How to Look Less Tired Instantly

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Looking tired happens to all of us now and again and is easily rectified with rest. But it can be a predicament if you have an important engagement where making a good impression is paramount. Fatigue can make you seem disengaged, inattentive, and sloppy.

Why You Look Tired

Depending on your job, heavy labor or sitting and staring at a screen all day can lead to a tired-looking face and slouchy posture. If you haven’t had time to eat properly and spent the day consuming coffee or not drinking at all, you’ll look even worse.

Or have excitement and worry kept you awake all night? Maybe a wedding where you’re to be the groom or best man. Or an interview for a life-changing job. These are events for which you’ll need to look your very best.

But the man peering back at you in the mirror is a haggard shadow of his former self. Puffy eyes, dark circles, and a pale, crumpled complexion.

Red eyes from screen strain are even worse; people may assume you’re hungover.

Unsurprisingly, the outward signs of tiredness become more pronounced as we age. Years ago, I could party all night and still look fresh the following morning. Nowadays, losing just a couple of hours of sleep leaves me looking like a hollow-eyed wreck.

If you’re under 40, a few quick, natural remedies using household items will have you bouncing back in no time.

For more mature men, a couple of well-chosen cosmetic fixes can play down a tired appearance with instant results.

In this post, I’ll be covering both approaches.

The Effect of Good Grooming

But first, a word on grooming.

Even if you’re tired, appearing neat and tidy will make you feel more confident, thus affecting posture and poise. It’s the difference between coming across as a bumbler—disheveled, tired, and unfocused—or as a man who’s got everything under control.

• If you haven’t already, get a haircut. You’ve no doubt noticed that a man exiting a barbershop looks a lot fresher than he did when entering.
• When styling your hair, bear in mind that a messy look can make fatigue more noticeable.
• For men who typically buzz or shave their heads, take a moment to assess whether you’re due for a refresh.
• Running a razor over your face or a trimmer over your beard or mustache can make a huge difference. To enhance shine and tame flyaways, apply beard balm. And make sure stubble is nicely shaped at the neckline and the tops of the cheeks.
• In case you usually cover up grays, give yourself a touch-up; patchy coloring, whether of facial or head hair, emphasizes jadedness.
• And don’t overlook unwanted hair growing out of your ears and nostrils. In case you don’t have one, invest in a nose and ear hair trimmer.

Quick, Natural Remedies to Look Less Tired

As previously mentioned, these remedies may be all a younger man needs to bounce back. But they’ll benefit all men, even if the effect isn’t immediately noticeable.

Whether you’ve just returned from work or crawled out of bed, go through these fixes one by one until you see results. We’ll begin with the fastest and simplest, progressing in a way that fits into your usual grooming regimen.

All use items most men have at hand, although a couple require no extra supplies; you can even do them on the go.

Before Showering and Shaving

• Stand tall in front of a mirror. Apart from making you appear more confident and self-assured, pulling back your shoulders and elongating your spine promote better blood flow and reduce fluid retention—the cause of puffiness. It actually has a similar effect to stretching.
• Animate your face. To create an impression of being alert and engaged, raise your eyebrows very slightly and feel ready to smile. This technique, often used by performative professionals (e.g., actors, TV presenters, and public speakers), may be the only fix you need.
• Splash cold water on your face. This is the most obvious thing to do. It tightens the skin and reduces puffiness.
• Apply cold spoons. Run two tablespoons under cold water or chill them in the fridge for a few minutes and gently press them over your closed eyes for 30 seconds. This reduces inflammation and eye fatigue, thus minimizing puffiness and redness. The latter is often linked to screen strain.
• Apply a cold washcloth. Run a washcloth under cold water or freeze it for a few minutes. Place it over your entire face for five to 10 minutes, pressing gently over your eyes, cheeks, and jawline.
• Apply cold teabags. For this, you can use black or green tea—both are rich in antioxidants and contain caffeine, which helps reduce puffiness and brighten dark circles. Steep two teabags in hot water to release their beneficial compounds, allow to cool in the fridge, then place over your closed eyes for 15 to 30 minutes. If you don’t have teabags, apply cucumber slices for a similar effect—this, of course, is also quicker to prepare.
• Exfoliate. Slough off dead cells to instantly brighten dull skin. A facial scrub will boost circulation and leave a healthy glow. If you don’t have one, mix baking soda with a soap-free wash lotion or similar, but be very gentle. Alternatively, a chemical exfoliant like The Ordinary’s Peeling Solution with alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids will improve the appearance of tired, fine lines.

After Showering and Shaving

• Apply toner. As a man, you may not have this at hand. Instead, using a cotton pad or similar, dab cold green or black tea over your face; this could be a byproduct of the cold teabag treatment mentioned above. Other effective alternatives are witch hazel, aloe vera gel, rose water, and apple cider vinegar diluted to a ratio of one part vinegar and three parts water. If none of these are available, simply rinsing your face with cold water can provide a refreshing boost.
• Apply moisturizer. Choose one suited to your skin type and massage it over your face with upward and outward motions while your skin is still damp. This stimulates lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness. To enhance the effect and relax the face, gently tap around the eyes, forehead, and jawline. At the same time, practice facial animation, as described above.

Source: The Neat and Tidy Man

Instant Cosmetic Fixes to Look Less Tired

As a man, you do not want to be seen to be wearing makeup.

Having worked with cosmetics for over 30 years, I can say with certainty that nearly all complexion-enhancing products containing pigment tend to settle into fine lines and wrinkles, often leaving a crinkled texture—especially around the eyes. It doesn’t matter whether it’s foundation, tinted moisturizer, powder, or concealer. In fact, even if it’s advertised as light-textured, concealer in particular must be heavy or dense enough to fully cover dark circles and other flaws, making noticeability inevitable. Even if you think it’s invisible in your bathroom mirror, you’ll be shocked at how it looks under harsh lighting.

Circumventing these unwanted effects is an age-old challenge for the cosmetic industry irrespective of customer base—whether male or female.

So let me draw your attention to alternative products that lend a refreshed appearance, allowing an instant fix while sidestepping actual makeup.

Pycnogenol by The Ordinary

This is an orange serum derived from the bark of the French maritime pine. It works as a powerful antioxidant, protecting against environmental damage.

Over time, it also helps to fade discoloration and even out skin tone. And it supports collagen production to keep the skin firm.

But what you need right now is its instant ability to plump and hydrate the skin while leaving a subtle but healthy-looking glow. This effect lasts all day.

Apply it to your face and scalp (if you’re bald), but not your neck. It will otherwise permanently stain your collar.

You can mix a few drops with your moisturizer or apply directly to your face—either under or over your moisturizer. The latter is my preferred method.

1. Add six to eight drops to your palm.
2. Dot generously over your face and scalp.
3. Distribute evenly.
4. Before finishing, rub your palms together and run them over your ears for better blending.
5. Wait 30 seconds before applying further products.

Some people layer for a more intensive effect, but this is enough for most men who simply wish to look less tired.

The first time I wore it, people asked if I’d been on vacation.

Magic Finish Perfect Me Transparent Perfecting Balm by M. Asam

Don’t worry about the word “makeup” on the jar, nor its being referred to as a “primer” on Amazon.

M. Asam advertises the product for men and women, and it’s absolutely undetectable. I know—I use it every day over Pycnogenol.

You’ll notice that it has a very light peachy hue. I think this could contribute to why it’s so good at correcting dark circles. It doesn’t erase them completely, but it certainly plays them down.

Otherwise, it’s a transparent product that uses blur technology to soften fine lines, minimize pores, and refine skin texture. It lends a dewy yet matte finish, although the matte effect seems to develop over time, according to my experience.

Containing hydrating substances like hyaluronic acid and botanical extracts, it supports the skincare benefits of Pycnogenol in case you use both products.

Like Pycnogenol, I find that its cosmetic effects last all day.

Apply by dotting and spreading as you would a moisturizer, but don’t rub. Use it on your entire face, or confine to problem zones like under the eyes or on the nose and cheeks if you have broken capillaries.  

I tend to apply too much, which leaves an overly dewy appearance that only highlights puffiness. To remedy this, allow it to set for about five minutes, then blot with a tissue.

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen

This is a tinted sunscreen that blends well with all skin tones. If you’re darker, go for medium or deep. I use the light version.

Its pigment comes from iron oxide. This neutralizes visible light exposure and counteracts the white cast associated with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide found in mineral sunscreens. As a side effect, you’ll get an even skin tone and healthy-looking glow. In spite of pigment, it does not settle into lines. This may be due to hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid.  

Because it blends so well, there’s no need to apply it to your neck, which will save your shirt collars.

Simply apply as you would any other sunscreen. I find that it goes on more smoothly over moisturizer. If you let the product set for a few minutes, blotting with a tissue will take off any excess and increase longevity.

I’ve tried this product while unshaven, and its pigment did not cling to my whiskers—not even those that are now white. I wouldn’t, however, use it on longer facial hair.

In case you find it too matte, apply the above M. Asam product to the center of your face (forehead, nose, chin) to make it appear less flat.  

Lash and Eyebrow Gel

I’ve already mentioned that raising your brows can make you seem more awake. Here’s a cosmetic trick to enhance this.

If your eyebrows are compliant, combing them upward will give you a more refreshed, alert appearance. To keep them in position, brush with eyebrow gel, which comes in a tube with a spiral applicator.

For even more lift, brush the gel over the tips of your lashes. You’ll find it darkens and defines for a sharper, cleaner look.

Use clear gel so as not to risk smudging. Don’t apply alternatives like Vaseline, which is sticky and may attract particles. Hair gel isn’t a good idea, either, since it tends to flake.

Source: The Neat and Tidy Man

Movement

Looking less tired isn’t only about skincare and grooming—movement and exercise also play a role.

To shake off sluggishness, improve circulation, and help me feel more energized, I take a brisk 20-minute walk to work every morning. Of all the methods listed in this post, I think this is probably one of the simplest and most effective.

© 2025, J. Richardson. All rights reserved.