Fast 6 Methods To Look Awake Without Make Up

1. Get moving first thing in the a.m.

As dreadful as it can be to wake up an hour or two early to hit the gym, it actually works. Think of it this way: Morning exercise wakes your organs, your bones, and your muscles after a long slumber, which sends a “we’re up!” message to your brain. It also gets your blood pumping, giving you a rosy, healthy, awake-looking glow.

Don’t belong to a gym? Try following a 15-minute workout in the morning from YouTube, or pledge to run, bike, or speed-walk around your block a few times before getting dressed for work.

2. Wear color—but it has to be the right color.

Super-drowsy mornings are not the time to reach for neutrals. Black won’t do you any fresh-faced favors, as it can cast dark shadows on your face, while the wrong shade of white will make you look washed out. Instead, it’s key to choose a color that will flatter your skin tone and give you a healthy flush. Choosing the wrong color, though, can actually make you look more tired.  Here’s a quick breakdown:

If you’re cool-toned: Choose jewel tones: shades of blue, pinks, purples, blue-greens, magentas, blue-based reds, or pure whites.
If you’re warm-toned: Choose earth tones: yellows, oranges, browns, chartreuses, army and deep greens, orange-based reds, or ivory.

3. Use ice-cold water. Or spoons.

Splashing your face with ice-cold water as you get up shocks your brain, and opens up your eyes. If you’re brave enough, you can also try turning your shower knob to the coldest setting for 10 seconds before getting out (which will also give your hair some extra shine—bonus!) If you’re really dedicated, place two spoons on the fridge or freezer the night before and lay them over your eyes in the morning for a cooling, de-puffing fix.

4. Grab earrings.

The right pair of statement earrings—generally those with soft-colored stones or gems like mint, emerald, turquoise, or amethyst—can reflect beautifully onto your skin and eyes, giving you a more awake visage. Plus, they’ll take away unwanted attention from those tired eyes.

5. Drink as much water as you can during the day. 

It’s not rocket science: If plants—which are living things—wilt without water, we will too. Try keeping a large water bottle at your desk throughout the day and refilling it each time you’re done. Water hydrates our organs and our brain, so we’ll not only feel more awake, but look it, too. Plus, all those trips to the water cooler (and the bathroom!) will keep you moving.

6. Put down the cell phone at night.

According to researchers at the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, those of us who spent two hours using a device backlit with LED display—such as an iPhone or iPad—had a corresponding dip in melatonin levels. Melatonin, as you probably know, is the chemical that induces sleep, so decreased levels means you’ll have a harder time zonking out.

Ex in Office 4 Ways To Deal

Get Away From the Gossip

Your coworkers may be some of your closest friends, but it’s best to take a cue from Ian and Nina, who refused to fuel rumors and instead told the press that they’re going to “continue to work together and be best friends.” Even if the breakup was messy and you’re dying to dish, office happy hours are so not the place to do it, says Anna Ranieri, PhD, a psychologist and author of How Can I Help: What You Can (and Can’t) Do to Counsel a Friend, Colleague, or Family Member With a Problem.

Get Someone on Your Side

Since your office bestie is off-limits to discuss any daytime drama, enlist one of your out-of-office friends as your own personal support system during the days/weeks/months after the breakup, says Ranieri. “Having someone there to congratulate you on dealing with your ex effectively or to remind you to keep your head held high can help you move forward,” she says. Knowing a friend is only a text away can also help you avoid making any snide remarks when you’re interacting with your ex—especially if you two have to deal with each other a lot.

Focus on Your Own Stuff

Remember when your first grade teacher reminded you to keep your eyes on your own paper? The same principle is at play here, says Ranieri. Without you to do a last-minute read, maybe your boss will ream your guy out for his typo-laden report … but that’s no longer your concern. And if you always went to your ex for a pre-presentation pep talk, try finding someone else to fill that role (even if it’s you’re your mom, via phone). “Since ‘out of sight, out of mind’ may not be feasible, it’s your responsibility to create your own boundaries—and one of those is disengaging from each other’s work struggles and triumphs,” says Ranieri.

Lose the Guilt

Were you the one who called it off? If so, it’s hard not to feel bad if you see your ex looking downtrodden at the water cooler. But that attitude can end up biting you in the butt. “Getting distracted from your work by your ex won’t make him feel better,” says Ranieri. And don’t let him involve you in any drama. If he’s always e-mailing you or asking to talk during work hours, let him know it’s hard for you, too, and that you’re dealing by focusing as much on work as possible. And make sure you stick to this instead of stirring the pot even further by, say, flirting with Ned in accounting.

Find the Friendship Again

Chances are, you started as friends before you got together. If you can, it’s worth it to both your wellbeing and your career to unearth your initial, platonic attraction.  Saying hey in the break room or not glaring at him during an all-employee gathering will go a long way toward getting you back on track. Just be careful about getting tooinvolved, says Ranieri. Going out to lunch with a group of six other people—one of whom is your ex—is fine. But going on an afternoon coffee run just the two of you? Not a good idea—unless you’re prepared to deal with the office gossip and messy emotions that are bound to ensue.

Cheaters Can Change?

Pinpointing the Predictors 

Researchers surveyed 993 unmarried individuals between 18 and 35 years old, all of whom were in romantic relationships at the time. They asked them about several personal characteristics and about their relationships, then they followed up with them 20 months later to see if they had cheated.

While a few individual characteristics (like having a high number of sex partners and parents who never married) were significant predictors of cheating, overall it was the characteristics of the relationship that mattered most—things like commitment, communication, and satisfaction, says study co-author Galena Rhoades, Ph.D., research associate professor at the University of Denver. Specifically, low relationship satisfaction, higher levels of psychological and physical aggression toward each other, and less commitment (like no plans to marry or suspecting each other of cheating) were all significant predictors of infidelity.

Why You Shouldn’t Jump to Conclusions Just Yet 

Still, individual factors have their place in predicting adultery, say experts. “It’s complicated because personal traits and relationship factors weave together,” says sex therapist Brandy Engler, Ph.D., author of The Men On My Couch. For instance, if one partner has an alcohol problem, it may cause a fight between the couple and lead to lower relationship satisfaction—so suddenly their individual factor has turned into a relationship factor.

Having a few troubles in your relationship isn’t a surefire sign of infidelity, either. The bottom line: It’s crucial to look at both personal and relationship red flags in a broader context before calling out your partner, says Engler.

How to Deal if You Have Concerns

If you suspect your partner is cheating, it can be tempting to throw around accusations—and maybe a dig or two—but that decreases your chances of getting an honest and productive response out of your partner, says Engler. Instead, wait until you’re calm and can explain your concerns while emphasizing how you could handle this as a couple. In fact, research shows that talking about infidelity increases a couple’s chances of staying together post-cheat because it puts them in a better position to work through it, says Engler.

If there are specific red flags you’re worried about, bring them up in a non-confrontational way. “If you see your partner has parents who divorced or didn’t get married, you can ask, ‘What was your reaction to that? How did it shape your thoughts about marriage?’” says Engler. “You can also ask questions like, ‘What are you most afraid of?’ and ‘What do you most wish for regarding marriage and commitment?’” Talks like this can give you way more insight into your guy than a straight-up accusation ever could.