How to Look Your Best when You're Short on Sleep ...

Caffeine can temporarily tighten the skin surrounding your eyes. A good eye cream containing caffeine will drive away the under-eye bags and puffiness that tell the world you didn't get a great deal of sleep.

Sleepless nights seem to drain moisture from our skin, making it brittle and prone to show fine lines and wrinkles when we apply our make-up. Before a long night soothing babies or going clubbing, apply a liberal amount of a super-hydrating night cream. Don't worry if you forget - it's still possible to inject moisture into your skin by applying a thin layer of night cream in the morning before putting on make-up.

A color corrector will neutralize dark raccoon markings under your puffy eyes. Look at your color wheel - opposite colors will cancel each other out, so blue hues under your eyes should be erased with orange or peach skin tone color correctors. For light colored skin use peach, and for darker skin tones use orange. Lightly pat the color corrector onto the discolored areas with your fingertips, then cover dark circles with foundation or light diffusion concealer. The slight shimmer in a light diffusion concealer helps reflect light, distracting from small imperfections on your skin. Apply as an upside-down triangle, not a half moon under your eyes. Blend well onto the side of your nose, towards the inner corner of your eye and all the way up to your lash line.

Eyebrows really define eyes, making us look more alert. Using a brow pencil lightly, follow up with a small amount of concealer or brow highlighter applied immediately underneath. Gently blend with the tip of your finger until you’re happy with the effect.

Long and lush eyelashes will distract those we meet from the puffy dark circles under our eyes because our eyes will look wide awake and larger. Start by curling your lashes, then use lengthening mascara with a wand that coats every single lash.

Brown eyeliner won't look as harsh as your usual black. Apply eyeliner only to your upper lash line, keeping as close to the base of your lashes as possible; now use the smudge brush to soften the effect. You won't get the midday eyeliner smudge under your eyes adding to your black circles this way. Instead, your eyes will be enhanced by the softer hue of brown.

After sleepless nights, nobody sports an "English Rose" complexion. We look pale and washed out. Adding too much or dark blush can make us look worse. A light peach-pink blush with a morsel of shimmer is ideal for pale complexions, adding just enough of a healthy glow. Use a larger powder blush to distribute the color more subtly.

Don't use the femme fatale lipstick you wear when you go clubbing - it's fatal against a pale and puffy face. Nude lippie is just as bad, enhancing your washed-out complexion. Try a lipstick color that is just a shade darker than your own lips. Lighter or darker color will put brightness back into your face.

Depending on the time available to you in the morning, you could start your day with a face mask and facial massage or simply apply two slices of cucumber on your eyes. This increases the blood circulation, rehydrates and cleans your skin, bringing back a healthy glow.

Of course, you can avoid these tricks for looking better when you’re tired by getting enough sleep. But life is life and 7-8 hours per night aren't always possible. Are you getting enough beauty sleep?