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13 best hangover skincare products to feel fresh faced the morning after
Suffering with puffy eyes and a serious headache? Save the day with these serums, masks and facials
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Yuletide hangovers come in a variety of guises. The typical too many sherries at Christmas, an eyes too big than a belly scenario or just plain losing your mind as you schlep down the high street in a rage fuelled stupor.
Encountering just one of these is seemingly unavoidable while a hat trick is pretty likely. Needless to say, the effects of one too many boozy bonanzas or fighting over a frock at your favourite department store can leave you looking and feeling like you’ve been put through a festive mangle.
While you might be searching through your traditional first aid cabinet to sort out your head out, think of this roundup as your personal nurse trained in face resuscitation.
Vitamin packed, supercharged hydrators and doubly detoxifying masks will bring lacklustre skin out of a champagne haze so you can do it all over again.
Snogged your co-worker after too many daiquiris? Then read on.
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LBB Skin A-game: £45, LBB Skin
It’s almost as if founder Nnenna Onuba made this for us to write about. After losing her mind as an investment banker attempting to find effective products on the go, she developed LBB. This versatile, travel friendly stick is brimming with joyous skin treats such as hyaluronic acid, chia seed oil and ceramides; all working to soothe, hydrate and keep the skin supple.
We loved how easy this is. The presence of the oils allows the cocktail to melt into the skin upon impact, helping your face feel instantly revived. Particularly good as a handbag weapon this time of year, whip it out when you feel like you need some extra healing.
It’s easy, small and mighty with a rich moringa and marula seed base. The brands “take off touch down” wipes might be the perfect sister to come to your rescue, if you can’t even make it to the bathroom to wash off your antics from the night before.
Milk Make-Up cooling water: £15.37, Cult Beauty
Milk Makeup’s cooling water is the ultimate thirst quench for those seeking a post-party pick-me-up with its fuss free, innovative application. The blue balm is housed in a chubby chap stick cylinder and swipes across the face, imparting a cooling, lightweight formula that sinks in nicely while feeling refreshing and supremely comforting.
Aloe vera soothes the antics of the night before while caffeine works on de-puffing and tightening. Overall the face looks much calmer and noticeably perky after a few minutes. It’s especially good under the eyes which is exactly what we need. A small but formidable option for busy beauty lovers seeking the ultimate reset button.
Skinceuticals C E ferulic: £135, Skinceuticals
Skinceuticals C E ferulic has been published in many scientific journals for its sleek and sophisticated formula. It’s the brand’s best-seller and contains 15 per cent L ascorbic acid, touted at the top banana of Vitamin C. When used daily this works on brightening the skin, as well as protecting it against the environment.
The inclusion of ferulic acid here works on photodamage and is proven to firm the skin over time. Glycerin and hyaluronic acids ensure an added layer of moisture and act as a buffer for the active ingredients. Three to six drops is all you need. While the formula is stable we would recommend storing this in the fridge to ensure it stays as potent as possible.
You know when people douse you in orange juice when you’re feeling run down? This is the equivalent of that being hosed quite masterfully all over your mug.
Omorovicza deep cleansing mask: £68, Space NK
This mask is a concoction of mineral infused muds from Hungary’s lake Héviz mixed with healing thermal water, binding the ingredients together. It feels sumptuously rich, spreading across the face with ease. After the dry down you will want to wash this off with lukewarm water, or towel off for more of a pamper.
Clay masks can often feel quite stripping but the inclusion of glycerin and rose leaves the face feeling perfectly balanced and comfortably taut. Vitamin E works as a skin healer and rounds off this formula nicely. The perfect purifying potion for skincare enthusiasts who need a bit of tough love.
FaceGym signature electrical facial: £85, FaceGym
Although it may appear to be novelty marketing at first glance; we ate copious amounts of humble pie after a visit to FaceGym.
The signature workout begins with some light stretches and a few rolls of the firm yoga ball over the face, leading into a tailored aerobic oils warm up. From here, your trainer gives you a bit of light and enjoyable pummelling, finishing with a session with the magic FaceGym pro electrical wand that sends nano-currents through the skin, for toning and lifting.
Our scepticism was at full tilt by the point, but when half the face was suitably exercised, we were shown the difference. One side had checked out like a let down balloon while the other was taut and perky. It’s an awesome choice if drinks in your diary are on the daily and you want your face to hide the invites. We’d also recommend the “party face” treatment for the whole hog. They hook you up to an IV and fill you with high dosage, hydrating and energising formulas, as well as all the aforementioned.
It’s a quick fix and results are temporary but just like the real gym, the more you go, the longer lasting the results. So if your tummy is a bit wobbly and going to the proper gym is in David and Goliath territory, you might see us in the chair next to you at one of the FaceGym sites across the country.
Goop glow morning skin superpowder: £11, Cult Beauty
If you’re anything like us, there’s always a tube of effervescent vitamin C tablets in the bottom of our bag this time of year. There’s something satisfying about it bubbling away at our desk while simultaneously yelling “how is it only 10am still?!” Think of that fizzing gem on steroids and you have Goop Glow.
Not only is this a vitamin C dream but also has vitamin E and CoQ10 for anti-oxidant benefit and some anti-pollution fighting from the inside out. While not directly marketed at hangovers, I’m sure Gwenyth wouldn’t mind us giving it a secondary shoutout for those in need when sunglasses need to be worn inside.
Kate Somerville exfolikate intensive exfoliating treatment: £21, Space NK
Nothing screams remedy than a product colloquially known as “the Hollywood two-minute facial”. Enter Exfolikate from coveted facialist Kate Somerville.
It’s a dual-action doozie with physical and enzymatic exfoliants. The lactic acid and papaya fruit dig deep to chisel off dead skin cells and wake up sleepy skin. Perfect for those who might be mobile yet not quite in the land of the living. Giving a lush and rejuvenated appearance to the skin, sloughing off all the muck, this is perfect if you like a more traditional exfoliator.
Following up with your favourite oils for mega moisture boosts in the cold weather might help trick onlookers into thinking you’ve had a Californian Christmas with the lady herself after all.
Too Faced good in bed hangover serum: £32, Cult Beauty
The clue is in the name here, this may have been whipped up from personal experience of a few too many tipples. This is a supercharged serum with vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid, algae extract and yoghurt probiotics which work in harmony to replenish and improve moisture levels. There’s also whiffs of coconut fruit juice to help things along the way.
It glides on wonderfully and absorbs quickly, perfect for layering and perking up tired faces from the night before. So if your definition of good in bed is lying down watching the telly, this may be the best partner to keep by the nightstand.
Norma Kamali glow colour enhancer: £43.50, Selfridges
Queen of the catsuit and the “sleeping bag coat”, age defying fashion designer Norma Kamali has recently unleashed herself upon the skincare market with a capsule collection of multi purpose beauty aids. We had the joy of testing her “glow” offering which promises a post-workout aesthetic with its sugar focused formula. The caramel seed cacao gives the gel a rich, tan colour but dissipates upon application so don’t be too alarmed when you squeeze your first bit out.
As the product wears and the sugars activate, the skin starts to reap the benefits. With a wallop of shea butter, it’s a great help for winter skin and the perfect antidote if you want a little warmth to the face without a full face of make-up. Equally, if you’re worse for wear in the morning, this is the perfect cheat.
Elemis superfood kefir-tea mist: £26, Elemis
Sometimes, hangovers reign supreme and you have to roll into a pile of clothes and straight out the door. Stuff like this Elemis mist could be your next best friend if this rings a bell. It smells like a spa, no question about it, featuring coconut water, aloe vera and kefir ferment extract to balance you out when you can’t stand straight.
It’s multi faceted so works as a toner, primer, setting mist or in this case just straight up skin elixir. We spritzed this throughout the day on a cold holiday and it helped us look less troll-like in the sub zero temperatures. Wake up, spray, repeat as much as you want.
Sand & Sky Australian emu apple dreamy glow drops: £44.90, Sand and Sky
Seems like all the letters of the alphabet have their own cult following these days. A-Beauty might not be the first one you think of, but Aussies are slowly invading British shores with a sunny take on your favourite beauty busters. Sand and Sky came onto the scene with its best-selling pink clay mask, tackling spots and quickly clearing skin. But these glow drops are a very different offering.
Level five hyaluronic acid alongside Australian berries with vitamin C gives you everything you need to perk up skin in a heartbeat. It also features almond and olive oil to moisturise, smooth and lock in all those other ingredients. It’s the perfect antidote to ropey mornings and with consistent use you’ll find skin more balanced and hydrated thanks to a decent formulation of all the good stuff. Say G’day rather than duvet day.
Dr Roebucks ningaloo firming serum: £55, Cult Beauty
We weren’t joking about the Aussie invasion. This is a clean-clinical hyaluronic but with the help of copper peptides to promote collagen for stronger skin. Just what you need post bender. It’s certified organic with over half of it being deliciously active so it works fast and feels lush. The Australian banksia flower also contributes by helping improve skin texture. Follow up with a failsafe moisturiser to put your copper pennies from the night before where your dry mouth is with this one.
Murad vitamin infusion oil: £55, John Lewis & Partners
Multi vitamin mayhem might be exactly what you need on Dr. Murad’s orders. Vitamins A-F are in a non-comedogenic formulation, which means it’s perfect for all skin types. It will boost hydration, balance and protect from free radicals. It’s like feeding and fortifying skin on a new level. Absorbing quickly and leaving skin with a suitably glistening finish, here’s the final flourish in your quest to feeling fresh against all odds. Dab a little face powder over the top to hide a multitude of sins.
The verdict: Hangover skin products
Get yourself in check with LBB on the bedside table. FaceGym is terrific fun with zuped up results on the hop, while industry behemoth Skinceuticals ferulic helps anyone come back from the other side.
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