Sometimes looking in the mirror first thing in the morning can be, well, challenging. Messy, oily hair, dark circles, puffy face. But it doesn’t have to be that way, check out our tips for looking good when you wake up – regardless of the time!

Change Your Sleep Style

Bad news for stomach sleepers.

The average head weighs 7 to 8 pounds, that’s a lot of pressure to be putting on your face night after night. In fact, most dermatologists can tell what side of the face you’re sleeping on by the number of wrinkles there!

If you just can’t sleep on your back, try sleeping on your side with a body pillow. Your face won’t be as smashed into the pillow.

For those of you who are fortunate enough to be back-sleepers, try throwing an extra pillow under your head. Gravity helps lymph and blood flow so fluid won't accumulate. In other words, wake up without any puff in your eyes.

Whiten Your Teeth
Long gone are the days of sitting around waiting for sticky strips to whiten your teeth. Products like Pearl Drops Hollywood Nights Whitening Wand (RRP: $38 at Foodtown) are formulated for night time use. Simply paint a bit of the product on each of your “smile teeth” and wake up with a whiter smile.

Moisturise Your Feet
Slick a coat of super thick moisturiser onto feet, or even better, Vaseline. Slip on socks to lock in moisture. Feet will be pedicure-soft in the morning.

If you’re a deep sleeper, you can also apply lotion to your hands and wear gloves while you sleep. You may feel silly, but you will wake up with hands that are soft and beautiful.

Add Volume
Piling hair on to the top of your head with a soft hair tie (scrunchie, anyone?) will add major volume in the morning.  Be sure to use something soft to pull hair up to avoid crimping and kinking.

Treat Your Hair While You Sleep
Once a week, try sleeping with a deep conditioner or night-time treatment on your hair.

Pantene’s Night Miracle Treatment is one of my favourites. Thanks to their specially formulated lightweight crème serum, you can now repair dry and damaged hair while you sleep.

Wake Up Glowing
Mix in a drop of self-tanner with your night cream, or try using a moisturiser that already contains a bit of tanner. This is best done a solid hour before bed, so nothing rubs off onto your crisp white sheets.

Sleep on Satin
To minimise the dreaded morning bed-head, sleep on a satin pillowcase, or tie a silk scarf around your hair. It’s a much softer material than cotton, so there's less friction to cause frizz.

Lash Out
Said to increase the appearance of lash length, thickness and fullness, Smashobx Lash Revival Treatment and Conditioner is the perfect before-bed eye treatment. And the best part?  This clever little multi-tasker works great on over-tweezed or sparse brows too!