Six Easy Hacks to Depuff, Sculpt and Refresh Skin

Words by Verity Clark



Luminous skin, twinkling eyes and glossy hair is the stuff of beauty folklore, but come winter, we often end up looking puffier and more rundown than plump and radiant. Happily, help is at hand. From in-store cryotherapy chambers and on-demand IV drips to skincare that makes light work of even the most pallid of complexions, helping your mind, body and face recover from the holiday season has never been easier. Read on for expert recovery tips to help you look your very best well into the New Year. 


Because what’s more hedonistic than staying healthy? Cheers! To good health, and even better skin.

Fake A Good Night’s Sleep

Remembering to take your make-up off after a night out is the first step in waking up with – at least – some semblance of a glow. The second? Serious skincare that goes heavy on hydration and rejuvenation. Thought night creams were just repackaged day creams? Think again. “The skin goes into repair mode when we sleep,” says dermatologist Dr Stefanie Williams, who notes that “during sleep, the rate of cell turnover increases, which accelerates cell absorption and improves the impact of ingredients such as retinoids, peptides and hyaluronic acid.” Good news then, that a slew of science backed lotions including La Mer The Rejuvenating Night Cream and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Overnight Treatment have entered the skincare space. Biohacking your beauty sleep has never been easier.

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Reduce Inflammation and Boost Circulation

A pro trick for bringing down redness and breathing life back into dull skin is to dunk faces into a bowl of icy water, yes really. Cryo tools – facial tools at cool temperatures – mimic the effect without any of the associated faff. Keep yours in the freezer and reach for them when skin is in need of an instant pick me up. Especially good on eyes, the cooling sensation of Biologique Recherche Cryo Sticks work to reduce inflammation and puffiness as well as decongest, tighten and sculpt. Need more? Book in for a full body cryo session in the 111Skin cryo chamber. Three minutes at sub-zero temperatures might feel like a lifetime but the results are worth it. Think calmer skin, a radiant glow and even a boost in energy levels.

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Depuff Tired Eyes

More prone to dryness and irritation than the rest of your face, the eye area really shows the effects of minimal sleep and swerving water.  Swollen, puffy eyes are an immediate giveaway that a late night has been enjoyed. The solution? Targeted eye creams loaded with caffeine can help to bring down signs of swelling and inflammation. Moisture is also key to rehydrate and plump, look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid to hydrate and vitamin C to help reduce the appearance of dark circles.

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Bring Skin Back To Life

If sallow, grey, lifeless complexions are a familiar sight in the mirror come December then it’s time to up the skincare ante. A 15-minute session under red LED light is thought to calm angry skin, repair damage and even promote collagen for a rejuvenated appearance. The Dr Dennis Gross Pro has a blue light setting too, great for helping treat blemishes. Next, reach for skincare that will make your skin sing. Try salicylic acid if you’ve woken up with a new spot or slather on vitamin C to brighten and even out skin tone. While L-ascorbic acid is the most potent form of the brightening ingredient, it can cause irritation if you’re prone to sensitivity. Our suggestion? Look for products that contain gentler counterparts such as sodium ascorbyl phosphate and ascorbyl glucoside that tend to be better tolerated by more skin types.

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Indulge in R&R

If party season has left your body feeling bereft of vitamins, minerals and well, any goodness at all then fear not, IV vitamin therapy is your one drip shop to feeling your best again. Reviv at The Wellness Clinic has a host of intravenous vitamin drips that deliver bespoke concoctions of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids directly into your bloodstream. The A-list swear by them for restoring nutrients and hydration as well as boosting energy and immunity levels. Plus, they can even help ward off winter illness. At-home, keeping skin hydrated is the expert approved way of maintaining a skincare glow throughout the winter months. Treat your skincare like your wardrobe and layer up with essences, serums, and rich moisturisers.

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Tone & Sculpt

Over done it on the festive feasting? Investing in the right gadgets could be the answer to coaxing your jawline out of hibernation. High tech doesn’t necessarily mean better; traditional facial tools such as gua sha and kansa wands are brilliant for encouraging lymphatic drainage and boosting circulation. Use for a few minutes each morning and enjoy reuniting with more prominent cheekbones. And remember the golden rule when it comes to choosing massage tools:The weightier the better. Yes, the heavier a material is, the more pressure gets applied and the more sculpting benefits you’ll reap. It’s skincare science.

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