As much as we love the holiday season, all the cheering and partying can leave one feeling more flat than fabulous, not to mention what that kind of life can do to your skin. Suddenly – ugh! – you could be carrying extra bags under your eyes.  Lack of sleep and dehydration are a recipe for dull skin and puffy eyes.  Well, I say bah humbug to the Grinch who steals your glow!  

My recommendations for keeping skin looking gorgeous and fresh — before and after the party – in 10 minutes: 

First, splash your face with ice-cold water several times, and, while you’re at it have a huge glass for yourself.  Follow up with a quick, mini eye-treatment mask.  I swear by the Triple Oxygen Energizing Mask from Bliss Spa; it’s perfect for rehydrating and reducing puffiness.  Not only does the mask feel amazing and cool on the eyes, but it also works wonders at helping you look like you got a full eight hours of beauty sleep – even if you have not. Also, if you find the whites of your eyes looking a little dull or red, use a blue-colored eye drop; I like Collyre Bleu Laiter-Blue Eye Drops.

Next step: prep the skin by applying an extra-hydrating moisturizer like Creme de La Mer or Chanel Ultra Correction Lift; both are wonderful and extra-hydrating. Now your skin will feel fresh and dewy, and you are ready for some barely-there makeup that will have you looking fabulous and radiant in just a few minutes.

Instead of a heavy foundation, tired skin will benefit from a tinted moisturizer. Apply just enough to even-out your skin tone. Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer seems to be on everyone’s must-have list, and it lives up to the hype. Add a little brightness to the eye area with a light-reflecting product such as Dior’s Skin Flash or Benefit’s Eye Brite; both are great for eliminating darkness. You can also use a touch of the Eye Brite directly under your brow bone to give your eyes an extra wide-awake look. As for eyeliner, try either an espresso color for a soft and natural look, or, for more definition, a deep midnight blue, which will bring out the whites of your eyes.  Bobbi Brown eyeliner gel in cobalt is the perfect shade. Avoid black with tired eyes; it’s much too harsh.

More options for the eyes:  for a clean and simple look, line the inside rim of your eyes with a nude pencil (not white — it’s too artificial looking). Makeup Forever has the right nude pencil, which they call a nude concealer and lip liner pencil.  Makeup artists swear by it and use it as eyeliner; it can make eyes look wide open. If you choose to wear an eye shadow, use just enough for a little definition such as Stila’s Glow, which has three colors in one (use the lightest, shimmery color for the corners of your eyelids). To finish off your bright-eyed look, add a bit of mascara — Dior Show or Loreal Voluminous always does the trick for beautiful, glossy lashes.

Cheeks and lips:  dab on a bit of crème blush, such as Stila’s Gerbera or Tarte’s Natural Cheek Stain in Flush for some radiance. Last but not least, go with a pinkish, nude, or berry-colored lipgloss or balm, like Bobbi Brown Rose Sugar or Benefit’s Benetint lip balm for a natural and healthy look.

So there you have it – naturally gorgeous with minimal effort – an easy guide to looking amazing after a late night! Happy New Year!