When you’re a nurse, you have a million things on your mind every day—and, let’s face it, looking good isn’t your top priority (that would be, uh, saving lives). But even if you’re not willing to spend hours in front of the mirror every morning, don’t have time to slave away on the treadmill and can’t even boil a pot of water, you can still look—and feel!—like a million bucks. Try these super-simple makeup, exercise and nutrition tips to look your best in five minutes or less. Your face, body and brain will thank you!
Makeup Tips
Makeup is a must when you’re trying to hide those bags under your eyes or revive your sleep-deprived skin. But you don’t need a ton of fancy products to look rejuvenated—the ones you’ve already got will do the trick when you try these tips:
- Pass on the heavy foundation or powder. The instinct to cover up dull skin with a ton of makeup is understandable, but it’ll only make your skin look even more wan under the hospital’s harsh lights. Stick to a tinted moisturizer (with SPF!) instead to diffuse wrinkles and even out your skin tone.
- Curl your eyelashes. This simple action will immediately make you seem more awake. If you have the time (or energy), top off your newly curled lashes with a coat or two of mascara.
- Pick peach blush, not pink. Peach hues brighten skin more than pink tones. Use cream blushes for a natural-looking flush.
Revive from Within
On days when you haven’t gotten enough rest (oh, we know there are many), try these quick fixes to bring a bit of brightness to your skin:
- Stay hydrated. Instead of reaching for that second (or third) coffee, drink water. Even though you’re probably desperate for the hit of caffeine, water is the better option for your skin.
- Consume antioxidants.Antioxidants can slow or prevent damage to your body and skin by slowing or preventing the effect of free radicals. Here are some excellent and readily available sources of antioxidants (permission to nosh on dark chocolate hereby granted!):
- Dark chocolate
- Berries
- Acai
- Pomegranate
- Dark leafy greens
- Green tea
- Fish
- Nuts and seeds
- Eggs
- Tomatoes
- Grapefruit
- Watermelon
- Get your heart rate up. If you’re feeling sluggish in the middle of your shift, do a few jumping jacks or squats in an empty treatment room, or run up and down the stairs a few times. Even a little bit of activity increases your circulation and, in turn, your skin’s glow! And exercise has the added benefit of providing a much-needed mental boost after long days, which will help keep you alert and on your toes!
Marcela De Vivo, the founder of Gryffin Media, is an accomplished online marketing professional with expertise in social networking, search marketing and Web analytics. Currently she is working on a series of articles about products for healthy hair.