Avoid a downtrodden morning – try these tips

Bleurgh – it’s the noise that circulates your brain when your alarm goes off at six in the morning. Not because you’ve got to get up at the crack of dawn, and not because you’d love a lie-in – you’re grumbling because you’ll inevitably catch a glimpse of your tired face in the mirror before you traipse into the shower.

And that’s never a pretty sight. Pre-shower and makeup, staring at your tired phizog is enough to make even the most attractive person’s self-esteem plummet. Flaky skin, matted hair, industrial sandbags under your eyes and lips enveloped by dead skin – no one needs that in the morning.

But what if there were ways to minimise the wear and tear on your face? What if you could hop out of bed instead of trudging? What if you could make that first glance in the mirror less of a nightmare?

Well, try a few of these tips and you’ll be able to do just that. Take a look.

Minerals for the pores

Do you slap on makeup with the vigour of a painter splashing mountains of paint on a canvas? Then you’re damaging your skin, potentially beyond repair in the long run.

Wearing an abundance of makeup – foundation, in particular – suffocates the pores and can lead to a swarm of whiteheads and blackheads covering your face. It’s partly what leads to that gaunt appearance when you wake up in the morning.

For our money, you’d be better investing in mineral powder and using it sparingly (here’s our fave). With mineral cosmetics, the skin is less likely to become irritated and, thanks to its lighter look, can give your skin a more even pallor.

It’s well worth your dosh, so find out what it can offer you.

Sleep best

The notion of beauty sleep isn’t only told to children to get them tucked up in bed – it’s also a scientific fact.

If you’re feeling groggy and haven’t slept well, potential partners will find you less attractive. So what can you do to ensure you’re catching 40 winks?

For a start, avoid checking your phone, watching the telly or playing videogames before bed. Instead, relax your mind by reading a book or listening to gentle music. With these tactics in place, you’ll enjoy a healthy eight hours of sleep with ease.

The MP3 solution

Waking up isn’t easy, especially in the atrophying chill of the winter season.  So try to make entering the waking world as relaxing as possible.

Instead of the irritating sound of your alarm clock beeping, buy a digital clock radio and set the station to something relaxing. That way, your brow won’t be furrowed when you first look in the mirror.