Fail-proof beauty tips to hide a big night out
Hungover? Never fear – you can smoothly transition from looking worse for wear to fresh-faced in a flash, with a little grooming know-how and the right products.
It’s an all too familiar scene.
On Sunday morning as the sunshine creeps into your bedroom, you wake and the tell-tale signs of last night’s excesses – pounding head, dry mouth and an all-encompassing groggy feeling – hit you.
Stumbling to the bathroom mirror to inspect the damage, you recoil at the sallow-skinned, bloodshot-eyed reflection staring back at you.
To make matters worse, you’ve got brunch with your mates in an hour. What to do?
No need for panic mode – read on for five easy steps to take you from dusty to delicious in under 30 minutes.
- Make it go away: Natural ways to ease a hangover
Hangover giveaway: Oily T-zone
If you’re even more shiny than usual on your nose and forehead, there’s good reason.
While oil production is essential for healthy skin, the oil slick on your T-zone could be the result of a late night and alcohol combo.
Both of these things stimulate excess oil production.
How to banish it:
Try a deep clean. Spend one to two minutes cleansing the skin to remove the pollutants and oil from the previous night.
“This will also help stimulate your lymphatic and circulatory systems to liven your complexion,” advises dermal clinician James Vivian.
“Use cold water to remove your cleanser to further ‘wake up’ your skin.”
Hangover giveaway: Dry skin
Drinking alcohol dries out the skin because it is a diuretic, causing the body to remove fluids from your system.
If you’ve woken up with tired, lacklustre skin it’s likely because it is dehydrated – which can also accentuate fine lines and wrinkles.
How to banish it:
Try an extra dose of hydrating serum and lock it in with a rich moisturiser to plump up your skin.
“Apply a water-soluble serum to the skin,” recommends Sydney dermal specialist Lucy Macdougald.
“This will absorb quickly into the skin, helping to replenish moisture. Also, rehydrate yourself internally by drinking lots of water.”
Hangover giveaway: Blotchy skin
One of the side-effects of alcohol is blood rushing to the surface of the skin.
While some of us are impacted more than others, a night on the tiles will leave most of us with a complexion that’s far less than perfect.
How to banish it:
The simplest – and quickest – way to give your skin a post-party wake-up call is to exfoliate with a decent facial scrub.
Remove dead skin and impurities and stimulate the production of new cells.
“Alpha-hydroxy acids on the skin and scrubs will exfoliate the skin causing a more radiant glow,” says Brisbane cosmetic doctor Dr Ingrid Tall.
“Using Vitamin C on the skin also helps with pigmentation and skin complexion.”
- Smashed and trashed: What you need to know about binge drinking
Hangover giveaway: Tired eyes
Eyes are said to be the window to the soul – they’re also the window into a night out.
In fact, nowhere betrays booze-fuelled partying more than the eye area.
Dark circles are emphasised by a lack of sleep, while bloodshot eyes can be caused by smoke, pollution and alcohol.
How to banish it:
The skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body, which means your average moisturiser is too thick.
Invest in a specially formulated eye product containing antioxidants to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark circles.
To combat bloodshot eyes, use brightening eye drops sparingly and regularly.
Hangover giveaway: Lank hair
Hair product from the night before can block hair follicles, leaving hair looking fine and dull.
Also, hair absorbs odours, so chances are it will have retained some of the nasty night before niffs.
How to banish it:
Remove all traces of product and nightclub air, and give your hair a thorough shampoo.
“The best way to freshen hair is by giving it a good wash to remove sebum and odour,” advises skincare expert Fiona Tuck.
“Apply conditioner to the ends only to counteract lank, limp hair.
“No time to wash your hair? A quick spray with dry shampoo is your next best option.”
- Dial it back: How alcohol harms your immune system
Written by Paul Ewart
