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These days, most people know it’s not okay to comment on someone’s appearance. It’s just none of their business, and everyone’s aware of that.
However, there’s a sneaky loophole. People might not tell you your outfit isn’t flattering or your hair is messy. Yet . . . we’ve all had a co-worker, barista, or acquaintance say, “You look so tired.”
It seems harmless enough, even sympathetic. But what that comment really means is that puffy, dark, or bloodshot eyes are drawing attention away from the rest of your look.
This can definitely affect your confidence, and reviving tired eyes isn’t as easy as it seems. So, in this post, we’re sharing our most reliable ways to brighten your eyes and re-energize your overall experience.
Only got three hours of sleep last night? No big deal, we’ve got just the tips you’re looking for:
How to Make Eyes Look Less Tired (Even on No Sleep)
Before we dive into our favorite products and tools for refreshing tired eyes, let’s take a minute to understand why we look exhausted in the first place.
Knowing the reasons behind those sleepy eyes (not the sexy kind) is the first step. Then, it’s much easier to fix the problem, keeping your appearance bright, refreshed, and full of life.
What Are Tired Eyes?
Tired eyes are a visual manifestation of fatigue, stress, or other environmental factors. Their signature appearance comes from fluid retention, dilated blood vessels, irritation and decreased skin elasticity. All these issues combine to create dull eyes lacking vibrancy and alertness.
What Do Tired Eyes Look Like?
Dark circles under the eyes
Puffiness or swelling around the eyes
Red or bloodshot eyes
Droopy or heavy eyelids
Fine lines or wrinkles are more visible
Dull or lackluster eye area
Eye bags or fluid retention under the eyes
What Causes Tired Eyes?
Lack of Sleep
As Lauryn and Michael discussed in the HIM & HER episode with Matthew Walker, proper sleep impacts everything. And when you don’t get enough of it, a lot of physiological processes are interrupted. In this case, the body can’t flush out excess fluid or repair skin cells, leaving your eyes puffy and dull.
Plus, lack of rest can trigger low-level inflammation, causing irritation and redness. Anything less than 7-9 hours of sleep could give you tired-looking eyes.
High Stress Levels
As your stress hormone levels rise, so does inflammation. This can impact blood flow, sleep quality, fluid retention, and even collagen production. Basically, if you’re stressed, the skin around your eyes will make it obvious!
Excessive Screen Time
Using screens for long periods can strain your eyes, cause fatigue, and even mess with your sleep. And, staring at a phone or tablet also reduces your blink rate, which can leave your eyes dry and irritated.
We talk more about this in our post, “Prevent Skin Aging Before Sitting Down in Front of Your Home Computer.”
Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies release histamine, which is a chemical your immune system produces to fight off allergens. In your body, histamines can trigger itchiness, redness, and swelling around your eyes.
Dehydration
When you’re dehydrated, your body has to spread the little water it has across all your systems. Naturally, the under-eye area doesn’t get top priority. This can lead to reduced skin elasticity, puffiness, and that crepey, dry look that makes eyes appear tired.
Salt or Alcohol Intake
High sodium intake can cause your body to retain water, leading to facial swelling. Alcohol, unsurprisingly, can dehydrate your body. And both can disrupt sleep and increase inflammation, which only makes tired eyes look worse.
Here’s more on what causes swollen faces and puffy eyes if you’re wondering.
Fluid Build-Up
Our lymphatic system is responsible for flushing out excess fluids. But sometimes lymph fluid can build up and struggle to move through the system. As it accumulates, it can leave your face and under-eye area looking puffy and tired.
Here’s a guide for how to do a lymphatic drainage facial at home with The Mint Roller, if you need a little inspo.
Poor Circulation
Bad blood circulation can make blood vessels more visible, contributing to those pesky dark circles. Poor blood flow can also be linked to sluggish lymphatic drainage, which may worsen puffiness around the eyes.
Dry Eyes
When your eyes don’t have enough moisture, it can cause redness, irritation, squinting, and fatigue. This doesn’t just affect the eyeball itself—dryness can also strain the surrounding muscles, making your eyes look tired and worn out.
Collagen Loss from Aging
As we age, the structure of our skin breaks down. Collagen is one of the main proteins that keeps our skin snatched and smooth.
That said, when you lose collagen, the skin under the eyes can thin. This makes dark circles and wrinkles more noticeable.
Sun Damage
The sun is another culprit in breaking down collagen and causing other structure-supporting damage. This can lead to that thin, crepey skin—but it can also cause hyperpigmentation.
How to Make Your Eyes Look Less Tired
Hydration
Rehydrating is one of the easiest ways to refresh tired eyes. The more water your body has to go around, the more likely your eyes are to get their fair share.
For maximum hydration, try adding TSC Beauty Salt to your morning water. And if you struggle to drink enough throughout the day, make it more fun with mix-ins and infusions.
Check out this post from Lauryn on how to upgrade your water for more of our best hydration tips.
Under Eye Patches
Eye patches are great for bringing vibrancy back to your eyes. Lauryn likes her chilled, and she always has these patches on rotation:
+ Barefaced Reusable Eye Masks (use code SKINNY)
+ Summer Fridays Jet Lag Eye Patches
At a minimum, they boost hydration and improve circulation, making your under-eye area look plump and even. Some patches take it a step further, incorporating anti-aging ingredients that support long-term skin health while keeping your eyes looking refreshed.
Ice Roller
TSC’s Mint Roller is a super versatile skincare tool. It does everything from sculpting your jawline to reviving tired eyes.
The cold constricts blood vessels and encourages lymphatic drainage, helping to reduce puffiness and create a more even, refreshed under-eye area.
Face Massager
The Mint Roller is also a great way to reduce stress and work on your skincare goals. Just roll from right under your eyes all the way up to your temple with the disco-esque balls.
The gentle massage boosts circulation, encourages lymphatic drainage, and relaxes tense muscles—all helping your eyes look refreshed and awake.
Light Therapy Mask
Red light therapy is one of our favorite high-tech skincare trends. Lauryn has quite a few light therapy devices, because she knows how well they truly work.
This light therapy device made for your eyes can definitely help reverse that tired look. It boosts circulation, reduces inflammation, and, most of all, promotes collagen production for perfectly bright eyes.
Mouth Tape
Even if you feel like you’re sleeping enough, that rest may not be as restorative as you think. One major thing that contributes to poor sleep? Mouth breathing.
Good news, though: mouth tape isn’t just a trendy fad—it’s a game-changing self-care tool. The TSC Mouth Tape is hypoallergenic and uses gentle adhesive to comfortably keep your mouth closed all night long. This can help you get a sculpted jawline, reduce snoring, and wake up with brighter eyes.
To learn more about how helpful mouth tape is, check out Lauryn’s Mouth Tape Tips and Mouth Taping for Beginners.
Eye Cream and Serum
Eye creams and serums are usually seen as evening skincare staples. While you do want to use an eye product like Agent Nateur’s eye serum before bed, you should have one in your daytime routine, too.
Eye creams like DermInfusions Fill + Repair Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid and Ole Henriksen Banana Bright+ Eye Crème are best used in the morning. The DermInfusions Fill option is rich in deeply moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid. However, the Ole Henriksen actually contains a yellow pigment to help color-correct dark bags and vitamin C to brighten your skin tone.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is non-negotiable.
Our most sensitive areas of the skin are on our face. The under eyes included. Use sunscreen with invigorating and brightening ingredients like caffeine, Spirulina maxima, and plankton extract, like the TSC Caffeinated Sunscreen.
You should use it every day and reapply it every few hours. This will keep your skin healthy and glowing for as long as possible.
Pro Tip: Also consider wearing sunglasses whenever you’re driving outside to keep those areas protected. Lauryn loves these.
Concealer
Concealer is a quick way to make tired eyes look refreshed. Tower 28 Swipe Serum Concealer brightens without feeling heavy, while Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer gives full coverage and smooths texture.
Apply a small amount under your eyes, blend gently, and add a touch to the inner corners for extra brightness. Finish with a light dusting of translucent powder to set and prevent creasing.
Curious about Tower 28? Read about the founder, Amy Liu, talking about her innovative skincare brand.
Wake up tired eyes with these tips.
At the end of the day, tired eyes happen to everyone. But they don’t have to stick with you all day! With targeted tricks and a little self-care, you can keep your eyes looking bright, refreshed, and ready to take on whatever the day throws at you.
You can read more about skincare on the TSC blog. And, for the best beauty tools and products, explore The Skinny Confidential Shop.
X, The Skinny Confidential
+ Learn more about Tower 28 straight from the founder, Amy Lui.
++ Check out Lauryn’s skincare restock for 2026.
WAKE UP YOUR EYES:
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