I feel like I should retitle this as 'stop telling me I look mean' - I mean, I look fierce in this photo and that was definitely not the intention. But yeah, I'm sure there are a lot of you that are in the same situation as me - wishing you had a second brain, not enough sleep, and having a love/hate relationship with coffee. I'm always irked when people tell me that I 'look tired', I know it's usually out of concern, but it's like, I know I'm tired, I'm trying to compose myself and not fall asleep in public - stop reminding me how sleep deprived I am. 
Anyway, I've figured out the three secrets to looking more awake - to the point where my barista asked me if I wanted decaf the other day. Either I really faked looking awake OR I was already too jumpy and he was asking for my own good. I'm pretty sure it was the former though as it was too early in the morning for me to even get my coffee order out the first time. So tired babbling aside, let's get rolling with the actual bulk of the post.  Concealer Now this one is a no-brainer. Concealer is everyone's best friend when it comes to faking the 'I had more sleep than I actually did' or the 'I'm less zombie and more human' status. I opt for a fuller concealer in a shade lighter come this time of year and really use my fingers to press thin layers of the product to further build up the coverage while still looking natural. To set the product, I ditch my usual face powder and either use a brightening powder or my usual face powder with a touch of highlighter to further brighten up the area. You could just go in with a highlighting concealer, but since I'm a person that needs to set their concealer, I would rather use powder to really brighten the area.  My weapons of choice: Bobbi Brown Corrector, NARS Creamy Concealer, Bobbi Brown Face Brightening Powder 
Mascara Another no brainer, but a good curl of the lashes and loads of mascara is definitely a game changer when trying to fake that doll-eyed look. I always curl my lashes, but when I really need to step up my game, I usually clamp down the curler for several seconds longer than usual and curl it a couple more times. As for mascara, I usually opt for volumizing mascara that has a slight flair for drama without clumping up, no matter how many coats I decide to layer on. I focus applying mascara at the outer corners to really open up my eyes, or if you have longer eyes, focus them on the middle to make your eyes appear rounder. I have the tendency to apply a light coat of mascara at the outer bottom lashes, just to further define and open up the eyes.  My weapons of choice: Eyeko Lash Curler, Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara, L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara 
Bright Lips While I've got those under eyes more or less covered and opened up the eyes, but as eyes are usually the tell-tale sign of 'I will murder someone because I didn't get enough sleep last night', I love using a bright lip to take the attention away from the eyes. Plus, as a bright lip is usually its own statement, it means that I can cut down the time spent on the makeup as I don't have to fuss with eyeshadow/eyeliner and so forth. Bright, opaque, but most importantly, as I'm lazy and just cannot be bothered with checking up on my lipstick every time I drink coffee, the lipsticks have to be low maintenance and long lasting. Now, I know, these aren't usually the adjectives that go hand-in-hand with 'bright lipstick' but after various trials, I've finally found the lipsticks that can allow me to overdose on coffee and not leave that tell-tale lipstick stain on the rim of a white mug.  My weapons of choice: NARS Audacious Lipstick in Grace, No.7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Soft Paprika (worn above) and Rosy Ribbon, Seventeen Stay Pout Lipstick in Date Night


To all the sleep deprived comerates out there, you're not alone. The fact that you're still up and about each day on the verge of exhaustion deserves a round of applause and another coffee on the house. What are your tips to fake looking awake?  With Love,  Daphne x