Gents, the big days are here and with that comes a full social calendar, plenty of groove, late nights, no sleep, vosho marathons on the dance floor, and one too many drinks.

The festive season is bound to be a crazy time, but we’re trying not to walk into the New Year with skin that is all partied out.

You’ve worked hard to keep your grooming on lock all year, so get ready to switch things up with grooming that will fit into your bumper-to-bumper schedule and allow you to hop from party to party without sacrificing your skin’s health. 

Blitz recovery

You’ve just partied the night away, the sounds of amapiano are still ringing in your ears and by midday tomorrow you’re back at it. You barely have time to eat and get all your hangover remedies in, so you’re going to need a skin-revival plan that’s quick and will have you looking refreshed in a pinch.

1. Dunk your face in some ice-cold water after cleansing to awaken the skin, reduce puffiness, and get blood circulating.
2. Pat the skin dry after cleansing and douse your face with a super-hydrating, soothing face mist and allow it to absorb into the skin. When you’ve done a few shots too many your skin is bound to feel dehydrated, as alcohol is a diuretic. Just as you need to up your water intake to hydrate your body after a night out, your skin recovery should always start with a boost in hydration.
3. Wake up and shake up the skin with a face wash or moisturiser containing energising ingredients such as caffeine or ginseng to help increase blood circulation.
4. Combat any redness or uneven skin tone by applying at blurring tinted moisturiser, followed by an SPF, or go straight in with a moisturising tinted SPF.
5. Concealer is a lifesaver during the festive season. Not only does it hide a multitude of sins but it also helps to brighten up the complexion. Go for a skin-matched concealer and blend into the under-eye area or apply to any blemishes. In extreme cases, use a colour-correcting concealer with a peachy undertone to neutralise the appearance of dark circles.

Heavy-duty recovery 

We get it, you’ve just been on a party bender, your body and skin are feeling rather broken, your head is pounding, and the last thing you want to do is an extensive skincare routine. But it will help you feel human again. If you have one or two party-free days, try going for an intensive skin recovery. This doesn’t always have to be time-consuming, so groom smart, not long, with skincare that will do all the recovery heavy lifting for you.

1. Start off with a gentle cleanser that will help soothe sensitive or stressed-out skin and remove any dirt, excessive oils, and pollutants.
2. Trust a face mask to bring skin back to life without even trying. These have high concentrations of active ingredients and are the best way to address issues such as skin dullness, sensitivity, dehydration or oiliness. Go for a sheet mask that can be applied to the face and left on while you do other things. Look for ones with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, salicylic acid, cica, tea tree, aloe, or vitamin E.
3. Replenish. A busy lifestyle and alcohol consumption can lower the skin’s antioxidant defences, making it more vulnerable. Slather on a vitamin C serum or barrier repair lotion to bring the skin’s defences up and brighten it.
4. Keep an antioxidant-rich hybrid facial mist on hand that has either an added serum or a toner benefit that can be spritzed on to refresh the skin.
5. Between late nights, no sleep, and environmental exposure, your skin is feeling rather stressed. Look for moisturisers with soothing, calming properties and ingredients such as CBD that will help to balance out the overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol and reduce visible signs of ageing, dehydration, redness, and inflammation.
6. Want some heavy-duty recovery? Swop out your moisturiser for a rich, hydrating, overnight leave-on mask that will deeply nourish the skin while you sleep. Come morning, you and your skin will be ready to hit the streets again.