How not to look tired: 6 beauty products to awaken your eyes

Sleepless nights disturb the skin’s ability to repair and renew itself, which leads to fine lines and even flaky spots around the eyes. While upping your water intake is key, so is using a great moisturizer that targets this area. 

Here's how: Apply peel-and-stick eye patches to clean, dry skin under your eyes after you get out of the shower, and wait 10 minutes for them to work their magic. They give an instant cooling effect, and the ginkgo biloba leaf extract improves blood flow to brighten the area. Gently peel off and discard patches.

$18 (4-pack), sephora.com

Then: Apply an eye cream with hyaluronic acid to provide long-lasting hydration and plump the skin, diffusing any lines or wrinkles.

$40, olay.ca

Telltale signs of zombie-like exhaustion include dark circles and redness around the eyes. The trick is to create brightness and a luminous glow to banish shadows. 

Here's how: Apply a beige or nude eyeliner along your lower waterline (the inner rim between your lashes and eyeball). The light shade makes eyes look bigger and brighter, and diminishes any redness. 

Champagne, $9, annabelle.com

Then: Finish with a few dabs of concealer in a colour one to two shades lighter than your foundation. Starting at the inner corner of the eye and ending just below the temple, apply it in a semicircle and then blend with your finger or a sponge.

Poppy, $18, sephora.com

Skip fussy makeup and opt for the tried-and-true combo of mascara and a little shimmer that is guaranteed to liven up sleep-deprived eyes. 

Here's how: Brush mascara onto your upper lashes. Puffiness can make eyes look tiny, but mascara opens them up, giving the illusion of alertness. Leave the lower lashes bare, because they can smudge or flake, contributing to dark circles. 

$11, maybelline.ca

Then: Apply a light, shimmery eyeshadow in a champagne colour to the inner corners to bring brightness to your eyes. If you feel like you need an extra hit, gently sweep the shadow across your lids.

Vanilla Brilliance, $5, essencemakeup.ca

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