OPINION: New Zealand's summer, better known as 'tiddly season', is nearly in full swing. The warmer weather means we're parking our winter wallowing and turning over a new, balmy leaf.
We're ready to dust off the cobwebs and do what we do best: overindulge in platters and embarrass ourselves at our annual staff Christmas party.
Summer is the watering hole of social events; you just can't seem to escape being dragged out past your bedtime. Perhaps it's the additional hour of sun in our day that flicks on an internalised "can do anything at all and won't feel anything at all the next morning" switch, which continuously deceives us.
I've rounded up a few top tips and tricks to help mask your hangover from last night's escapades.
Hydrate, honey.
You've successfully stripped your body of every last miniscule of hydration and replaced it with refined-sugar, vodka, cranberry and lime in a pretty pink can. Although it's been marketed to you as a tall, cool glass of summer, you now feel like a walking wasteland messaging your boss "looking for a park - five mins", when you're actually star-fished in bed with a towel turban. It's grim. I don't need to harp on about popping two Advil and guzzling four litres of water, however these solutions aren't instantaneous.
When your skin is dehydrated it looks pallid, fine lines appear more visible and your pores are puffy. I recommend masking in the morning, opting for a fast-acting hydrating mask that restores the moisture you drained. Local skincare brand Syrene has a suitable Aqua Hydrating Masque with seaweed extracts, which works to build up your skin's hydration barrier with humectant ingredients including glycerine and propylene glycol. Although Syrene's Masque is said to be an 'overnight gel', I find it works best when left on your skin throughout the day, for a fresh, dewy look.
Bananas and pickles.
We've all been victimised by McDonald's golden arches when we're feeling worse for wear; it's part and parcel. The problem with smashing down two Bacon & Egg McMuffins before 8AM is the food is low in sustenance and it's not replenishing key substances you have depleted. Next time opt for a banana for breakfast, bananas are rich in potassium which your body is craving after alcohol has blocked electrolyte holding hormones. Pickles are another great hangover food; pickles are pumped with sodium which your body needs after excessive drinking.
Assorted aromas.
There is nothing worse than waking up to your room smelling like the place you left in the early hours of the morning. Alcohol has a sticky odour and you need to get rid of it, quick stat. It's best to pair your hangover with a scent that is sturdy and long lasting. Aroma care is often forgotten in a last-minute dash for the door, so I recommend keeping pocket friendly fragrances at all main touchpoints in your life. Curionoir has a wide range of petite pocket friendly parfums, I love the citrussy Dark Bouquet Pocket Parfum, with enticing notes of orange flower, jasmine and cypress.
Sweat it out.
Apparently going for a 5KM run will sweat out the booze, I wouldn't know, I've never done it.
A drop in the ocean.
There is no other whistle blower quite like blood shot eyes. Give your pupils a well-deserved rinse and instil one to two drops to each eye every couple of hours. Weleda sell the perfect soothing homeopathic Euphrasia Eye Drops.
Nasty nausea.
Ginger is an ancient natural remedy that is extremely effective in treating nausea. There is a reason your parents gave you ginger ale when you had an upset stomach as a child. Boil a hot cup of T2 Ginger Loose Leaf tea when you're feeling like it all might come right back up.
Turn off your phone.
If you're worried about receiving a text message from your ex-flame along the lines of "you called me 26 times at 2AM?!?", turn off your phone immediately. Leave it off for at least 24 hours, it's the best cure for hangxiety and after a couple of days it'll all be blown over anyway.
Liam Sharma is a freelance writer and skincare enthusiast.
