Look Good Even When You’re Sick

I’ve been feeling under the weather for a while now and its played havoc with my skin, not to mention my wedding is around the corner and I just cannot afford to look sick with friends and relatives dropping by at all times of the day.

“Oh gosh you poor baby you look so sick” is just not what I wanna hear right now, ya feel me?

So I got to practice a few fixes and being a blogger what else could I do except share em all with my gals right?

Without much ado, here are a few tips and fixes to look better when you’re sick:

Treat yourself to the right tissues

If you’re coming down with the sniffles, don’t skimp when it comes to facial tissues. You’re bound to be blowing your nose a lot, and opting for lotion-treated tissues will go a long way in preventing a Rudolph-red, irritated nose. Alternatively you can opt to apply moisturiser often to the area that is receiving a lot of friction.

Stay hydrated

When you’re sick, you’re a little dehydrated, too  and that shows on your skin. It becomes flaky, dull and lacklustre. This is the time to slather on an intense facial moisturizer both in the morning and at night to prevent a parched look. 
Bonus: You'll protect your skin against all that nose-blowing friction, too. And tuck a small bottle or tube of heavy-duty moisturizer in your handbag (along with a personal pack of tissues) before you head out for the day. Water provides elasticity to your skin and makes it youthful. Always carry some water or juice to sip regularly when your sick, specially when you've got the flu.

Soothe puffy eyes with teabags

If your eyes get puffy from congestion, sleep with your head slightly propped up to allow fluids to drain more easily from your face. To battle under eye bags, try this tea remedy: Take two cold, wet teabags and place them over your eyes while you lie down for 15 minutes. The result? De-puffed peepers. 

Cool down your eye cream

Try storing your eye cream in the refrigerator. Not only will it feel refreshing on your tired eyelids, it will also help to fight puffiness. 
I suggest the aroma magic almond eye cream for those bags but for more dark circles quick fixes you can read HERE.
A cotton pad soaked in some chilled MAC Fix+ and placed on the lids for a few minutes is also a great way to bring down those bags.
Tip: Alternatively, use chilled spoons on your lids to bring down the puffiness and give you a shot of pretty eyes.

The dreaded rabbit red-eye

Another hallmark of a cold? Pink, bunny rabbit-like eyes. Banish that bloodshot look by using eye drops to lubricate and cool your eyes, reducing redness. It works even better if you have been storing your eye drops in the fridge and the solution is cool.

Tip: Splash cold water into your eyes before you start fixing your face.It serves two purposes; closes your pores and reduces the redness of the eyes.

Prime your face before putting on Make Up

Since you’re bound to blow your nose, sneeze, and rub your eyes a bit more when you’re sick, start with an application of face primer before you put on any makeup; this will add hours of staying power to your look. Lip primers and eye primers are a good idea, too though lip primers can be skipped. 
Tip: I've found I prefer to keep my lips unpainted because of all the liquids I sip when I'm sick and I don't want to ingest a lot of chemicals. A few swipes of tinted lip balm and Im good to go.

Conceal for all you're worth

One of the top tip-offs that you’ve got a cold is a red nose. Opt for a highly pigmented, opaque concealer that is yellow-based and just a bit paler than your skin to camouflage the redness. 

Don't pile on the base or powder

Skip the regular foundation and traditional face powder, since it’s easy for it to look flakey when you’re dehydrated. For some natural-looking coverage, use a heavy duty moisturiser and top it with some mineral foundation, which will conceal and even out skin without looking dry or you simply skip multiple layers and use a tinted moisturiser instead.
However I prefer a couple of layers for such days because of all the wiping I will be doing which will result in removal of a few layers of makeup.

Warm up your skin

If you’re feeling pasty, you’ll want to add a bit of color to your face. But play down any pink ( do NOT use any pink, red, orange eyeshadow) and bring out the warm tones in your skin by using a bit of bronzer and some peach-toned cream blush for a healthier-looking glow. 
Caution: Don't overdo the blush or it will give you a feverish tint and yes I'm talking from experience!

Brighten up your Eyes 

Bright eyes make you look younger and your skin fresher which gives a wholesome effect of being in good health health (Exactly what you are not but are looking to be).
Dab pale, shimmery beige or gold creamy eye shadow on your lids and at the inner corner of your eyes to catch the light and to counteract any redness or dullness in the eye area.

Avoid Mascara Malfunction

Sneezes and sniffles mean watery eyes and potential smudging or even running. To avoid a washout, stick with waterproof mascara or use a clear mascara. If your lashes are decently thick, I'd say ditch the mascara altogether because your eyes tend to be irritated when you're sick.
Tip: If you still feel the need to have spiky peepers then take some lip balm between thumb and index finger and apply on the eyelashes to give them definition.

Keep lips smooth and shiny

When you’re stuffed up, your lips have a tendency to get super-chapped. Rub them gently with a warm, wet washcloth to remove any flakes, and then condition with a rich salve or balm. Stick with tinted lip balm or gloss in a neutral tone for a fresh look. 
Avoid matte lipsticks when you do dress up because they not only end up further drying your lips but also enhance the fine lines making you look more tired.

Tip: At night I like to use Neosporin Daily Hydration Therapy which is great for super chapped lips or you can't go wrong with plain old cream from the milk at home!

So these are my couple of pick-me-ups when I'm sick. Share your fixes for a blue feel in the comments below!

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