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...
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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?
Main image credit: @yzellebeauty
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92 Member Comments
I don't drink a lot, undereye concealer and a bit of blush is all I need.
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I don’t drink alcohol so this isn’t an issue for me.
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Makeup makes you look better, but the stomach just needs time
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Water helps the most I think. I don't think I've actually ever had a proper hangover in my life. I don't really drink much TBH.
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plenty of water to keep hydrated!
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I don't know why but no matter how much I drink I have never experienced hangover in my life. But I do feel better in the morning if I remembered to drink a lot of water before I fall asleep.
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Drinking water is always recommended. In the days when I did go out and indulge to excess at times, I found that having a large glass of soda water seemed to do the best trick for me. I didn't end up with the side effects of a hangover or worse when I did that but if I forgot the soda water then I did suffer. I still have a soda water as my last drink these days if I have had a generous consumption of alcohol and it still works.
The other suggestions are all cover ups and can only work if we see clearly enough.
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Great article, drinking water is always a good thing drunk hung over or not x
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Water, sleep and coffee
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Luckily I've never had a hangover because I don't drink so I don't need these tips.
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Easy fix. Don't drink. Works for me.
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I thankfully don't have this issue.
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Thanks; a great read and keeping hydrated is so important.
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I rarely suffer hangovers: I think it's because drinking alcohol makes me so thirsty, I HAVE TO have a large glass of water after every alcoholic drink. I also skol a few glasses of water before going to bed.
If I wake up feeling below par, my tip is navy eyeliner. It makes my scleras look their whitest.
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I swear I never had a single hangover and then I turned 30 and now I get one from just LOOKING at the wine bottle in the fridge. Unfair!
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Illuminating primer is a must have! Also cold aloe vera to calm the redness I usually have after a big night out.
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This list is important
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Don't drink so not an issue for me.
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As someone who is totally allergic to alcohol I don't have this problem.
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Great article full of handy tips that can relieve a hard night out either from drinking or even for those who suffer from insomnia might find these tips helpful.
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I'm glad this doesn't effect me but it's a handy article to read if it's an issue. For lack of sleep I just feel forced to take it easier the next day and maybe wear no make-up at all but I'd definitely wash my face and maybe have a mask to pep it up a bit too.
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Luckily I don't go out and do this so not relevant but good tips for those who need it!
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The days of drinking are done for me too. But with the great products mentioned it's a great excuse for a pamper.
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If I did not have enough hours of sleep, no worries. My body is great at managing it all. As it is always fueled optimally and hydrated optimally. And never damaged with substances that are not being kind to the machine.
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