A 6-step beauty routine designed to beat your hangover

Don’t you hate it when you set out for a relaxed dinner with friends and end up crawling home at 3am after dancing on tables all night? We’ve all been there at least once...

And while those memorable (well, kinda) nights are all well and good when you have the whole next day to recover, if you have to get up and go, it’s a totally different story. That’s when you’ll need a  trusty beauty routine (and lots of Panadol) to get your through...

RELATED: 7 of the greatest cocktail-inspired colognes

RELATED: Is red wine the secret to amazing skin?

Save your eyes

The eyes are the windows to the soul, hence they're also a window into how brutally hungover you are. Dry, bloodshot peepers are a telltale sign that you’ve overdone it the night before. First, grab some eye drops to help lubricate and ease redness. Second, dab a hydrating, caffeinated eye cream around your eyes, and work it in with a couple of spoons from the fridge - or a jade roller if you have one on hand. The spoons will help depuff the eye area, helping you look more awake. 

bh loves: M.A.C Fast Response Eye Cream, Swisse Argan Anti-Aging Eye Cream, Palmer's Illuminating Brightening Eye Serum, Revlon Cooling Facial Roller, Nutrimetics Jade Therapy Roller

Calm your skin

A big night of drinking wreaks havoc on your complexion, even if you did remember to take your makeup off the night before. Just like how you wake up gasping for a glass of water, so does your skin. If you have time, pop on a sheet mask, but if you don’t, a hyaluronic acid serum will do you wonders followed by a rich moisturiser. If your skin is extra thirsty, mix a couple of drops of oil into your moisturiser too for an extra boost of hydration. 

bh loves: Kiss Aloe: Moisturizing Sheet Mask, Burt’s Bees Hydrating Sheet Mask, USANA Celavive® Hydrating + Lifting Sheet Mask, Alpha-H Hyaluronic 8, La Mav® Hyaluronic Acid Hydra-Max Serum, BIODERMA Hydrabio Serum, Weleda Skin Food

Illuminating primer and foundation

Every girl's hangover motto should be ‘fake it till you make it’. While you might be dying on the inside, an illuminating primer and foundation duo will not only help you look alive but (almost) like last night never happened. Look for primers that have hydrating properties to make sure your foundation can last the distance. A good coverage, illuminating foundation will even out any dullness and redness in your complexion, covering all your sins from the night before. 

bh loves: Estée Lauder Illuminating Perfecting Primer, LUMA Liquid Light Illuminating Primer, Natio Ageless Illuminating Primer, Lancôme Prep & Hydrate Illuminating Make-Up Primer, DB Cosmetics Luminous Hydrating Foundation, Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Le Teint, IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream

Full-coverage concealer

If ever there was a time to break out your best concealer, this is it. Go for something long-wearing and high coverage enough to totally cover your dark circles. A colour one shade lighter than your foundation will brighten the under eyes and help fake a full night's rest. 

bh loves: Revlon PhotoReady™ Concealer, Nude by Nature Flawless Concealer, M·A·C Pro Longwear Concealer, Clarins Instant Concealer

Stay hydrated

This is an obvious one, but the worst parts of your hangover (fatigue, dizziness, headaches) are all spurred by dehydration. Plain old water does a good job of rehydrating, but a product like Hydrodol will also help ease hangover symptoms by compensating for the changes in your body’s carbohydrates, amino acids and acid-base buffers. 

bh loves: Hydrodol After, Hydrodol

Keep your skin fresh

A hydrating face mist is going to be your deskside BFF after a big one. You’ll find your skin will start looking dry throughout the day, so be sure to give your face a generous spritz regularly to keep you looking fresh and dewy (instead of how you actually feel: death and spewy). 

bh loves: The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Face Mist, Natio Rosewater Hydration Rosewater Drench Mineral Face Mist, Garnier Skin Active Hydra Bomb Protect Face Mist, endota spa Organics - Hydrate Me Mist, Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist

What do you do you fake a good night's sleep?