A lot of journalistic effort has been expended writing about hangover cures over the years. But in my (fairly extensive) experience all the bloody marys, freezing showers and bacon Frazzles in the world can't stop your skin looking like it's travelled through time for a century-spanning knees up with Lord Byron, Ernest Hemingway and Kieth Richards then hit the present-day hay smeared in grey cement mix.
Do you know what can though? Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask.
Not only does using a face mask - any face mask, really - give you an instant psychological freshen up ('look at me, taking such good care of myself!') But thanks to a cocktail of skincare acids and soothing ingredients this particular mask can turn even the most dull, sad and depleted complexion around in minutes. It feels minty and cooling, which is just the thing for a poor groggy soul and is an almost comically bright blue colour, which somehow helps too.
It's no wonder Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Mask, £30, Boots, has the rare ability to overrule morning after skin. The formulation reads like the beauty equivalent of those Hollywood franchises that jam all the superheroes from various films together for one (or twelve) explosive action-packed adventures. It includes pore-clearing salicylic acid, exfoliating lactic acid and purifying kaolin clay then tempers all of that pow! pow! pow! active ingredient action with calming, hydrating things like avocado oil and alpine willowherb.
The mask takes just 15 minutes to do its thing, all the while tingling away pleasantly. Rinse with warm water and a flannel for bright eyed and bushy tailed complexion that speaks of chamomile tea and 9pm bedtimes. Due to that Smurf-like hue it will make a tiny, temporary mess of your sink and face cloth. Personally I would slather it on shortly after waking up, drink the first of many strong black coffees in front of Sunday Brunch then rinse in the shower so the mess dribbles away down the plughole without much elbow grease on your part.
Follow with a bacon sarnie (brown sauce, not ketchup please) and you'll be ready to face the day.
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