Emergency beauty tips to undo holiday damage

We’re in the home stretch of holiday cheer—which means that, by now, you may be looking more haggard mall Santa than ethereal Christmas angel. This will not do. So in the spirit of the season, we’ve muddled together a cocktail of DIY emergency beauty tips to help repair the damage from the inevitable overindulgence in eggnog, parties, and late nights. Consider it our Smart Beauty Guide gift to you. You’re welcome. Let’s begin.

Puffy, tired eyes are the holiday door prize that keeps on giving, clueing your boss, your colleagues, and your family onto your late night carousing. Since the delicate area under your eyes will be the first place you’ll notice swelling, dark circles, and redness, London’s Daily Express suggests countering the look by placing two tea bags soaked in warm water (or two chilled cucumber slices) over your poor peepers for a couple of minutes to help reduce any swelling. You might also try stroking an ice cube wrapped in plastic wrap over any puffy areas, or lightly tapping the skin around your eyes with your fingertips to help reduce any swelling.

Of course, you can always just put down the eggnog, remove your makeup, and get to bed at a decent hour.

*crickets

Um. Okay.

Since that’s not going to happen, seeking out eye creams and serums that contain ingredients like caffeine and licorice can help reduce swelling, with the later giving the added bonus of targeting dark circles as well. Doctors too, can offer a little professional relief in the form of fillers that, when placed under the eye, can counter the loss of volume that makes dark circles appear more pronounced. Your doctor will let you know if this is an option for you.

Now let’s get back to that eggnog… or red wine… or martini. It’s a sad truth that cocktails (read: alcohol) can do a number on your skin, making it look tired, dull, and dry. This is probably not the best accessory for your party dress.

The first order of business in staving off holiday dehydration is drinking water. A lot of it. The prescription is one glass of water for every cocktail imbibed to help counter the effects of tomorrow’s inevitable hangover. After that, drink even more water when you get home. Heck, leave a jug on your bedside table for midnight and early morning sips. You’ve done this to yourself—just do it.

The next order of business is exfoliation. A quick once over with an electronic face brush, a gentle exfoliating scrub, or even a damp washcloth can help remove that upper layer of dead skin cells and win back your skin’s instant glow. Follow up with a moisturizer and a light splash of cold water to brighten and tighten, and you should notice an immediate difference. Your dermatologist might also recommend a glycolic peel to help exfoliate a dull, lackluster complexion. Your doctor can help you decide what is best for you.

Dehydrated, tired, and dull is not the right way to approach this home stretch of holiday cheer. Take heart in our simple emergency beauty tips and undo the voodoo that you do so well. Remember: “‘Tis the season to be jolly,” dear readers, is a lyric. It is not a mantra.

And Happy Holidays!!!