There are few comments more low-key offensive than “You look tired.” While it’s rarely intended as an insult, it never fails to land like one. The frustrating part? Looking tired and being tired aren’t always the same thing. Maybe you’re running on five hours of sleep. Or perhaps you’ve simply inherited under-eye bags that make you look exhausted despite a perfectly respectable sleep score. Either way, dull skin, dark circles, puffiness, and drooping eyelids can make you appear older, less healthy, and less energized than you actually feel.
Of course, clocking quality shuteye is your first line of defense to look and feel well-rested. But beyond the obvious, there are plenty of things you can do to at least fake a full eight hours of sleep. Ahead, doctors share how to look noticeably more refreshed, ranging from lifestyle habits and a revised skincare routine to treatments that can take years off your face.
1) Exfoliate
Most skincare products take weeks or months of use to notice real results. Exfoliating, however, pretty much always offers instant gratification. Corey L. Hartman, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama, suggests leaning on exfoliating acids like AHAs (glycolic acid, lactic acid) and BHAs (salicylic acid) to sweep away dead skin cells and reveal brighter-looking skin.
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2) Wake up with Vitamin C
If a Vitamin C serum isn’t already part of your morning routine, it probably should be. Not only does the active promote a brighter, more even complexion, but Dr. Hartman says it’s also a key component of defending against collagen breakdown (read: keeping lines and laxity at bay).
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3) Quench your skin
Hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane help to attract moisture into the skin and keep it there. And even if you run oily, it’s still wise to apply moisturizer. Well-hydrated skin reflects light better, brightening shadows and making you look instantly revived.
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4) Don’t skimp on eye cream
Even if your sleep habits are impeccable, your eyes can still betray you. The skin here is ultra thin, has trouble retaining moisture, and has very little fat or cushioning to protect it. In other words, your eye area is basically ground zero for looking tired even when you aren’t. Maryam Zamani, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, suggests being proactive by investing in an eye cream or serum targeted to tackle concerns like puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines.
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5) Massage the fatigue away
Once you nail down your skincare arsenal, you can also incorporate a few low-effort techniques that temporarily reduce puffiness. According to Dr. Hartman, lymphatic drainage and facial massage have the potential to improve circulation and make your face look more awake. Consider buying a gua sha tool, or give yourself a quick facial massage when applying your moisturizer or SPF.
Meanwhile, you can resist viral videos urging you to dunk your face in a bowl of fancy ice water. “Cold water may feel good, but there is little to support its effect on healthy skin,” he says.
6) Clean up your diet
Looking less tired doesn’t hinge upon your grooming routine alone. According to Jennifer Timmons, MD, a longevity physician and the founder of Timmons Wellness, many of the factors that make you look and feel run down—think energy crashes, brain fog, poor sleep, and sluggish recovery—are often tied to blood sugar swings and chronic inflammation. To combat these, she advises eating a balanced diet rich in whole foods while minimizing ultra-processed foods and alcohol. “Even simple changes like prioritizing fiber, omega-3-rich foods, and walking after meals can noticeably improve energy, sleep, and skin quality within weeks,” she says.
Getting a consistent fix of H2O will also work to your advantage. “Even subtle dehydration can worsen puffiness, hollowing, and dullness around the eyes and face,” says Dr. Zamani.
7) Use recovery tools strategically
If the wellness industry has taught us anything, it’s that people will try almost anything to look and feel better. Some popular options—like red light and sauna therapy—show promise to support your skin and recovery alike, so long as they’re combined with foundational lifestyle habits (eating right, not smoking, exercising regularly). “Red light therapy can support collagen production and reduce inflammation. And sauna therapy is associated with great skin, cardiovascular, brain, and longevity benefits,” says Dr. Timmons.
8) Get a professional-grade polish
Still dealing with a dull complexion after locking down your skincare routine? Head to your local medspa or derm to bring in the big guns. Dr. Hartman recommends microdermabrasion, which “gently exfoliates and resurfaces the skin while rinsing the pores of debris” with virtually no downtime. The treatment can also help stimulate collagen production, fade acne scars, and reduce the appearance of dark spots.
9) Consider laser treatments
To take things a step further, look into laser treatments that focus on your biggest pain points. Dr. Hartman recommends low-level fractional laser treatments like Clear + Brilliant, which improves skin texture and tone with no significant downtime. CoolPeel would be the next step up, says Dr. Zamani, which helps improve mild textural issues and early wrinkles. “However, patients with deeper creasing or more advanced signs of aging may benefit more from a deeper fractional CO2 treatment, which can produce a more dramatic improvement in a single session, though with a longer recovery period,” she says. You can also limit this treatment to your eye area if it’s your main concern.
10) Start “Brotox”
Botox is growing increasingly mainstream for men—and for good reason. According to Dr. Zamani, a strategic dose of neurotoxin around the forehead and eyes offers the most bang for your buck to appear rested, refreshed, and approachable. “When performed properly and preserving natural expression, it softens frown lines and crow’s feet without making someone look frozen or overdone,” she says.
11) Treat your under-eyes
Maybe there’s no amount of eye cream that can stand up against dark circles or hollowing under your eyes. In that case, Dr. Zamani suggests looking into platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or EZ Gel injections. “These treatments harness the body’s own healing mechanisms to improve the quality and appearance of the under-eye area in a very regenerative way,” she says.
12) Look into surgical options
If you’re looking for a serious change, blepharoplasty is hard to beat. Invasive (and pricey) as it is, it’s the most impactful way to not only look more well-rested but also potentially shave years off your appearance. Per Dr. Zamani, upper eyelid blepharoplasty is ideal for those with excess skin or hooding of the upper eyelids, which makes the eyes appear heavy or fatigued. “In men, these concerns typically become more noticeable in their late 40s and beyond, although some patients begin developing heaviness in their 30s,” she says.
Otherwise, if puffiness or under-eye bags are the reason why you look like you perpetually work the night shift, a lower blepharoplasty (perhaps with a fat transfer and/or fat repositioning) is the better choice. “In some patients, this develops with age as the fat pads beneath the eyes lose support and begin to protrude. In others, it is simply genetic and can occur even in younger patients,” says Dr. Zamani.
All said, being tired and looking tired are two different problems. Fortunately, the latter has more solutions than ever.