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New Year, new you. Let’s face it: it’s time to sing “Auld Lang Syne” to the carefree days of a youthful, radiant complexion after a night of hitting the champagne bottle. You’re one year older and all the wiser. Dehydration by Dom Pérignon, Ruinart-inducing redness, and puffiness by way of Perrier-Jouët can be a bubbly buzz kill on January first, but no need to fret the 2024 fête! You can have your liquid “girl dinner” and maintain a sparkly complexion, too, as long as you don’t drop the ball on your hangover skin care routine.
Whether a tipple of Taittinger is enough to tire out your skin or you’re in dire need of a facial after indulging over the holidays, there are plenty of at-home solutions that will revive spent skin in record time. First things first, hydrate: Alcohol is a diuretic, and according to the American Academy of Dermatology, it can dehydrate our skin, leading to more noticeable fine lines, dullness, and even dark circles. Yes, you’ll want to sip water, but a hydrating face serum or sheet mask will speed up the process, replacing dullness with a dewy glow.
Is puffiness your main problem? No matter if Sauvignon Blanc or salty food is to blame, our editors have a few tricks for flushing it all out, most of which have to do with facial massage and icing the eyes — two things that you can do at home without a trip to Sephora. But brands like Clarins, Peter Thomas Roth, and Dr. Shereene Idriss’ PillowtalkDerm are making it well worth the detour: These brands have recently debuted at-home remedies with skin care ingredients that tighten, firm, and depuff, meaning you’re investing in a quick fix with long-term benefits for your skin.
While dehydration and puffiness are two of the most common hangover symptoms on the skin, others present themselves depending on your skin tone and existing conditions. For example, those with rosacea could notice more redness after a big night out. Even those without rosacea may experience flushing, due to the blood vessel-dilating effect alcohol has on our system.
Ready to hit reset on your skin? Wake up with a game plan to refresh your complexion with these editor tested-and-approved skin care products for hungover skin.
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Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask
No time for a cold plunge? Opt for Clarins’ TikTok-famous beauty product, the Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask. This salve feels icy when you apply it on dry skin, courtesy of its menthol. Enjoy 10 minutes of that refreshing sensation, then rinse it off — you’ll feel double the chill when you remove it. Our editors love the icy feel of this mask, but the real benefit is the radiant look it leaves in its wake, likely due to the inclusion of glycerin and evening primrose extract.
Price upon publish date of this article: $80
Pillowtalk Derm The Depuffer
If flushing is enemy number one after a night out, PillowtalkDerm’s The Depuffer is a roll-on serum that’s peerless for handling it. This calming face serum contains arnica and ash bark extract that help decrease puffiness, along with a potent dose of centella asiatica that minimizes redness. You can apply it under the eyes, on problem areas prone to redness, or all over.
Price upon publish date of this article: $79.99
Patchology Serve Chilled Rosé Hydrating Under Eye Patches
Dark circles and under eye dryness have you down? Slap on a pair of Patchology’s Rosé eye masks. These affordable patches are soaked in a serum with antioxidant-rich resveratrol to brighten, plus hyaluronic acid to help restore moisture. To amp up their depuffing power, keep them in the fridge so they feel cool on contact.
Price upon publish date of this article: $10
Peter Thomas Roth Instant FIRMx Eye Temporary Eye Tightener
One WWD Shop editor swears by Peter Thomas Roth’s FirmX Temporary Eye Tightener for its ability to make allergy-related puffiness in the eye area disappear in a matter of minutes. Suffice to say it does the same for those dealing with swelling of the alcohol-related variety. A proprietary blend of silicones and seaweed is responsible for fast firming and depuffing, while peptides promote healthier-looking skin in the long run.
Price upon publish date of this article: $10
Roselyn Boutique Cryotherapy Ice Roller
Ice rollers are a one-two punch for puffiness, and Roselyn Boutique’s is an editor-favorite option from Amazon: The roller is filled with beads that maintain their cool temp as you roll it on your forehead, cheeks, and neck. It’ll help with your headache, too.
Price upon publish date of this article: $72
Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream Plumping & Hydrating Moisturizer
A face cream won’t help your hangover, but this one will make your skin look like you were sipping tea rather than champagne. Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream is an editor favorite for its sensorial feel that floods skin with moisture, courtesy of emollient squalane and hydrating hyaluronic acid. Apply it liberally for instant radiance.
Price upon publish date of this article: $72
Sephora Collection Mini Blue Aventurine De-Puffing Facial Roller
Face rollers are a must-have facial tool in your hangover-recovery kit. This one is a winner for its small size, which makes it efficient for massaging around the contours of your eyes. Another benefit? It’s tiny size is travel-friendly — you’ll always have room in your makeup bag to bring it along.
Price upon publish date of this article: $7
Sarah Chapman Facialift Tool
Does your skin feel stagnant and swollen the morning after? Sarah Chapman’s Facialift tool gets the circulation going to flush out puffiness, release jaw tension, and subtly sculpt your cheeks and jawline. The tool has 48 massaging nubs that roll along your skin with medium-firm pressure, plus a flat disc on the opposite end you can use to tap around the eye area for light depuffing.
Price upon publish date of this article: $41.50
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Meet the Author
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over six years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She keeps her finger on the pulse of all things related to beauty and wellness, as well as the latest shopping trends and clothing brands.
