City Style: Bender Menders
Holiday merrymaking leave you puffy, dull, and flaky? Ten ambitious new recovery products for men and women offer near-instant relief for hung-over skin.
For the past 40-plus days, you’ve skimped on sleep, chowed down on irresistibly tasty hors d’oeuvres, and ever so politely accepted every holiday cocktail that’s come your way. You’ve gone to bed without washing up more times than you’d care to count. And now your skin is paying for it. To the rescue: therapeutic recovery products for men and women that aim to help repair the damage done by seasonal hedonism—no matter how bad you’ve been.
1. Kiehl’s Cryste Marine Lifting and Firming Cream Made with natural botanicals from the Mediterranean Sea, the appeal of this unscented gel is an intense tightening action that could make you rethink Botox. $45 for 1.7 fl. oz., Kiehl’s. ***
2. Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Carrying a faint eau de lab odor, this heavy-duty cream offers almost immediate relief for partied-out skin, but leaves a gummy feel the morning after. $85 for 1.7 fl. oz., Grettacole. ***
3. Murad Recovery Treatment Gel This sweet-scented potion fades redness and goes on tremendously light, making it a decent recovery aid for oily skin but not so much for drier kinds. $48 for 1.7 fl. oz., Kosmetika. *
4. Clinique Turnaround Concentrate For stressed skin of any age or gender, the “cocktail of exfoliants” brightens a dull complexion without greasiness, leaving everything feeling distinctly softer. $36.50 for 1 fl. oz., Bloomingdale’s. **
5. Elemis S.O.S. Emergency Cream The lavender scent and serious hydrating power are worth the sticky buildup this cream can leave behind. $52 for 1.7 fl. oz., Elemis Spa at Mohegan Sun. ***
6. Borba Fiber-Knit Night Repair Emulsion Formulated from fresh-smelling plant extracts and green tea, this quick-absorbing gel promises dewy skin and a wide-eyed a.m. look. $35 for 3.4 fl. oz., Sephora. **
7. Darphin Aromatic Purifying Balm Geranium, St. John’s wort, and other soothing-sounding ingredients even out skin tone and help boost vitality. $75 for .5 fl. oz., Neiman Marcus. *
8. Cosmedicine Private Nurse Like an instant mini facial, this miracle worker absorbs quickly as it doctors up dark circles and critically dry skin. $75 for 1 fl. oz., Sephora. ff
9. Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains Mixing the sandlike granules with water or cleanser may seem tedious, but makes for smooth results: not a single dry patch. $40 for .99 oz., Saks Fifth Avenue. *
10. Anthony Logistics for Men Continuous Moisture Eye Cream Ingredients like jojoba oil and carrot root downplay under-eye droop—and smell like artificial banana flavoring with a hint of…putty? $32 for .75 fl. oz., Bath & Body Works. *
Key: For use after a night of…
* nonalcoholic beer
** champagne cocktails
*** tequila shots