How to Look Less Tired

Skincare Advice to Refresh and Rejuvenate

Even after a full night's sleep, stress and screen time can leave you looking anything but rested. If you find yourself staring in the mirror and wondering how to look less tired, don’t worry – there are some solutions.

Dehydration, environmental aggressors, and skin fatigue might mean we don’t appear as refreshed as we feel after a solid eight hours of sleep, but there are plenty of ways to restore radiance, smoothness, and brightness to your skin.

From targeted vegan skincare to simple lifestyle shifts, read on to discover the causes and solutions that could help you look less tired – and no caffeine required.

Hydrating skincare to brighten tired skin

Dry skin on your face is one of the most common causes of dull skin, as it creates cracks in the skin’s surface and causes dead skin cells to build up, making the complexion look uneven and lacklustre.

Applying a facial moisturiser twice a day (morning and night) brings moisture and hydration to the skin, which helps improve elasticity and protects your skin’s barrier. Look for moisturisers that will help repair the skin barrier function; highly recommended is Oleo’s Frankincense Supreme. To help improve water retention, hyaluronic acid is the key ingredient, and a therapeutic quantity of this can be found in Oleo’s exceptional Resilience High Performance Facial Moisturiser.

The eye area is often the first place to betray signs of fatigue. Dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines can instantly make you look more tired. To counteract this, Oleo’s Gentle Eye Cream will hydrate, depuff, and boost collagen.

Gently massage your moisturiser on your face to boost blood circulation. This helps to bring oxygen to the skin’s surface, making it look nourished and healthy.

Gentle exfoliation for dull and tired complexions

Though the skin naturally exfoliates itself, sometimes the process slows down, leading to dull-looking skin. Exfoliating removes dry, dead skin cells, creating a fresh canvas that allows topical products to penetrate better. Exfoliation is the best way to smooth the skin’s surface so it reflects light and appears glowing and brighter.

Regular exfoliation is one of the most effective ways to revive tired-looking skin. Uneven skin tone and dullness are the biggest giveaways of fatigue. The Oleo approach is always to treat the skin gently; that is why our Gentle Facial Exfoliator is perfect for the job. Crushed walnut shells, in a creamy base, provide both a skin-friendly and planet-friendly form of exfoliation. Your complexion will look smoother and fresher.

Lifestyle habits that affect skin appearance

Hydration

Are you drinking enough water? Dehydration decreases the volume of blood flow to the skin, which can make you look drained and fatigued. Though dehydration may seem like a short-term problem solved by one glass of water, skin dehydration should be viewed as a long-term issue. Consistently failing to give your skin the hydration it needs can cause lasting damage, like fine lines, sagging skin, and deeper wrinkles.

Drink up! Make sure you’re drinking at least 6–8 cups of water daily. Sugar- and caffeine-laden beverages, together with alcohol, can increase dehydration.

Stress

Whether brought on by a pressing deadline, an argument, a big life change, or just the day-to-day grind, feeling anxious really does play a role in your skin’s brilliance – or lack of it. Stress causes the hormone cortisol to increase, which can negatively affect blood flow to the skin and skin repair. This, in turn, can cause your skin to look duller than usual.

Carve out a few minutes each day (or more) to de-stress. Try soaking in Oleo’s Soothing Bath Soak – infused with relaxing essential oils of lavender and chamomile. Follow this with either our Soothing Body Lotion or gently massage some Stress Less Body Oil into your skin. The result: a more peaceful you, and healthier, more radiant skin over time.

Sleep and environmental effects on skin fatigue

Anything that keeps you up at night can stand between you and glowing skin. Sleep is when your skin cells repair themselves and regenerate. If sleep is shortened or altered, skin cells are unable to perform at their optimum level.

Oleo to the rescue. Wind down in our super-calming Before Bed Bath. To ensure a restful slumber, after your bath massage our Sleep Well Body Oil into your body. For added skin benefits while you sleep, apply either Oleo’s Healthy Ageing Facial Serum or our Essential Skin Serum to your complexion for overnight skin nourishment.

Environmental changes can be tough on your skin. Factors such as air pollution, low humidity, harsh winds, and exposure to UV rays from the sun can dull unprotected skin.

You don’t have to hide away to keep your skin smooth and even. Wearing SPF is the first and most important step. Apply Oleo’s Protect & Hydrate SPF 30 Face Cream (even if it’s cloudy) to shield against UV rays every morning.

Be diligent about cleansing your face each night. Otherwise, gunk from the day can build up on your face and clog your pores while you sleep. Oleo has a cleanser for every skin type and whichever method of cleansing you prefer – from our Gentle Facial Wash, Light Cleansing Lotion, to the sublimely fragranced Rose Petal Cleansing Balm.

Smoking and long-term skin health

Not only is puffing away harmful to your lung health, but it can also sap skin’s glow. Carcinogenic substances are extremely detrimental to skin integrity and structure. Cigarette smoking causes collagen breakdown, making skin appear sallow and wrinkled over time.

STOP! It’s not easy – I know from experience, but seek out help to quit smoking. Your body (including your skin) will thank you.

How diet can affect your skin

The age-old saying “you are what you eat” very much applies here. What you put into your body is reflected in your complexion, so don’t expect to under-nourish your body and see radiant skin.

Try to reduce your intake of salty and processed foods as they enhance tissue swelling through fluid retention. Avoid food that is high in sugar and saturated fat and devoid of fibre. These are all culprits when it comes to dull skin.

There are plenty of healthy food options you can incorporate into your diet to please both your stomach and your skin. Antioxidant-rich foods like fresh berries, vegetables, nuts and pulses, and good fat treats like avocados and walnuts, as well as citrus fruits and kiwi, which contain vitamin C.

For all your vegan skincare needs

Although there are several factors to consider if your skin is looking a little fatigued, using Oleo’s vegan skincare range and tweaking some lifestyle habits could help you perk up your complexion and help you look less tired.

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