Come weekday mornings and some of us would rather do anything than spend the next 8-10 hours locked in an office dealing with other people’s problems, politics, idiosyncrasies and insanity… right?
So, I have dug up some expert makeup tricks (they are used by makeup artists in movies!) on how to make yourself look sick enough to be excused from a few hours of drudgery.
This also works when you don’t want to attend another family wedding, need to get out of meeting those super-irritating “friends” and would rather not cook dinner!
How to look sick
1. Take a foundation 2-3 shades lighter than you normally use and blend it all over your face (including eyelids, neck and ears) to look super-pale. Apply just a little over your lips as well to make them appear drab, which will make you look sick and pale; skip the lipstick.
2. To simulate dark circles, take a shimmer-free reddish-purplish, purple or bluish eye shadow (cream shadows work best) and lightly smudge under the eyes. It should start near the inside corner of your eye and extend outwards at a bit of a slant.
3. To take it a step further on how to look sick, put in a few eye drops to give your eyes that runny/teary look of a person who’s clearly unwell and needs time out!
4. Dab a little reddish cream blush around the tip of the nose. Use a light hand — you want it to look sore but not clown-red.
5. To fake a bruise, take a slightly wet makeup brush and run it through some dark blue or purple eye shadow (again, cream works best and skip anything with shimmer). Apply this “bruise” over the desired area, making sure that it’s an irregular, organic shape and is darker towards the middle (bruises never come in perfect geometries!). Then smudge some red cream blush around the edges for a raw, reddish look.
6. How to look sick? Fake a fever with makeup. Here’s how: Fever symptoms usually include a flushed complexion and a sheen of sweat. So, grab a blush in dusty pink or red hues.
Apply it to the areas of your face that generally turn pink when you’re overheated — usually your cheeks and nose. Next, delicately smear a thin coat of petroleum jelly across your entire face to simulate a sweaty sheen.
Presto! You’ve skillfully crafted a believable ‘under-the-weather’ look that might serve as a perfect excuse to skip a day at the office, avoid a dull dinner, or simply indulge in a day of self-care.
PS: You are actually sick and don’t want to look sick — read this post, instead!
What about you? Have you ever faked sickness to get out of something? How did you pull it off? Spill the beans!
Nathalia says
Haha, all I need to do is not wear any make-up to convincingly look sick.
But I once bought a foundation that was a bit too light for my face and everybody kept asking me if I wasn’t feeling well. Lesson: Do not put make-up on with a yellowish bulb.
anubha says
hahahahaha… completely agree. In fact, post on the best lighting for makeup coming up soon!
mariah says
ive never faked before but thanks to your tips ill try i hope i dont get busted i hate school so this is a good way to get out of it
Emmi says
One time with my mom it was monday 4 school and how i faked it was go in crappy cloths and use the sink to warm up the thermometer so i would hav 100 not vrazy high tho or ur parent will ant to make a doctors appointment dont do this all the time or ur parents will get suspicious
Sharii W says
Here’s a good tip I used to get out of early morning practice in high school. Right before you talk to whoever is to give you permission to stay home sick (in that case it was my mother) I would take a tiiiiiny pinch of red pepper (really, not much) and sniff it up my nose. The reaction is immediate. Your eyes will run a race with your nose. You will sneeze and cough and have a thoroughly convincing 5-10 minute cold.
Use wisely.
Caroline says
Love this idea thanks xxxxx
Bella says
One good way is to take a hairdryer to your forehead for a little bit then apply a few shades too light foundation
Eliza says
I skip school a lot, not too much though. I just act like I don’t feel good and with COVID that’s enough. If all fails I put salsa in the toilet to look like fake puke !