As parents, it can be difficult to find the time (or the reason) to put effort into our beauty routines.

However, after a brutal night’s sleep, looking into the mirror and seeing more eyebags and less Chanel bags can definitely have an effect on our self-esteem.

While nobody needs makeup to look and feel their best, popping on some makeup is an easy way to give ourselves (and our confidence) a quick boost before walking out the door.

If your little ones have been keeping you up at all hours recently or the new school routine has you feeling worn out, here’s how to fake a full night’s sleep with three essential products.

Concealer is a must-have.

You don’t need to put a full coverage foundation on every
day in order to look well. The secret to a healthy look is to create an overall
“glow”. You can do this easily with some good concealer.

Pop on a concealer that is 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone under your eyes. If you have any blemishes you’d like to cover, apply a concealer which matches your skin tone to these areas. This is a super quick way to achieve that “wide awake” look while evening out your skin tone and hiding any dark circles.

Blush is your new best friend.

Coming into the Autumn/Winter season, blush is always popular.
However, never has it been quite as in-vogue as it is at the moment. Put down your
bronzer and apply a light dusting of peach-toned blush to your cheeks and nose (yes,
your nose).

This is a great way to achieve that youthful, “just came in
from the cold” look, and will definitely combat the pale face that can come
with lack of sleep.

Swap the black kohl pencil for a nude one.

When we think of eyeliner, shades such as white or nude are
not ones that spring to mind immediately. However, these colours are exactly
the ones you should be wearing if you want to bring some life back into your
eyes.

While a black or brown kohl pencil can add definition and
drama to your eyes, they can also make them appear smaller and less awake.
Applying a nude liner to your waterline creates a useful optical illusion,
making your eyes appear wider, brighter and thus, much more awake.

So, there you have it. If you’re not getting a full night’s sleep, at least you can fake one with these three products.

If all else fails, put on some big sunglasses and call it a day.