How to Brighten Dull Skin & Tired Eyes 

Flat skin and tired-looking eyes? These are your skin’s way of saying it needs a little extra support—and the right routine can help. Factors like stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, and environmental aggressors can all contribute to dull eyes and a lack of radiance. The good news is with the right skincare routine and daily habits, it's possible to revive dull and tired skin or a brighter, refreshed glow—starting today.



Key Takeaways

· Dull skin and tired eyes can be caused by a variety of factors such as dehydration, pollution, UV exposure, lack of sleep and nutrient gaps, just to name a few.

· Visibly brightening skin can be done in a few steps that should already be a part of your everyday skincare routine.

· Using a routine of cleansing, eye care, serum, and moisturizer can help revitalize your skin and visibly brighten.

· For an added boost, consider using a cooling tool to help depuff, as well as utilizing a highlighter to help brighten your undereye area.

· Daily habits can help with dark circles and dull skin such as hydrating, eating antioxidants and a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep.



What causes tired eyes and dull skin?

If your glow’s gone missing, there’s usually a reason—and often, it’s a mix of things. When your skin’s natural renewal process slows down or it’s not getting what it needs, signs of fatigue start to show, especially around the eyes. That’s when skin can start to look flat, uneven, or shadowed.

Some of the most common culprits include:

● Dead skin cell build-up, which can make skin look rough or grey

● Stress-induced aging, a phenomenon that accentuates 8 different signs of aging, including around your eyes

● Slow renewal of Keratinocyte cells

● Decrease in collagen and elastin

● Pollution and stressors that disrupt skin’s natural balance

● A weakened barrier from dehydration, weather, or even a cold

● Nutrient gaps—like low antioxidants or healthy fats

● UV exposure, which wears down collagen and dulls skin over time

● Hormonal shifts that slow cell turnover and cause puffiness or dark circles

Knowing what’s behind tired-looking skin makes it easier to give your skin what it’s really asking for: balance, hydration, and a little extra care.



Bright eyes and glowing skin: how to refresh your look 

At Clarins, we believe the best results come from the perfect pairing—effective formulas and the way you apply them. Because skincare isn’t just what you use, it’s how you use it.

With over 70 years of spa heritage, our approach blends visible results with simple, feel-good rituals. Every texture is designed to work with skin’s natural rhythms—and our signature application methods help bring out their best.

Warming product in your hands helps it melt into the skin. Gentle pressing and tapping support absorption, circulation, and lymphatic drainage—especially around tired-looking eyes.

For eye care, use your ring finger to lightly tap from the inner corners outward. Add a few pressure points between the brows and at the temples to help ease tension and brighten dull eyes.

Apply the same approach to serums and moisturizers—pressing and smoothing to help your skin soak in every drop, while creating a quiet moment to unwind.

In the next few sections, we’ll walk you through how to build this into your routine—step by step.

Gently cleanse and prep

The foundation for glowing skin? A gentle, comforting cleanse that respects your skin’s natural balance. Clarins believes every skin type deserves a personalized cleanse—these two favorites are especially loved by those with dull and tired eyes.

The Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser transforms into a soft mousse to lift away makeup and pollutants, while Aloe Vera and Alpine herbs help hydrate and soothe.

Prefer a milk texture? The Velvet Facial Milk Cleanser gently melts into the skin, removing impurities as Organic Golden Gentian and Lemon Balm calm and comfort—leaving skin soft, clean, and balanced.

Use targeted eye care to brighten your eyes

The skin around your eyes is delicate and works hard—blinking, squinting, smiling, and often, showing the first signs of fatigue.

Total Eye Contour Gel is a Clarins favorite and helps visibly depuff and brighten with plant-based Caffeine and Ginkgo Biloba. It’s a great everyday essential—and a dream under makeup.

For early signs of aging, Total Eye Revive combines antioxidant-rich Teasel extract and Myrothamnus to visibly reduce fatigue, smooth fine lines, and brighten the eye area with optical pigments. The cooling metal applicator enhances drainage to help eyes look instantly more rested by applying gentle pressure to pressure points in your eye area.[MB1] 

Feeling dry or tight? Total Eye Hydrate delivers a serious dose of moisture with Organic Leaf of Life. Use it as a 10-minute express mask or leave it on overnight for extra hydration—perfect after travel or too much screen time.

With the right eye care routine—and a little daily TLC—you can brighten, hydrate, and bring life back to one of the most expressive parts of your face.

Revise your radiance with a serum or booster

When your skin looks dull or feels depleted, a powerful serum can help bring it back to life. Clarins’ Double Serum is a go-to treatment designed to restore glow and smooth visible signs of aging, all while deeply nourishing the skin.

Clarins’ beauty experts crafted the new Double Serum Light Texture Firming + Smoothing Anti-Aging Concentrate with 22 plant extracts that target signs of aging directly, including Turmeric, Organic Strawberry Tree Fruit, Organic Giant Provencal Reed Extract, and Ginger Lily to:

● Visibly firm and boost the skin’s energy and radiance while reducing wrinkles

● Provide the skin with much-needed moisture and nourishment

● Strengthen the skin’s natural moisture barrier in a single moment

● Defend against signs of aging like puffy, dull eyes and crow’s feet

Learn more about how to care for mature skin here.

Lock in moisture with the right day or night cream

Once you’ve refreshed and treated your skin, the final step is sealing it all in. A good moisturizer is like the cozy layer that keeps everything in place—hydration, glow, and that just-treated feeling. Whether you’re facing dry winter air, sticky summer heat, or your skin’s shifting needs with age, the right day or night cream helps bring it all back into balance.

We offer a collection of face moisturizers designed to smooth, hydrate, and visibly revive dull and tired skin. When you use the right cream consistently, it becomes more than just a finishing step—it helps visibly restore luminosity and can soften the look of tired-looking eyes, especially when paired with your favorite eye care.

Press it in using our signature technique to boost absorption, support circulation, and give your skin that soft, radiant finish we’re all after.

Extra tricks that make a visible difference

When your skin needs a little extra love—especially around the eyes—these quick tricks can help you look more refreshed in minutes.

Cool it down

Wondering how to fix tired-looking eyes fast? Chill a jade roller, spoon, or your eye cream to help reduce puffiness. Use light, outward strokes to soothe and depuff—especially first thing in the morning.

Let light do the work

A touch of highlighter or illuminating concealer at the inner corners of the eyes and tops of the cheekbones can instantly lift and brighten.

These little additions don’t take much time, but they can make all the difference when your skin—or your schedule—needs a quick glow-up.

Daily habits that help you wake up glowing

For bright eyes in the long term – make a few simple lifestyle changes that will work alongside your best under eye cream and skincare routine.

Glowing skin isn’t just a result—it’s a reflection of what you consistently give back to yourself. These small daily habits can visibly improve dull and tired eyes and brighten tired-looking eyes from the inside out.

Stay hydrated

Water fuels every cell in your body—including the ones that keep your skin radiant. Add citrus, berries, or cucumber to your water, or sip chilled herbal tea. Coconut water or a pinch of sea salt and lemon can help your skin hold onto moisture.

Prioritize sleep

Your skin does its best repair work overnight. Aim for 7–9 hours of rest and wind down with a calming ritual like reading or journaling.

Fuel your glow

What you eat matters. Antioxidants, leafy greens, and healthy fats from salmon or avocado help support your skin barrier and fight visible fatigue.

Skip salty snacks before bed

Late-night chips can lead to puffiness by morning. Opt for hydrating options like cucumber or berries instead.



The Clarins Difference: Why Our Formulas Work Visibly Better

At Clarins, we’ve spent over 70 years blending plant science with innovation—developing skincare in our Clarins Laboratories to support your skin through natural changes, stress, and visible fatigue.

From turmeric and organic leaf of life to ginkgo biloba and beautyberry, our botanicals are carefully studied, responsibly sourced, and chosen for their ability to visibly revive dull eyes, smooth tired-looking eyes, and restore glow.

We believe how you care for your skin matters just as much as what you use. That’s why our formulas feel beautiful to apply and are grounded in spa-inspired technique.

Any questions?

What are common signs of tired skin on the face and under the eyes?

Dullness, dryness, uneven tone, fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles are all common signs of tired skin on the face.

What causes tired eyes and dull skin?

Common triggers of tired eyes and visibly dull skin include lack of sleep, dehydration, stress, pollution, and poor cleansing.

What skincare routine is recommended to target tired skin on the face?

A skincare routine that prioritizes a gentle cleanser, targeted eyecare, a radiance-boosting serum and a nourishing moisturizer will benefit tired skin and help revitalize your glow.

How can I reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness under my eyes?

There are a few different ways to reduce dark circles and puffiness. Adding a cooling tool or therapy can help with instant results, while a quality eye cream can help revive that delicate undereye skin.

Are there specific products recommended for brightening tired eyes?

Clarins’ Total Eye Contour Gel, Total Eye Revive, and Total Eye Hydrate target different concerns and skin types and are great options to help brighten tired eyes and visibly perk up skin.

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