Ah, winter. The air outside might be fresh as a daisy, but the atmosphere inside? Not so much. With the heating cranked up to the max and coughs and colds circulating, it’s likely that you’re feeling a bit sluggish at the moment. Forget the bleary eyes and the heavy head – we have some stellar tips for staying bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, even when you’re definitely not feeling it.

Get fresh, fast with our top 5 tips for getting back to your best…

1) The Night Before

If the fluctuations in temperature are messing with your sleeping pattern, you might be waking up after a full night’s sleep looking and feeling as though you haven’t slept a wink. That’s where Guerlain Midnight Secret steps in.

Midnight Secret is something of a cult favourite in skincare circles due to its rapid overnight results. It specifically targets signs of fatigue and dullness with a blend of stimulating Hydronoctine, which promotes the oxygenation of cells, together with elasticising and moisturising Blue Gold. When you wake up, you look rejuvenated, smooth and relaxed even after very little rest, making it the perfect occasional quick fix.

2) Clear Your Head

Both literally and figuratively! I approach winter haircare the same way I do the morning after the night before: with intensely clarifying shampoo, and a big whack of hydration. In the morning, jump into the shower (as soon as you’re able to muster the energy) and reach for the ultimate pick-me-up: the Schwarzkopf Scalp Therapy Deep Cleansing Shampoo.

This unassuming shampoo is a triple threat: it clears every last trace of yesterday’s hairspray, it balances and calms your scalp, and it scents hair with the most gorgeous, head-clearing aroma of spearmint.  It’s the ultimate reset button, and it makes your hair feel so bouncy and fresh.

3) Instant Facial

To reinvigorate your skin, I recommend another perky product full of refreshing mint. Caudalie Beauty Elixir is one of my favourite beauty treats; it’s radiance-boosting, pore-tightening, ultra-refreshing and it really, really works. The Beauty Elixir is a modern update of Queen Isabelle of Hungary’s infamous Elixir of Youth, and features a blend of Caudalie’s soothing grape water infused with astringent, toning, hydrating and rejuvenating oils including myrrh, mint, rose, orange flower and rosemary.

And it’s that signature blend of essentials oils that really sets it apart from other facial mists. Once you spray it on, you can really feel it working its cooling magic on the skin and you can’t help but breathe in the uplifting floral-mint aroma. I can’t imagine anything more appealing when I’m feeling less than fresh. An added bonus: it’s simply fantastic as a make-up setting spray.

4) Rehydrate, Rehydrate, Rehydrate

Pollution, central heating, the late night that seemed like such a good idea at the time… there are so many facets that have a huge impact upon the body’s hydration levels, which in turn have a negative impact upon your skin and overall health. Aside from drinking lots of water (which we know you’ll be doing anyway, you pro!), there are plenty of products out there that offer both instant and lasting hydration for your parched, post-party skin.

You can tell pretty sharpish if your skin is dehydrated and lacking water (as opposed to dryness, which in skincare-terms is characterised by roughness and tightness due to a lack of oil). It’s dull, sluggish and lacking in elasticity, which can make it feel ‘thin’ and lead to fine dehydration lines around the eyes. After you’ve cleansed and used your favourite facial mist reach for Bioderma’s fantastic Hydrabio Rich Moisturising Cream, which provides a serious kick of hydration and moisture but, importantly, feels light and comfortable on the skin. Your skin’ll almost immediately feel fresher.

5) Brighten Those Peepers

Unfortunately, the winter accessory I sport the most is pesky dark circles. Gone are the days when your only option was to overload on concealer, though; Pigmentclar Eyes is a new breed of shadow-busting eye cream and it just so happens to be one of La Roche-Posays most exciting innovations of 2014.

Pigmentclar Eyes isn’t just a temporary fix for dark circles, although its light-diffusing pigment blend does do a very good job of immediately illuminating and concealing. Dark circles have two main hues:  brown caused by an overproduction of melanin, and  blue caused by sluggish circulation, late nights, dehydration and poor diet. Pigmentclar Eyes targets both with the Pigmentclar Complex and caffeine, which break down excess melanin and boost circulation. As an added bonus, the specifically created metal applicator really cools the eyes and offers a mild massaging effect upon application.

Over to you

Do you have any top tips for beating winter bleariness?