How I Deal With Sick-Face.

Still sick, y'all, but needs must and I have to go back to work and join humanity. I feel terrible and look pretty terrible too, but I have a few tricks for improving the look part, if not the feel part. (Can we just talk for a second about how zinc doesn't work? It's a scam, right? IT NO WORK.)

Anyway! One thing I try to do when I have a cold is take extra good care of my skin. My face feels like it's under attack so I knock it off with treatments and just focus on keeping it really soothed and moisturized:

This Laneige Water Sleeping Mask? Is a really good place to start. You can get a big tub at Target oooorrrr you can get four mini tubs for half the price at Amazon. (Guess which one I did?) When I'm feeling all dry and sad I just slather this liberally on top of my usual bedtime moisturizer/treatment and in the morning my skin looks so much happier. It's not super fancy magic - just a whole lot of water-binding agents so make sure you apply it when your skin is still a bit damp. It is scented by I don't find it overpowering or irritating at all. And hey, Paula Begoun freaking hates it so you know it's good.

I've also been using my Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream under my Juno oil twice a day and it's just really nice stuff. No breakouts or bad reactions and I haven't had my usual problem with dry patchy spots this winter.

So, your skin is all moisturized but you still look like a gross sick person. Resist the temptation to slap on a lot of makeup. I've been loving Tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer as an alternative to my regular foundation. It's got SPF 30 and is so nice and dewy. I don't know why it's called a primer - it's definitely a BB cream and quite pigmented but has a really sheer, natural finish. Slap some of this on your face and then bop it gently all over with a damp Beauty Blender if you have such a thing. There. You look way less dead already!

Now, concealer. Definitely go to town on those under-eye circles with something that's not messing around. I'm still very much in a relationship with It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye because it's so pigmented and waterproof. For the rest of your face, this is the time to break out that WTF-this-is-not-a-concealer highlighting pen you might regret buying. I have the Touche Eclat but the Maybelline version is good too. I also like the Givenchy version which is actually more of a concealer but still very sheer. Anyway! Take this and hit the inside corners of your eyes, the outside bits around your eyes, under your eyebrows, anywhere you need a little brightness. Blend blend blend.

Alas, your nose. It's all sad and sore and red so pat some good salve around it. I use this awesome comfrey salve my friend Ann makes but if you don't know her you're out of luck. Try something like this Burt's Bees ointment or this one by Milk looks okay. Something like this Motherlove cream would be perfect. Nothing that burns or has menthol in it, just protect your poor nose with a generous layer of salve. Now, very gently pat a little cream concealer (not the highlighter kind) on top. It won't last long but it's a good temporary fix.

To finish off your face, definitely add some color to your cheeks and fill your brows! Nothing makes me feel as instantly put-together as doing my brows. If you bother with eyeliner, avoid any color with any hint of red in it (bronze, violet, etc) because it'll just make your sad, bloodshot eyes look worse. Skip it and go for a mascara that'll stay put, like the Fairdrops stuff I like so much.

Finally, don't bother with lipstick, instead go for a tinted balm of some kind. I'm currently VERY into the new Dior Addict Lip Glow color - berry. It's stupid expensive but has a bit more color payoff than the original sheer pink and it feels like super-nice lip balm. Also, the packaging is so luxurious, which it should be for that price. I also really like the much more affordable Burt's Bees Tinted Balms lest you think I've lost my mind. (I need to find it in the Sweet Violet color everyone seems to love!)

So, there you go. You still feel like crap but at least you look like your can walk among the living without making babies cry. What did I miss? Any tips or tricks?