April 9, 2015

How Do You Revive and Refresh Your Complexion?

refresh

I haven’t treated my body very well the last few days. Lack of sleep, lack of food, overworking myself, and many other factors are starting to show up on my face. I have dark circles, puffiness, and my skin is starting to look very dull, tired, and lackluster. Even concealer under my eyes and BB Cream isn’t helping!

When you’re complexion starts to suffer because you’re treating yourself poorly how do you revive and refresh?

Typically I know it’s time to try and buckle down and get some sleep when my skin is starting to look really lackluster. Right now the circles under my eyes are giving me a Charlie Sheen in Ferris Bueller kinda look. But sometimes sleep doesn’t always come…! I’ve been having a little case of insomnia lately!

dark circles

Typically to revive my skin when sleep isn’t an option I depend really heavily on face masks. They give an injection of much needed moisture into my skin and plump it up as well as brighten and whiten it. I really love the My Scheming 2 in 1 Shea Butter Mask as it has a mask I can sit around in for 20 minutes plus a little packet of attached essence which I apply to my skin after the mask for double the dose of moisture. I really helps to not only hydrate but also to rev up on my complexion slightly.

My Scheming 2 in 1 Shea Butter Facial Sheet Mask

Face Q Luffa + Adlay Mask 12

I also find exfoliating goes a long way to bring back a little bit of a rosy glow to my cheeks while eliminating dry patches on my face!

So yeah, these aren’t long term solutions as what I really need to do is get some more sleep, drink more water (ugh hate it), and start eating better but when I can’t do that at least a little skincare can put a temporary bandage over my issues.

How do you revive your complexion?

How do you fake it?

Do share!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • CupK8

    I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s tips and tricks!

    I do face masks as well for my quick pick-me-ups. I’m horrible at drinking enough water and getting enough sleep, but I have been getting better using some apps to keep track.

    Sometimes I’ll just soak in the tub with a mask on my face.. I don’t know if the steam helps my face, but it certainly helps ME. 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      I love a long, hot bath! I like to play the soundtrack to Pride and Prejudice, and dunk my head completely under the water and listen to the music. It’s weirdly relaxing lol!

      • CupK8

        I like listening to soundtracks while relaxing too – depending on the soundtrack, of course. Star Wars probably wouldn’t relax me. 😉

          • CupK8

            Not yet – they’re pricey! I’m sure I will, though. I’d like to see all the bonus stuff before the movie in December!

          • Isabella Muse

            agreed! I’m the type that actually likes having the dvds in my hands too!

  • kimkats

    I use a glycolic mask – I really like the Alba Botanica Papaya mask. Smells good enuf to eat, and it really helps pick up the ‘ol complexion. Leaves me nice and soft. I get in a nice hot bath, and then slather it on, and just relaaaaaaxxxxx for a while with it on. So nice.. I think I’ll do it tonight! 😀

    The Andalou pumpkin mask is really nice too. I get both masks from vitacost for *way* less than they retail for – just cuz I’m cheap. 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      haha “just because I’m cheap”! you’re a nut Kim 🙂

  • Justin

    My arsenal for those days would be Aveda hydrating mask, glam glow moisture mask, and for serious days Sisley express flower gel and radiance lift serum

    • Isabella Muse

      what’s the glam glow like? Keep wanting to try it. How are you J? 🙂 Haven’t spoke in a bit! xoxo!

  • Justin

    I’m good thanks for asking. Hope you’re feel better. The glam glow is nice kind of tingling and cooling. It’s a mud gel texture. It says you can leave on as long as you want and wipe off. The girl at Sephora told me to sleep in it and it works well. It doesn’t stay sticky it sinks it pretty well

    • Isabella Muse

      I’m ok! 🙂 I’m glad to hear you’re well dear 🙂 OMG my cousin used to sleep in Nozema! Horror! 😀 I really need to try it, everyone keeps telling me glam glow is amazings!

  • Icequeen81

    Muse I have that problem too,
    what I am doing these days is drink allot of water, stuff with veggies, vitamins,
    clean my face well, use a toner, spf and my moisturizer, and also face mask. it is a must or my skin will go on intensive care on me.

    But the problem on this island is find a good mask the one I am using is because my friend was so gentle to send me some from Holland, she doesn’t use them so she send them for me.

    • Isabella Muse

      sounds like an excellent way to get your skin back in order Icequeen 😀 and you’re friend is really nice to send you masks!!!!!

      • Icequeen81

        Hi muse ,
        Yes she is I really need those mask
        I am on the natural vibe muse. con cumber witch hazel as tone ( no alcohol) spf 40 for face and steam cream. I exofilate with brown sugar

  • Liv

    I like to meditate, take a walk outdoors, get enough sleep, do things I like to do to de stress, and eat well. When I can’t do these there is always concealer. (Lots of concealer!) Also anything that hydrates my skin. I’ve been into the Clinique Moisture Surge overnight mask, which I don’t apply a lot of like a mask, but use it like a regular overnight cream.

  • tomatefarcie

    expensive but effective-Biologique Recherche Vernix or VIP Mask O2 or more reasonable Origins Ginzing Refreshing Face Mask

  • RKB

    Etude House Green Tea masks are amazing after a night of drinking, but my go-to is the My Beauty Diary Lemon Vit C. My skin loves the lemon and is bright and happy for days after one of those masks. A mask and vaseline to seal in the serums is my recipe for revival.

    • Isabella Muse

      oh I wish MBD Vi C worked for me. Doesn’t not brighten at all sadness!

  • Ryou

    Generally? I don’t bother doing anything. This is mainly because in my case, these things tend to be caused by me going through a depressive episode. Believe me, you’re not very likely to worry about your dark circles when you have a hard time dragging yourself to the freaking shower.

    When I absolutely HAVE to do something, though, a slick of tinted lip balm is usually all I’m willing to do. Eye make-up is usually out of the question anyway, since my eyelids are usually sore from crying.

    • Isabella Muse

      aw ryou! I can relate. Been a little love sick lately and just have no ambition! I have showered though haha *hugs* 🙂 I hope you feel better. No crying!!!!!!!!!!! It’s bad for us!

  • reen

    I use St.Ives Apricot scrub, it works really well on me (I have dry skin).

    dark circles…I still can’t find anything that helps much…and still searching for my HG concealer. Any recommendations?

  • Kiss & Make-up

    Yeah, I do believe that being consistent with your diet, sleep and lifestyle are what is most important.

  • Tiffany

    I go to my beloved brazened honey mask from Lush, it’s so stimulating it makes my skin look fresh from a facial! I also love the divine eye cream from l’occitane it really refreshes the eyes and brings down the puffiness & redness. I also keep the Caudalie grape water with me when I’m on the go and mist away when I get that midday dehydration

  • Danadoo

    Using a cream or serum with vitamin c perks me up like no other remedy!

  • Zovesta

    I drink a lot of water and tea, sleep more than a newborn pup, exercise 2-5 hours a day, eat fruits and any sort of vegetable that I can stomach, watch or read something that puts me in a good mood, don’t wash my face too often, and splash cold water on my face. Buuut on the days where my complexion is dull, it’s just an excuse to break out the makeup.

    I don’t wear foundation aside from BB cream, so I rely heavily on Covergirl’s Invisible concealer for my whole face, and especially the eye area. A white eyeliner pencil is handy for brightening up your waterline and making you look more awake, and I use it for the corners of my mouth and directly underneath my brows to try to hide the dreaded tired sagging. I always keep the eyeshadow light, bright, and colourful with black mascara for only the top lashes, and an extra dab of blush never hurt anyone. =P A bit of a colourful bronzer dusted on helps take away the sallowness for me, at least.

    I hope all is ok with you! Try to keep yourself amused (pun probably intended) and keep your body in good shape. <3

    • Isabella Muse

      excellent advice Zovesta 😀 I’m ok! I’m just suffering from lack of sleep! need the zzzssss!

  • Kirsten

    If you are not allergic….raw honey is AMAZING! My skin is dull, sensitive, combo/dry. When I slather raw honey all over my face and let it sit for 15-30 mins then rinse it off, my skin glows! I then follow with Nars Aqua gel luminous oil free moisturizer for a refreshing layer of moisture. I’m a total product whore and I’ve tried every scrub, peel, serum, etc. and the dang honey works the best! (it doesn’t keep my from buying all the new products that come out though haha) 🙂

    • michelle

      Oh I LOVE hearing this as I am a TOTAL product junkie too and just bought Manuka Honey because i keep hearing great things about it! Now I just need to look up the best way to mask with it–maybe just slather it on:)

    • Laura

      I’m with you Kirsten! I mix up a scrub of sugar and honey (for aromatherapy, add a drop of essential oil.) Really cheap and very effective! If I scrub at night, I follow with a facial oil or overnight moisturizing mask. If I scrub in the morning I use my daily moisturizer.

      • Kirsten

        My friend makes a face scrub with honey and oats. I still have to try that as well.

  • Ashley

    I’d love to try a Paper mask, but I have dry, sensitive, acne-prone skin so i’m worried about it completely drying hard on my face and making my skin more upset. Do you know of any that would be kind to my skin type?

  • Carolyn

    Love reading about all the masks and ideas. I was just blah-ing over my skin today…felt and looked dry and dull. Maybe it was the evil bathroom lighting at work or I am feeling post PMS-y and very “is it Friday yet?” -ish.

    I don’t own any masks but had a couple of Fresh masks samples. One was some black tea that you keep on over night. My skin felt soft, but I wasn’t wow’d. ( or maybe I’m just telling myself that because I looked up the price of this stuff and my eyeballs nearly popped out of my head…how much? What the what? )

    Sometimes I think trying new samples of products makes my skin tingle and feel awake and clean. I guess it thinks it’s on vacation or going somewhere new from the same thing everyday in and everyday out….

    • Isabella Muse

      haha! thank GOD it’s Friday maybe your skin feels better Carolyn! 😀 Walmart carries my Beauty Dairy Masks online you might want to check them out! They are FAB!

  • Maggie

    Honestly, a hot shower followed by sleep makes the biggest difference. If I can’t sleep for some reason, then a hot cup of herbal tea with a good book may help. Yoga usually helps things too–massages do too. That’s if I’m trying to unwind.

    If I need a pick-me-up, then some exercise followed by a shower will help things.

  • Katie

    During the day I have some Mario Badescu herbal spray that I use- makes me feel better and perks up my makeup. It is very inexpensive too.

    NOW: Please take the pledge: I will feel better because I can and I am worth it!!! And get some serious retail therapy-we’ve discussed this before! 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      lol Katie I’m just doing that now! I’m at Caron’s boutique. I may have to seal my purse shut with crazy glue!

  • Norucchi

    My skin is sensitive so I can’t really do store-bought masks. I will use a facial scrub or hot washcloth to exfoliate, followed by extra skin cream. During the day I love using pure rosewater spray from Whole Foods on my face. It adds the perfect amount of moisture and smells amazing. A couple homemade mask/scrubs I like: crushed grapes (I put larger pieces of peel face down under my eyes), or ground up oats soaked in whole milk for a few minutes. I’ve done a lot of homemade beauty treatments and those are the only two that I’ve really seen a difference with.

  • Heather F.

    Getting back into healthy lifestyle habits is the most obvious answer when my skin starts to look tragic (more sleep, more water, less junk food, less dairy), but the thing that makes me feel/look better fastest is a gentle exfoliant (Paula’s Choice BHA ftw!) followed by an application of so much nightly moisturizer than my skin can’t possibly absorb it all. Then I’ll watch a show or do the dishes before removing the extra moisturizer. It feels nice and doesn’t require any fancy skincare products (because I’ve found through trial and error that they almost all break me out. Lame.).

    • Isabella Muse

      absolutely agreed! I am testing this right now Heather (Paula’s BHA) and really enjoying it 🙂

  • Iris

    I try to drink lots of water and use a face masque to revive a tired complextion.

  • Pamela Wagner

    I use a peel, usually a PTRoth peel, then spritz heavily with a fruit enzyme or collagen spray, then use whatever mask I happen to have in my fridge at the time. Plus those panda eye masks.

    By the time I’m finished, I feel so much better. I drink so much water with cucumber slices in it that I am floating!

  • Bunny

    Water. Drinking about 12 cups of water a day shrank my pores and left my skin glowing. Also cleared up my acne. All from plain ol simple h2o 🙂

  • Lauren

    Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask!! Been using it since I was 12 and honestly, I rarely find a higher priced item that works better. The clay part leaves my skin tightened, pores clean, and the mint smell is refreshing. I’ve always had acne-prone skin and this stuff really works.

  • DW

    One time I used dimethylglycine chewable tablets for another condition but was surprised at how it improved my skin.