The One Thing To Do To Not Look Hungover

There's this saying in Manhattan that you're not a true New Yorker until you stay in on Friday but are perfectly down to party your hardest on a Monday. Whether you live in this crazy city or not, following the one thing to do in the morning if you are hungover means you can at least look like you didn't stay out until 4 a.m. on a work night! Sadly though, I can't fix how dead you feel inside.

The key to not looking hungover after a very, very long night is focusing on de-puffing your eyes. According to BuddyMD, your eyes get puffy during hangover because, after your blood alcohol levels peak, the body makes up for dehydration by retaining as much fluid as possible and causing eye puffiness (called edema). So, weirdly, puffy eyes are actually a good sign your body is recalibrating.

My first "oh my God I'm going to die" hangover was actually the day before college graduation. Classy, right? My friends kept buying me shots of tequila to celebrate turning in my final paper, and I definitely had one too many. Beyond the wise advice of an ex-boyfriend to chug water, the three essential strategies below to de-puff eyes saved my butt (err, face) in time for walking across the stage. If I could survive, so can you!

1. Green Tea Bags

Place a steeped and cool green tea bag over each eye. The antioxidants and caffeine along with the coolness will help reduce the puffiness quickly.

2. Instant De-Puffing Roll On Gel

(De-Puffing Gel, $16, Sephora)

This gel saved me on graduation day! It features Cyathea Cumingii Extract which "provides an instant smoothing effect and forms an elastic film on the skin's surface to improve cutaneous relief."

3. "Frozen" Spoons

Byrdie recommends leaving two spoons in the freezer for those hangover mornings. Rinse them under cool water and then place directly on your eyelids for a few minutes, and you should notice less puffiness.

Image Credit: Andres Rodriguez, Andrew Gustar/Flickr; Courtesy of Brand