Sometimes, it can feel like there’s never enough time. There’s definitely never enough sleep. Sleep is often the thing we sacrifice to get everything done, but we might be making things worse by accruing endless sleep debt. That fatigue catches up with you—in your body, mind, and even relationships. One of the first places your fatigue can show up? A tired face.

Featured image from our interview with Inge Theron by Teal Thomsen.

Why Fatigue Is Showing Up On Your Face

We know that high stress can have a physical effect on us—from bloating to the dreaded cortisol face. But a tired face is more than just puffiness, dark under-eyes, or a vanity concern. It’s your skin telling you what it needs. Often, that’s a combination of more sleep, less stress, and an intentional approach to skincare.

I talked to Mila Davis, aesthetician at Skin to Smile about how you know when fatigue is showing up on your face—and what to do when it does.

What causes a fatigued, tired face?

“A fatigued or tired-looking face can be caused as a result of lifestyle factors or medical conditions,” says Davis. Some symptoms, she explains, are related to aging while others are “the result of poor skincare, or other cosmetic procedures.”

You’ll likely see the signs of fatigue on your skin and around your eyes, she says, often resulting in a dull complexion and premature signs of aging. Common causes include:

Lifestyle

Sometimes, even after finally getting eight hours of deep sleep, your sleep deficit still catches up with you. I’ve been there, wondering if the eye mask and other sleep accoutrements were even worth it in the morning. Bottom line: They are. And making them a habit will address the long-term effects of fatigue if you can get to a place where you’re prioritizing sleep again.

But what if you can’t, even for all your good intentions?

“Some easy lifestyle fixes to improve the appearance of tired-looking skin include adequate daily hydration,” says Davis (time to form an emotional bond with a really big water bottle), “daily SPF to protect from sun damage, incorporating a simple exercise routine, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding smoking, improving your diet, and avoiding ultra-processed foods.”

Best Ingredients for Energized, Glowy Skin

Your skin deserves to get its glow back. Skincare can help get you there. Almost instantly, certain products can make your skin look brighter, plumper, and more energized.

An intentional skincare routine starts with understanding your goals—in this case, addressing a tired face. According to Davis, you should look for ingredients such as:

• Caffeine and green tea extracts to reduce puffiness around the eyes
• Retinoids for improving fine lines
• Hyaluronic acid for deep hydration
• Vitamin C for brightening and even tone
• AHAs for gentle exfoliation to improve your glow
• Hydrating masks or overnight masks to hydrate the skin and give you a glow.

In addition to starting a simple skincare routine, Davis says to try “using cold therapy to reduce swelling for an immediate improvement.”

One step for immediate results is lymphatic drainage. A face massage can almost instantly make you look more awake. “Some useful at-home tools to keep your skin bright and energized include facial rollers or the gua sha stone,” says Davis, noting that gua sha is a great way to improve lymphatic drainage, reduce swelling, and puffiness. Other tools might include “cryo sticks or a cold spoon to reduce swelling and puffiness under the eyes.”

For a long-term approach, she recommends red light therapy to improve the appearance of fine lines and improve the skin’s elasticity.

In-office treatments can also give your skincare efforts a boost. “Some treatments to consider include facials,” says Davis. Consider, “hydrafacial oxygen facials, to cleanse the pores and gently exfoliate, chemical peels to help with pigmentation and achieve an even skin tone, microneedling, and laser treatments to reverse signs of aging, improve texture and firmness of your skin.”