In truth, few things can make a nurse feel quite as good about herself after a long shift as walking out the house knowing that she looks her best and brightest. With a hectic schedule and little free time, who has the energy to layer on tons of illuminating, stimulating, and brightening makeup products to wake up a tired face?
You only need a few items to appear fresh-faced and ready to conquer the day. Consider them a shot of espresso for your daily makeup routine.
We’ve talked about top beauty products for nurses in the past. Now, we’ve compiled a list of five essential makeup products that will help any nurse fake eight hours of sleep in eight minutes. These simple and subtle cosmetics are designed for a fresh look, not eyebrow-raising styles.
- Twenty-Four-Hour Cover
When you know you have a long, hard day of work ahead of you, all you want is a foundation that not only provides twenty-four-hour coverage but also doesn’t look cakey on the skin. L’Oreal’s True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup gives you heavy-duty coverage while enhancing your skin’s clarity. Plus, it’s made with 40% water, so it’s hydrating and it won’t cake on your skin. Not to mention that, due to its added vitamins and antioxidants, it helps to improve the skin’s tone and clarity.
- Hide Those Bags
Now that you’ve got your skin covered, it’s time to address the biggest problem area for all nurses: under your eyes. Dark circles and puffy eyes are the biggest tells of long night shifts, so you need something to make you look bright and awake. Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage will work wonders for your dry and exhausted skin. More pigmented than a traditional concealer, this product covers any imperfections, leaving your skin looking natural and flawless. Dark circles, blemishes, redness, discoloration, and age spots become totally manageable with this concealer.
- A Nude Pencil Works Wonders for Tired Eyes
On any normal “I got eight hours of sleep” day, a smoky smudge will do just fine. But, a nurse’s day is never normal, so you need to pay a little extra attention to how you highlight your eyes and eye area. You might think that a white liner is the best way to make your eyes look bigger and brighter, but that’s not necessarily the case. As it turns out, a nude pencil work wonders for tired eyes. Because a nude color is less visible than white, it can help open the eyes, making them look awake.
For those frequent nights (or days) when you don’t want to look haggard and exhausted, consider using Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes Inner Rim Liner. This brightening eyeliner has an instant wide-awake effect, perfect after a long nursing shift. More than that, it’s free of parabens, mineral oil, sulfates, and synthetic fragrance.
- Just a Touch of Color on the Cheeks
On the days you wake up looking less than rested, a little touch of color on the cheeks can brighten instantly even the most tired face. Lancome’s Blush Subtil will help you win the battle with long, exhausting nursing shifts and unflattering hospital fluorescent lighting. Oil-free, this blush provides a subtle and smooth pop of color that looks natural and stays put most of the day. Not to mention that it will brighten your face, giving you a rosy, doll-like appearance. There are 22 shades you can choose from, so you’ll certainly find a color that is right for your skin tone.
- Use Eye-Opening Mascara
If the eyes are the window to the soul, yours are telling the world that you’re not getting enough sleep. A touch of mascara will not only make your eyes look big, but it will also enhance the white of your eyes. Smashbox’s Photo Op Eye Brightening Mascara comes with a cutting-edge brush that curls and lifts every lash, giving you a wide-eyed effect.
Nobody knows the importance of making time for oneself quite like a nurse. If you want to be able to take good care of your patients, you need to take care of yourself as well. Besides getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and exercising, pay close attention to your beauty routine.
Oil control and revlon colorstay lipsticks and L’Oréal blackest black waterproof mascara. To make my eyes look bigger and awake, I heat up my metal eyelash curler with my blow dryer for just a few seconds, touching the eyelash curler on my chin ensuring it’s not too hot. I use the white primer and then the black mascara for extra thick eyelashes. I also like to use an oil control primer before my foundation to help with shine throughout the long shifts.