It’s Monday morning and the effects of this past weekend are finally catching up to you. You’re running late and have just barely enough time to splash cold water on your face and toss some of yesterday morning’s coffee in a traveling mug.

There might not be much you can do to feel better but you can definitely hide any proof of not having slept at all the night before or in some cases, the few nights before. And no, not going into work today is not an option, so don’t even think about it. You can however pull out some basic cosmetic tools and put your face together in 5 minutes or less.

Sleep deprivation will often produce obvious physical signs such as drooping lids and under eye bags. But it can also produce pimples and leave the skin pigmentation uneven and sallow. The quickest fix for this is a base of foundation. But don’t let your lack of sleep make you forget to rub it onto your neck. If you have a foundation that matches your skin, dilute it with some day cream for an even natural look and immediately move on to your next call of aesthetic duty. Remember, time is of the essence here!

If you’re going to do anything to your face to appear alive and rejuvenated, pay special attention to the whole eye area beginning with concealer. Consider concealer to be one of your “bestest” friends in the cosmetic family. Finger dab this darling from the inner corners of your eyes and cover those nasty dark circles that are trying to reveal yesterday’s wild wicked evening with your colleagues.

It isn’t a secret that eyes are the windows to the soul. They are the evidence of too many cocktails, too little sleep and in your case this morning, both. In order to beat the clock and put your face on in 5 minutes or less, your eyebrows should be professionally done or well groomed beforehand so you simply have to smooth them into shape. If the only eye shadow you own is a shade of light brown or taupe, you’re in luck. Rub it on your entire lid from inner to outer corner. These earthy colors are perfect for day or evening and bring out the right amount of ‘eye pop’ for eyes or skin of any color.

You’re approximately 2 minutes in and have 3 more to go before you miss your bus, hit the peak of traffic or worse, get stuck in traffic while on the bus full of other people who actually got some sleep the night before.

A very underestimated and under-used cosmetic tool is the eyelash curler. This does wonders for eyelashes that are straight-ish giving the illusion that eyes are smaller and less alive. The key to getting a vibrant wide eyed look is to use it before applying mascara. Once you’ve curled them to perfection, put the mascara on both sets of lashes to enhance and create ample volume.

Your final task is to slap a hint of color on your cheeks and lips. Notice the word hint. Coral or light pink shades of blush and lipstick give a sexy flushed look like a jog to the corner store. And who knows maybe if you still look a little tired after your speedy 5 minute facelift, your colleagues will notice your rosy hue and attribute it to a pleasurable morning quickie which could never be a bad thing.