Exhausted Sox fans, rejoice. You can look rested even if you're not.
Red Sox Nation is bleary-eyed this morning after watching the home team slug it out into the wee hours in Anaheim. Perhaps you've chugged a little more coffee than usual and are steeling yourself for the morning meeting, thankful Game 2's tomorrow night, and you can sleep in. But on Sunday it's Game 3, and even though the Sox are back home, it could be another late night. So, how can you stay up and still look bright eyed in the morning? We've gathered some tips from folks who can help you look refreshed, even if you've had very little sleep.
"If you're looking for holistic help, take two teabags, put them in hot water to release the tea a bit, and then put them in the fridge. Once they've cooled off, lie down and put them right over your eyes. If you're in a hurry in the morning, you'll want to do this at night - though of course, you might not plan that far ahead. There are good products you can buy as well. In the '80s, when I worked for Borghese during the day and as a bartender at night, I'd use Borghese Botanico Eye Compresses. You can find them at Lord & Taylor. Two other good products are Lancôme's High Resolution Eye Collaser, which is an instant puffiness reducer that actually cools as well, and Effacernes, a waterproof concealer for under the eyes. You'll want to lightly pad it into that crease under the bags you get when you're tired. And you want to make sure you get a shade that matches the rest of your skin." - Robin Moran, makeup artist, Marblehead
"It's good to drink a lot water and to stay away from alcohol, especially late at night, since that dehydrates the skin. Also, you'll want to use a good moisturizer to help the skin stay nice and moist. Look for something that doesn't irritate the skin or have heavy perfume. We use Kinerase moisturizer and eye cream a lot in our office. You can find it in Neiman Marcus and Saks, and it's not super expensive." - Jafar Koupaie, M.D., dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon, Boston Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Center, Brookline
"I get up at 5:30, and if I've been working [at the restaurant] the night before, it's difficult. I use bareMinerals makeup - it hides bags or anything else on your skin that you'd rather people don't see. It isn't heavy on your face, so people don't know you're wearing it. It's excellent. Then, when I get to work, I try to eat a good breakfast." - Taia Basile, full-time receptionist, Massachusetts General Hospital, and part-time server, Audubon Circle Restaurant and Bar, Brookline
"Eye drops work wonders. Once the eye drops have taken effect, use an illuminator, which has a mineral foundation. Illuminators often offer loads of protection, such as sunscreen. It's a one-step kind of coverage and gives the complexion a pick-up. Also, it's good to have a long-wearing mascara and lip color. Something waterproof is good for the eyes, since after a long night, they might look a little runny. Also, fewer touch-ups will be needed throughout the day. If your eyes have a bloodshot look, you can take an eyeliner pencil and apply it to the [skin above your lower eyelashes]. A lighter, more flesh-tone color will help eyes to look brighter and clearer." - David Nicholas,president and CEO of David Nicholas International, Inc. makeup training center, Charlestown
"I've tried to camouflage the new-mom haze of exhaustion with the help of cosmetics - under-eye concealer, blush, mascara, and lipstick; exercise, in small doses; edible pick-me-ups, like chewing gum and chocolate; mood lifters like singing and laughing; and environmental manipulation - creating gushes of cold air by driving with the windows down or with the air conditioning blasting." - Erin Antebi, new mom and attorney, Newton
"If I've got a long day after little sleep, I have a lot of caffeine throughout the day, which usually does the trick since I don't drink coffee regularly. Sometimes I'll take all-natural energy pills from the health food store. I try to take short naps - less than 20 minutes. At the end of the day, I just conk out!" - Dana Price, musician, personal trainer, yoga instructor, and music instructor, Cambridge
"If it's a busy night, I might get home at 4, 4:15, and then my dogs get me up at 7, 7:30. I drink some tea to get caffeine into my system. A shower helps, too. I don't normally wear makeup during the day, but if I do, I really like bareMinerals. It takes only four or five minutes to put on and covers up the circles under my eyes if I haven't had enough sleep." -Sarah Wilson, bartender, Game On!, Boston
"Concealer makes all the difference in the world. You want to highlight beyond the well of the eye - where it's the darkest - and blend beyond that, past the cheekbone. A concealer will brighten the skin and help take that heaviness out. With a concealer, you'll want to go one shade lighter than your skin tone, but if you go any lighter, you might end up looking like a raccoon. You want to make sure it's not too yellow, or the person will look sallow. Concealer will work for men and women, but if it's a man, you want to make sure that it's matte, and doesn't illuminate the skin." - Elizabeth Moon, makeup artist, Boston 