Whether you’ve just had a bad week or have a chronic illness that renders some months entirely not-so-great, much of the time we still have to present a smiling face to the world.
If we’re not feeling our best (hi this is me right now), the last thing we need is someone drawing attention to it. But head into a social situation not looking quite your usual self, and that’s exactly what will happen.
Questions like “are you okay?” and statements such as “wow you look tired! Everything okay at work?” are not asked maliciously.
They’re expressions of concern; people wanting to show that they care. And that’s all well and nice.
It’s just not quite what you need to hear when you’re feeling under the weather, especially if the reason for not being your usual self is something you would rather keep private.
So how can you look a little bit more like your best, when you’re feeling far from it?
Below are a few go to’s I rely on to spruce myself up when I’m feeling a bit under the weather:
Bright Eyes
Though preferably not burning like fire. If anything, that’d cause more questions.
When we’re feeling low, our eyes become somewhat dull and sunken. The best way of remedying this is with a few eyeshadow tricks:
- Contour your eye socket with a mid-range brown.
- Add a brighter color close to the lashline and at the corner of your eyes.
- Focus mascara application on the upper lashes, particularly towards the edge of the eye, flicking outwards.
Put together, you can look wide awake even if you’ve only had three hours sleep.
Your Smile is More Powerful Than You Think
There’s a million song references for the word ‘smile’, isn’t there? Slightly difficult to resist the pun, but we’ve got work to do.
Again, three ways to brighten your smile:
- Keep your teeth as white as can be with whitening treatments. If you’ve not got the energy for a dentist trip, then grab one of the best teeth whitening at home kits and you’ll be convincing people of your eternal health before you know it.
- Moisturizer isn’t just for your face; use a good lip balm containing a product like lanolin to keep lips plump.
- Use glossy lipsticks. They may not be that en vogue in a world of matte options, but they create an illusion of health even if you feel rougher than you have in months.
Don’t Let Your Hair Down
If you have oily or dull hair then it’s an immediate calling card for someone who isn’t at their best.
You might think scrunching it back in a ponytail is the answer, but the difference between “not washed” and “healthy glow” is fairly obvious should anyone scrutinize.
- Use a mild dry shampoo. This can take some shopping around, but natural-based products utilizing oat milk are a good place to begin.
- If your hair is dull even when washed, then consider a gloss. This involves mixing natural powders into an existing bottle of conditioner, to provide a boost for color. Use henna for red tones, indigo for brunettes, and cassia for blondes.
- If all else fails, wear a hat. It’s simple, but it works!
