As a child my role at parties was to periodically pass out glasses of water to adults who had overindulged, as an act of benevolence to one and all.
This is a maxim I’ve carried with me through life and especially during the festive season. It is of course a time for loosening the belt on routine slightly or altogether, for having that extra glass of wine or third slice of cake, for staying up late to indulge in merriment. But I do find things start to feel rather less joyous when glowing skin turns pallid, and your body starts to grumble.
I can’t promise these tips will enable you to embrace all the vice associated with Christmas with abandon and still look and feel great because, quite frankly, to have both is an impossible dream. They will, however, reduce the effects, ameliorate the pain, or at least cover up the worse side effects of excess. So eat, drink, be merry, sure — but do insert a glass of water into the proceedings, and perhaps stick to some of these tips, too.
Do your beauty prep
Having done prep that’ll last will make a difference to how much work you have to do to get back to your baseline self after nights out. My top stops to make sure that I look broadly presentable throughout? A lash lift to open up my eyes (I go to Teresa Smith, ilovelash.com), a fake tan so I look golden even if by rights I should be pasty (James Harknett does the best ones, jamesharknett.co.uk), a facial so my skin’s bouncy and clear (Pam at Mortar & Milk, mortarandmilklondon.com, is a genius of skin, but if I can’t nab an appointment I instead liberally coat my skin in her PHA Barrier Repair Serum, £85), and a pedicure at Margaret Dabbs. Of course, these may not be your particular things, but now is the time to make last-minute appointments if you’ve not already done so for whatever makes you feel the best version of yourself.
Prioritise sleep
You’ll be so bored of hearing we wellness folk going on about sleep I’m sure, but truly it is the absolute most important factor in feeling and looking good. Peskily, alcohol completely scuppers you in this department, so if you aren’t abstaining, you can do a few things to reduce its impact. Staying hydrated helps, and I find that if I add electrolytes to my water, usually those by Elete, £8.90 for a pocket bottle, eletewater.co.uk, that stops my head from swimming quite so much, and, bonus, I wake feeling less desiccated. Also helpful if trying to up the quality of sleep? Earplugs (I use Loop Dream, £44.95, loopearplugs.com) and an eye mask (I love heated ones by Spacemask, £18.50 for 5, spacemasks.com).
Let it glow
Pam’s marvellous PHA serum aside, I double down on skincare during December. Key players? QMS Medicosmetics cream cleanser, £50, lookfantastic.com, to remove make-up without stripping skin; Grace & Stella energising eye masks, £18, graceandstella.com, whenever my eyes look a little exhausted; CurrentBody Skin LED light therapy face mask: seriestwo, £399, currentbody.com, to make my skin look more lustrous with the added benefit that the light therapy is incredibly relaxing so usually prompts a helpful little snooze, and Ultra Violette’s Queen Screen SPF50+, £38, cultbeauty.co.uk, because you must still wear SPF through the depths of winter — and this one really does impart gloss without the appearance of grease.
Blush up
Whenever I talk to top make-up artists about what to do when looking exhausted, they always tell me that it is blush and not bronzer that most wakes up a tired face. It makes sense given that blood rushing into the face is the result of exertion and robust health, and those signals make people look well. If you’ve yet to try MERIT Cheek Colour Flush Balm, £32, meritbeauty.co.uk, do get your hands on some — it’s the perfect applicator and texture to meld into skin seamlessly and looks realistically like you’re blushing (I am partial to the Beverly Hills shade).
Trade secrets
If you want to look less tired, add a tiny dab of highlighter to your inner eye, rely heavily on mascara, and add a bright lip. It’s vital not to over-egg the pudding; more make-up doesn’t equal less shattered, with strategic bits of colour and sheen doing the leg work here.
Outside the box
Rudimentary, you may think. So obvious that it barely warrants a mention. But truly, little will make more of a difference when trying to shake off feeling lethargic or looking a bit rubbish than a good, long walk. I’ll be taking mine on Hampstead Heath, where getting lost in the various pockets makes me forget that my legs are tired and my nose numb. And, besides, there’s always The Holly Bush nearby to retire to for some Christmassy cheer once I’ve got in enough steps…
