Alternate post title: Who needs sleep when there are products! and coffee! 

I am not getting enough sleep these days -- then again, who is?  Between work and family and all the other things we jam our calendars with, it's amazing we ever get to sleep.  And now that the holidays are looming, we're piling happy hours and parties and open houses on top of everything else.  

Fortunately, Benefit can help you look a little less tired.

I stopped in to my local Sephora recently, looking for a little something to perk me up, or at least make me look perkier.  I told the very nice clerk that I was aiming to look like I had gotten eight hours sleep when I'd had more like four, and after she made that face people make when they find out you're not sleeping, she started recommending highlighters.

I'm picky -- I have wee wrinkles around my eyes and I don't want anything that might settle in them.  I have oily skin, so I don't want anything that might slip or slide around during the day.  And I'm pretty low maintenance, so I don't want anything complicated or difficult.

I'm also 40, so shimmery shadows are out for day; I want to look awake, not like I'm pretending to be 20.  

Imagine how much fun it must be to help me at the cosmetics counter!  Goodness.

Fortunately, the very nice woman at Sephora was patient with me and kept trying things until we stumbled on something she thought would work, and then she took five minutes to show me what a difference it would make even as I was saying, "Yeah I don't know, I don't really like pencils for my eyes and ..."  And then I looked in the mirror and WOW suddenly I didn't look tired!  Woo!

Benefit's High Brow is a soft, light pencil in a very sheer pink -- it's almost white, but it has just enough color to keep from looking chalky.  Sharpen the pencil, draw a very light line under the brow, at the arch, and blend; I promise you, you'll instantly look more awake.  I also dot the pencil at the inside corner of my eyes, as recommended by What Not To Wear's Carmindy, for a brighter eye.

Does it work?  The first day I tried it, I ran into my neighbor, who I see every single day (she lives next door after all).  I was wearing my glasses and a black sweater, neither of which were doing much to make me look awake and rested.  My neighbor looked at me and said, "You look great today -- what's different about you?"  She went down a list of things -- new glasses?  No.  Hair cut?  No.  Did I do something different with my bangs?  No.  Finally I said, jokingly, "I bought this eye lift in a stick stuff."

And she said, "I think that's it!"

High Brow will run you $20.00, so more than a full night's sleep, but less than the other eye lift alternatives.  For a little added color, toss on a pink sweater or scarf -- you can fake a full night's sleep without having to mainline coffee all day.  

What else can you do to look fresh and peppy?  Guest Editor Mir is in love with her Clarisonic skin brushy thing, while Laurel has a great cream to fight sun damage.  And the very pretty Holly Burns has the dish on perfect holiday lips.