I’ve spent over 15 years testing makeup, but turning 41 presented a new beauty challenge that has been harder to remedy: looking more awake. While I could get away with five hours of sleep in my 20s and 30s, clocking anything less than eight now leaves me with dark circles that are more prominent as my skin thins and the fat pads beneath my eyes steadily shrink with time. My secret weapon after a restless night: Sarah Creal’s Face Flex Correct Instant Under Eye Brightener. Introduced to me by a makeup artist, this creamy color corrector provides all-day coverage without settling into fine lines or wrinkles. Here, I’ll share why this must-try formula works and how to apply it to look instantly refreshed.

Face Flex comes in five shades, ranging from ballet-slipper pink to deep terracotta. On my fair skin, I use Power Nap, a soft salmon hue that helps neutralize blueish shadows. I tap tiny dots around my inner corners and beneath the hollows of my eyes with the cushy doe-foot applicator, blend with an angled concealer brush and follow with Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Foundation Drops (a top pick in our roundup of the best skin tints) that I work into my face with a foundation brush. The pigment is concentrated and the non-sticky formula grips the skin quickly, so when you apply it a little goes a long way. Since my complexion woes aren’t confined to my undereyes, I also use this product anywhere I could use a bit of brightness, like the corners of my nose and chin.

Unlike many color correctors that have a tendency to crease after a few hours, this formula stays smooth thanks to a silicone-based resin (called trimethylsiloxysilicate) that creates a flexible layer on the skin, which moves as you smile, squint or yawn. It’s also infused with skin-plumping hyaluronic acid, antioxidant-rich green tea and caffeine that temporarily tightens and depuffs. I’ve worn Face Flex through full workdays and late-night dinners, and can vouch for its budge-proof finish. If you want extra insurance, however, top it with a light layer of translucent powder (I like this blurring one by Huda Beauty) to absorb oil and lock the corrector in place.

While Face Flex won’t help me bank any more beauty sleep, its lightweight, resilient formula lets me to fake it until I make it (to bed). A few strategically placed swipes quickly camouflages dark circles, hyperpigmentation and redness. The result? I look as though I slept soundly through the night. Editor’s note: Let’s be honest, I did not!