Let’s face it: hangovers are the WORST. The night before was so fun, but the next morning? Hateful. The pounding headache and the incredible nausea are bad enough, but what it does to your complexion is just really rude: dullness, dryness, sallow and sunken skin. You look like you feel, and it’s not cute.
That hungover appearance is a result of your body entering survival mode from all the toxins coursing through your system. “Basically, having a hangover is akin to having a bear chasing you when it comes to what happens to your body, particularly your skin,” explains Mona Gohara, M.D., a licensed dermatologist in Danbury, CT. “All that alcohol triggers your body’s stress response into “fight or flight” mode where all the functions that aren’t keeping you alive cease. Once your stress hormones are elevated, blood and hydration are routed to the heart, lungs and eyes, which results in water retention around certain organs — like the eyes — and the tell-tale signs of dehydration in the skin: dry, sullen, sunken skin, lack of color, rough texture and tone.” Also, it can cause acne in those prone to the condition. “Cortisol levels increase as the stress response happens, and cortisol levels drive acne. You’re also sleep deprived, and that also drives cortisol levels up. Both of these things can cause acne to flare up,” Gohara says.
Now that you’re aware of what causes that less-than-stellar appearance after a bender, let’s talk about how to put yourself back together. Gohara says the key words here are “cooling” and “hydrating” — you want to soothe that inflammatory response and replace your moisture loss ASAP. Whether you’ve got a day to recover or a short window of time before you have to be a person in the world again, here are the best beauty product hangover cures — including hair because you have to handle that, too.
[ Next: Beauty Rx: 5 Easy Ways to Hide Your Hangover]
This article originally appeared on TotalBeauty.com
These Products Help You Hold It Together With a Raging Hangover
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SMD Cosmetics
Cleansing Oil, $40 at SMD Cosmetics
The last thing you might feel like doing the next morning is washing your face. This powerful, unique blend of oils, based on ancient herbal ritual oils, is rich in minerals and antioxidants and can remove leftover makeup, dirt and grime while it calms your irritated skin and delivers much-needed hydration. Its soothing blend of safflower, apricot kernel, jojoba and sunflower oils are also gentle enough for inflammatory skin conditions like acne, redness and eczema.
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The Body Shop
Coco Calming Face Mist, $10 at The Body Shop
You might need a small attitude adjustment throughout the day with dry skin and a pounding headache, so keep this calming mist with you at all times to help soothe your sensitive skin. A combination of Brazilian coconut water and calming aloe vera will keep sensitivity at bay and will keep you looking refreshed and calm, even if all you want to do is go home.
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Peter Thomas Roth
Cucumber De-Tox Hydra-Gel Eye Patches, $48 at Sephora
Keep these hydrating eye patches handy: they contour to the delicate area around your eyes to undo the damage from the night before, deliver cooling, nourishing, brightening and depuffing action to reduce puffiness, dryness, and dark circles. They also take care of those little fine lines that are extra visible this morning.
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Differin
Daily Deep Cleanser, $10.39 at Target
If getting your swerve on last night left you with an acne outbreak, Gohara says products containing benzoyl peroxide are the way to calm the condition and keep future outbreaks at bay. This product cleanses while it gently heals acne outbreaks (more isn't better when it comes to acne ingredients, contrary to popular opinion), absorbs excess oil and unclogs pores.
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Sara Happ
The Dream Slip, $32 at Nordstrom
One of the most neglected areas of the skin is the lips. When a hangover occurs, it can wreak havoc on the area: chapping, peeling, tightness, cracking. Show your lips some love with this soothing chamomile balm packed with sweet almond oil and nourishing jojoba in a formula that sinks in immediately and nourishes quickly. It's a luxurious treat that works just as well as a night treatment as it does for a hangover emergency.
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Ole Henriksen
Cold Plunge Pore Mask, $36 at Sephora
Cooling is exactly what you need right now and this mask, inspired by the cold plunge aspect of the Scandinavian spas of the founder's homeland, is your saving grace. The pale turquoise clay cools the skin while a combination of antioxidant-rich botanicals works to detoxify pores and control oil. Add a little cool water and it emulsifies into a rich lather that rinses away the evidence of last night's festivities.
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Soap & Glory
Bright & Beautiful Party Recovery Radiance-Boosting Mask, $4 at Ulta
Sheet masks are your friend for a reason and this cost-effective super-hydrator helps refresh skin and restore lost radiance with a combination of vitamin C, white flower complex and rooibos tea extract. Pro tip: keep your sheet masks in the fridge to deliver a cooling effect in addition to restoring brilliance to a tired, lackluster complexion.
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Shiffa
Jade Facial Massage Rollers, $63 at Nordstrom
If you have a few minutes the morning after, using this cooling jade roller can help stimulate blood flow and lymphatic drainage to the face, both of which can reduce puffiness and help rush the toxins and fluid gathered through the body to help flush it out. Jade rolling also helps to contour your face, so that might not be a bad thing after a hard night on the town.
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H2O+
Waterbright Massaging Eye Roller, $28 at Ulta
The soothing rollerball tip of this product is a morning-after favorite in our book, delivering a soothing massage along with a cooling gel combination of caffeine and floral extracts that help reduce dark circles and puffiness along with luminizing pigments that instantly brighten what can be a very dark area in the harsh morning light.
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Stacked Skincare
Calming CBD Elixir, $120 at Stacked Skincare
If there was ever a time for a calming product, it's the morning you have a raging hangover. This luxurious elixir contains 99.6% CBD (cannabidiol, one of the world's most powerful antioxidants) along with lightweight rose hip and hempseed oils to reduce inflammation, support the skin's moisture barrier as well as much-needed healing from the ravaging effects of too much partying.
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Emma Hardie
Pump & Glow Hydrating Facial Mist, $55 at SkinStore
The day after partying is when you really need hyaluronic acid in your products, which binds much-needed hydration to dehydrated skin. This lightweight mist is packed with it along with soothing aloe vera and other softening and skin-loving ingredients to help rehydrate, reinvigorate and refresh tired, dry, irritated skin.
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Kenra
Deep Detox Scrub, $28 at Ulta
We can't forget that the scalp is part of the skin and even though it might remain unseen during the day, it too suffers from clogged pores from hair products, smoke and all the issues we've mentioned that affect the face. Use it the morning after or once a week to deliver a high concentration of activated charcoal that can remove product buildup from hair and scalp for an invigorating experience that can revive your hair like last night never happened.
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IGK
First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo, $27 at Sephora
If you don't have time for a shower, turn to this quick fix for a deep clean and detoxifying styling aid that helps erase oil while it soothes the scalp. The charcoal powder formula removes dirt and buildup while erasing last night's sweat for next day hair that looks like nothing happened.
