skin that needs a pick me up , caffeine for your face ! Then I give a touch of colour to my cheeks with a blush that has a glow to it . My current favorite Revlon Powder Blush in Racy Rose , is the most beautiful coral pink that leaves you with a natural glow . So pretty ! And if I feel I need it , I'll sweep on a dusting of powder on my t-zone.

Finishing Touches : So to finish it all off , as I said I like to keep it minimal and quick , I don't tend to put anything on my lids for this look , but if you wanted to I'd stick with a neutral colour , maybe a little smidge of a brown or taupe on the lashline blended out for a touch more definition .
I then run some of my Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Nude , on the water line , as it gets rid of any redness , and makes your eyes appear more awake and bright ( just what we all need!) .
Then a quick curl of the lashes and a coat of mascara , my choice is No7 Extravegent Volume Waterproof Mascara in Brown (here) , a little softer on the eyes than black . I definitely go waterproof on the eyes , as those little suckers can water like nobodies business when in this sorry state . And on the lips I'll go for something moisturing and sheer that I can top up when I feel the need to , Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait is ideal for a natural look .

And finally , you can't forget your biggest pair of Victoria Beckham style Sunglasses to bring it all together , and try and get through the rest of the day !

Also the obligatory " I'm never having a drink again ! "