How to Look Good when You Wake Up

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 Approved

Whether you have someone you are trying to impress, or a very busy morning ahead of you, it would be nice to wake up and instantly look gorgeous. This can seem hard at first when you consider that for eight hours, your hair, breath, and skin are not being taken care of. While it may be impossible to bounce out of bed and out the door instantly, you can show your best self in the morning.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Ready for Bed

1
Wash your face before bed. Rinse your face with hot water. This will open your pores and prepare your skin for a deep cleanse. Using the tips of your index and middle fingers, lather facial wash across your face in circles, scrubbing thoroughly.^{[1]
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- Use a facial exfoliate to get rid of any dead skin cells for a healthier, more luminous appearance in the morning.
- Use cold water to rinse off the cleanser and close your pores. Gently dab a towel around your face to prevent dryness.^{[2]
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2
Do not go to sleep with makeup on. If you sleep with makeup on, it will clog your pores, dull your skin, and be smeared all over your face the next morning. Cleanse your face with a gentle makeup remover, and then scrub with a facial wash to remove pore-clogging debris from your face before you go to sleep. You will appear more refreshed and natural when you wake up.^{[3]
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- Be sure to fully remove any mascara from your eyelashes.
- Pay special attention to your forehead, nose and chin. These areas usually get oily, and you definitely want to get rid of any possible makeup in these specific areas.
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3
Brush your teeth before bed. If you don't, your teeth will be noticeably gross in the morning and you will have bad breath. Consider using a good mouthwash for fresh breath and floss your teeth every night.
4
Apply a moisturizer. You do not want to wake up with dry, flaky skin. After you wash your face, be sure to apply a moisturizing cream so your skin can stay hydrated all night.
- Look for moisturizers specifically designed for nighttime use.
- Allow the moisturizer to dry completely before putting your face to your pillow so it doesn't rub off.
5
Moisturize chapped lips. People often have chapped lips when they awaken in the morning from dehydration. To prevent this, put on chap stick before and after you wake up. If you have extremely dry lips, exfoliate your lips before bed, and then apply chap stick.
6
Drink a glass of water. Your skin needs water to stay healthy and glowing, and your next chance for hydration after you lay down for bed is hours away. Try drinking one or two glasses of water before you fall asleep to keep your skin beautiful. (If this is more than you usually drink, make sure you use the bathroom before going to bed.) ^{[4]
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7
Get plenty of sleep. If you don't allow your body to rest, your eyes may start to develop dark circles and heavy bags, making you appear tired upon waking. You should be aiming for at least six to eight hours of sleep every night.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Caring for Your Hair

1
Brush your hair before you sleep. If you sleep with unkempt hair, it will only become worse and more entangled in the morning. Simply run a comb or brush through your hair to reduce knots and tangles.
2
Dry your hair before sleeping. If you take nighttime showers, it is a good idea to wait until your hair dries before hitting the pillow. You can either blow dry your hair, or wait for it to air dry. This will prevent you forming a crazy bed head look that is hard to manage the next morning.
3
Sleep in a braid. This will keep your hair from forming any cowlicks and give you nice, even waves for a casually-messy-but-polished look. Be sure to wear your braid and hair tie loose so you don't damage your hair.
4
Try wearing a bun to bed. If you loosely tie your hair in a bun with a soft scrunchy, you can avoid any tangles or hair messes the next morning. As soon as you wake up, release your hair and you will be left with an effortlessly chic look.^{[5]
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5
Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase. Using a silk or satin pillowcase reduces some of the friction between your pillow and hair. This can help you prevent bed head and damage to your hair.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Care in the Morning

1
Lighten dark circles. If you wake up with dark bags, lay cucumber slices on your eyes for five to ten minuets. Cucumbers have a skin lightening effect that can help your eye area look revitalized.
2
Press a cold compress to your puffy eyes. If you wake up with puffy eyes, hold a cold spoon or rag to your eyes for several minutes. The cold temperature will reduce eye inflammation almost immediately.^{[6]
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- Leave a cloth or spoon in the refrigerator the night before so it is ready for you the next morning.
3
Wipe your face if you drool. If you find yourself with drool crusted on your face in the morning, keep a box of tissues and a glass of water by your nightstand. This way, you can conveniently wipe your face when you wake up.
- Some people drool because allergies block their nose and cause them to breathe through their mouth. A nasal spray or medication can keep your nasal airways open, so you can close your mouth and limit the drool.
4
Wipe away eye crust. Unfortunately, you cannot control all of your bodily functions while you sleep. If you wake up with eye crust, keep a box of tissues and glass of water next to your bed to quickly wipe your eyes in the morning.
5
Wash your face in the morning. This will cleanse your pores before you start the day to give you a healthy glow. You can also consider using a illuminant serum that instantly lightens up your face, making it look more vibrant.^{[7]
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Expert Q&A

Question

What should you look for in a face serum?

Kaveri Karhade, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Dr. Kaveri Karhade is a board certified Laser, Medical, and Cosmetic Dermatologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her areas of expertise are acne and hair loss. She has advanced training in injectables, lasers, surgery, and other cosmetic treatments, and has published extensive research in medical journals. She holds a BS from Michigan State University and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Michigan Medical School. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and her Residency in Dermatology at Brown University School of Medicine. Dr. Karhade is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Kaveri Karhade, MD

Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

Serums contain a large variety of ingredients that are beneficial for various reasons. For example, a vitamin C serum may be beneficial as an antioxidant, and a niacinamide serum may be beneficial to hydrate acne-prone skin.
Question

What else can you do to reduce eye puffiness?

Kaveri Karhade, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Dr. Kaveri Karhade is a board certified Laser, Medical, and Cosmetic Dermatologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her areas of expertise are acne and hair loss. She has advanced training in injectables, lasers, surgery, and other cosmetic treatments, and has published extensive research in medical journals. She holds a BS from Michigan State University and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Michigan Medical School. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and her Residency in Dermatology at Brown University School of Medicine. Dr. Karhade is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.

Kaveri Karhade, MD

Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

Caffeine-containing eye creams can help reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eyes.
Question

What are some tips for having curly or wavy hair in the morning?

Shun Pittman
Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author
Shun Pittman is a Master Cosmetologist, Author, Owner, and Founder of Corps d’Elite Salon and Corps d’Elite Beauty. With over 25 years of international experience, she is dedicated to and specializes in providing luxury salon services to all hair types and textures and every skin tone and shade. Her services include hair conditioning treatments, cutting, coloring, styling, extensions, and makeup application. Shun has experience working with, coaching, training, and mentoring beauty professionals from multiple companies including L'Oréal, Wella, Matrix, Paul Mitchell, Redken, Big Sexy Hair, and Toni & Guy. She is also a host for national and local media outlets and her work has been featured in The Washingtonian, The Cheddar Network, and WJLA Good Morning Washington's Beauty and Fashion Police segments. Shun is the author of “50 Things Your Hairdresser Wants YOU to Know (and a few things we don’t...)".

Shun Pittman

Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author

Expert Answer

Pin curling is the easiest and it's super effective as long as the hair has been nicely smoothed together before it's wrapped. You're going to get waves with less than three revolutions and you're going to get curls with three or more revolutions. The more revolutions, the curlier it's going to be. The smaller the subsection of hair, the tighter it's going to be. It can be wrapped around just about anything. If the hair is damp and then it dries on the tool that you've wrapped it around, it'll take the shape of that tool.