Women2Day - Beauty: Morning after magic

Dec 7 2009 By Chester Chronicle

Avoid the morning-after-the-night-before look with beauty cheats.

'Tis the season to be tipsy. Even the most self-confessed hermits and homebodies put on their glad rags and party hats for festive shindigs.

But a whirlwind of social gatherings equals a series of late nights, groggy mornings, and skin nightmares.

You can't magic away a sore head in seconds but you can disguise a blotchy face and hide Santa sack-style eye bags with hangover beauty heroes.

Party animals prepare for morning-after-the-night-before transformations.

- Problem: Too tired/drunk to cleanse

There's nothing like rolling into your duvet after a heavy night - but if you wake up facing a pillow plastered with mascara, glitter and lippy your skin will suffer.

"Not cleansing your face can leave your skin looking dull and lifeless," warns Beverley England, Darphin VIP therapist and beauty expert.

Solution: Make-up wipes

When you're too tired to juggle bottles of cleaner, toner and moisturiser keep a pack of speedy make-up remover wipes by the sink. Cleanse again thoroughly in the morning to remove any traces you missed with a tipsy hand.

Try: Olay Regenerist Precision Cleansing Cloths, £7.50 (Boots); or Boots No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes, £6.50.

- Problem: Tell-tale eyes

Eye bag alert! When the alarm clock sounds and it feels as though you've fallen far short of 40 winks, your eyes will be a sleep-deprived giveaway.

"In Chinese medicine dark circles and bags under the eyes are an indication that there is stress on the kidneys, which makes sense after lots of parties and late nights," says Sally Penford of the International Dermal Institute.

Solution: Brightening eye cream

Restore tired peepers to a sparkling state with an optical light diffusing under-eye cream that reduces puffiness and disguises dark circles.

Try: Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream, £20 ( www.origins.co.uk ); or Dr Nick Lowe Dark Circles Correcting Cream, £14.99 ( www.boots.com ).

- Problem: Bed head hair

Woken up looking like you've been electrocuted or hair greasier than last night's takeaway? Hair can look extra unruly after a session on the dancefloor.

"If you've been drinking there's a strong chance that you'll sweat more in the night, which will mean your hair gets damp and dries naturally in a pillow squashed state," explains hairdresser Richard Ward.

Solution: Blow-dry rescue

If you've overslept, tackle bed-head locks by blow-drying your hair when it's dry. The styling products from the night before will re-activate and hold the style. Spritz with a hair fragrance or dry shampoo to freshen up.

Try: Tigi Biggie After Party, £14.15 ( www.tigihaircare.com ); or Andrew Barton S.O.S Last Another Day Dry Shampoo, £3.89 (ASDA).

- Problem: Dehydrated skin

If your body's feeling shattered from the karaoke singing and Diversity-esque break dancing, your skin will also be feeling it.

"Alcohol can cause your skin to be dehydrated, leaving it in desperate need for replenishment," says Melanie Knock, Best Western spa manager. "Avoid heavy matte finish make-up and use a tinted moisturiser to give your skin a chance to breathe."

Solution: Night recovery mask

Super-charge your skin with a thin layer of hydrating mask overnight to give your skin a blast of much-needed vitamins.

Try: Dermalogica Age Smart Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque, £28.30 (0800 591818); or Darphin Youthful Radiance Camellia Mask, £40 (0870 034 2566/ www.darphin.co.uk ).

- Problem: Break outs

A party season overindulging in food and alcohol and under-indulging in kip is more likely to lead to spots than anything else, especially if you've been slack on make-up removal.

"Try not to smother your whole face in make-up, it can clog up the pores" advises Alice Hart-Davies, author of Be Beautiful. "See if you can get by using a medicated blemish-cover stick.

Solution: Anti-blemish concealer stick

A medicated concealer will reduce inflammation and help clear spots. Choose a tinted variety to help hide the dreaded face invader.

Try: Dr Brandt Blemishes No More Spot Blotter & Concealer, £21 ( www.spacenk.co.uk ); or Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Concealer, £11.50 ( www.clinique.co.uk ).

- Problem: Party re-run

Party marathons are all too common during the festive season. If you're having trouble recovering from party one, cheat for party two and still look photo perfect.

"Avoid a harsh flash because this brings out the wrinkles and dark shadows," advises celebrity photographer Ian West. "Taking pictures from below is a definite no-no as it can result in dreaded double chins."

Solution: Magic camera

Hide dark circles and illuminate tired eyes with every poser's best kept beauty secret, the Casio EX-S12 camera, which features 'make-up mode' that gives you a flawless look every time the flash goes off.

Try: Casio Exilim EX-S12 camera, £200 (nationwide); or Boots Kodak Facial Retouching Service, from 99p (Boots nationwide).