Fake up, rise and shine

Look and feel like you’ve had a brilliant night’s sleep with these expert tips, says Kim Jones

IF YOU still feel sleepy long after your alarm has gone off, you’re not alone.

A study has found it takes most of us nearly two hours to get going in the morning. And a third of people polled by Lyons coffee admitted to spending the whole day on autopilot because they felt so tired.

But there’s no need to be bleary-eyed or in a daze. These simple tricks will have you looking and feeling wide awake.

1 Stick out your tongue

“Close your eyes, take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale forcefully through your mouth as you stick out your tongue,” said Dr Nitasha Buldeo (organicapoteke. com). “Try to get the tip of your tongue to touch your chin.” Repeat 12 times. 2 Drink up Well-hydrated skin looks wide awake. Keep a water bottle handy and aim for eight 200ml glasses a day. 3Bright

eyes Cheat by using a pale eye brightener pencil on the waterline of your lower eyelid, suggests make-up artist Gemma Rimmington. 4Eye-

opener Apply a curling mascara or use an eyelash curler to open up eyes for perky peepers. 5 Lighten up Apply a concealer slightly lighter than your skin tone under your eyes and under the brow bone to create a lifted appearance, said make-up artist Jennifer Gooding.

7 Apply caffeine

Look for undereye concealers and creams containing caffeine to strengthen broken capillaries that cause dark shadows.

8Skin- loving smoothie

“Blend avocado, cucumber, lemon, ginger, kale and coconut water to give a tired complexion a blitz of antioxidants,” said nutritionist Jessica Shand.

9 Perk up with peppermint

A study showed sniffing peppermint can ease fatigue. Or place cool, used peppermint tea bags over weary eyes.

10Don’t forget to

smile “Smile as wide as you can and hold it for 15 seconds, then repeat three times,” said Tim. “Smiling contracts the muscles around the cheeks, helping to stimulate blood flow to give you a rosy glow.” 11 Eye break Staring at a computer means we blink less. Blink regularly to keep your eyes lubricated. 12 Brow lift Place three fingers under each brow and push upwards. Now smile and frown at the same time, forcing the fingers downward. Repeat several times. More exercises at Dr Munir Somji’s Facefit programme (drmedispa.com). 13Banish bags Place three fingers firmly on your cheekbones under the eyes. Close eyes tightly and hold for 10 seconds or squeeze eyes closed 10 times. Repeat three times. Go for a glow “Mix a tablespoon of turmeric powder with 100ml almond oil in a bottle, shake well and leave overnight,” said Dr Buldeo. “The turmeric will settle at the bottom, leaving the oil infused with its colour. Apply oil to skin, leave on for 30 minutes, wash off.”

14 16Cold call

Pop two teaspoons in the fridge for a few minutes, then place the backs of the spoons on to closed lids and gently roll over the eye area to de-puff. “Mix two tablespoons of natural yogurt with one tablespoon of honey and a few drops of rose water,” said Dr Buldeo. “Apply to the skin for 30 minutes and rinse.” 18 Palm peepers Cup closed eyes with your palms. The heat from your hands will help soothe tired eyes. 19 Ease off foundation Don’t layer on foundation to mask a worn-out complexion. Try tinted moisturiser for a fresher appearance. 20Max moisture Dewy skin makes lines less obvious. Use a moisturiser containing glycerine or hyaluronic acid, which traps moisture.

17Feed your face