How To ‘Get Unready’ After A Long Night Out

There’s no better feeling than coming home, taking off your bra, and going through your nighttime routine after a night out, whether you went to a low-key birthday dinner where you had one too many glasses of wine, or did shots at a karaoke-fueled bachelorette party. And the internet agrees: Recently, ‘get unready with me’ videos have been trending — a delightful switch-up after years of overproduced #grwm content. It’s almost therapeutic watching your favorite creator wash off their makeup and walk you through their skin care steps, recapping whatever event you watched them get ready for a few hours prior — a parasocial relationship if there ever was one.

Because getting unready has proven to be just as much fun as picking out an outfit and corresponding hair and makeup, TZR, has cultivated the ultimate beauty editor-approved ‘get unready with me’ routine. Find out how to unwind after the night’s festivities and the products to use in order to prevent hangover-related skin care woes. Keep reading for tried-and-true hacks and tips so you wake up bright-eyed and highly moisturized.

Shower Time

First things first, you need to get in the shower to give your body a good rinse. I’m a founding member of the “no outside clothes on the bed” camp, and as a result, I will never get into bed without a shower. Everyone’s routine is different, but personally, I only wash my hair a few times a week, so I need an extra-large shower cap like this one or one that’s satin lined to make sure my hair doesn’t get wet or flat.

While a luxurious body wash like Byredo’s Mojave Ghost Body Wash will turn your end-of-the-night shower into a self-care moment, a hydrating drugstore classic like Dove’s Deep Moisture gets the job done without stripping your skin. If I’m still wired from my night out, I like to use a Sleepy Shower Bomb from Lush. It contains lavender and tonka fragrance to lull the mind to bed.

I also like to use a gentle body exfoliator like Versed Buff It Out, which contains lactic acid, glycolic acid, pumice, and pomegranate enzymes to brighten and smooth the skin. From there, I use a ReFa roller on my body for a bit of lymphatic drainage, which is especially helpful to detox the body after a long night out. Once my body is grime-free (the New York streets are capital D dirty), I like to throw on a comfy robe like this one from Brooklinen to continue the rest of my routine.

Slather On Body Moisturizer

As I’m sure you’ve heard many times, it’s super important to lather on moisturizer right after the shower when your skin is damp. During the summer, I stick to something lightweight like Abi Ame’s Summer Skin, but during the winter, I use something more intense, like La Roche-Posay’s Intense Repair Cream or something even stronger, like Osea’s Body Balm, to lock in hydration. If your skin can handle it, you can also use a body lotion with retinol, like Nécessaire’s The Body Retinol to improve texture and boost firmness — just make sure to apply sunscreen all over your body the next day. Like using vitamin A on your face, it does make the skin below your neck more prone to sunburns, too.

Wash Your Face & Wash It Again

I know what you might be thinking: A 10-step unready routine when you’re stumbling into your apartment doesn’t sound feasible. If you can only manage one step from this list, arguably, the most crucial one is ensuring you wash your makeup off and apply some skin care — especially if you’ve been drinking. According to celebrity makeup artist Lisa Aharon, alcohol causes dehydration and can leave your skin looking dull and dry. If you suffer from a skin condition like rosacea, you might also notice increased redness or even a rash. “I’ll never skip washing my face, and at the very least, I’ll apply a hydrating serum,” says Aharon, whose current routine includes Susanne Kaufmann’s Purifying Cleansing Gel for a squeaky clean feel without dryness, Furtuna Skin Cleansing Oil Balm for dewy skin even after cleansing, and Doré Micellar Water, which is especially great for lazy nights. Additionally, she emphasizes, “Supporting your skin with a hydrating skin care routine and a moisture-infusing mask can help boost your complexion.”

During the winter months, you may need extra moisture, which is why a good makeup cleansing balm like Dezi Skins Skin So Balm, paired with a slugging routine like Futurewise’s slugging system, is a good idea.

And of course, you can’t forget your décolleté. Make sure to drag the product down your chest. If you have a big event in the morning, you could even lounge around with a good neck mask, like Knesko Skin Diamond Radiance.

Use A Brow Shampoo

If you used a brow powder, gel, or pomade, you may need to work overtime to get the gunk out. While face cleansers are typically safe to use on the brows, there are products specifically formulated to get the job done. This brow shampoo from celebrity brow specialist and licensed esthetician Sania Vucetaj is a good intro into the category — it’s infused with biotin to lift residue and makeup, along with controlling oil and flakiness.

Don’t Forget About Oral Care

At the end of a long night, oral care may not be the first thing you think of, especially if you’ve had one too many drinks, but it’s incredibly important to tongue scrape, brush your teeth, and floss. “Maintaining a daily oral care routine is the essence of a healthy smile. Brushing, flossing, and tongue scraping not only combat plaque and bad breath but also prevent gum disease and cavities,” says Dr. Chloe Tsang, a board-certified dentist at Tend in New York City.

If you’re looking to upgrade the experience, a luxurious toothpaste like Marvis Jasmin Mint can really turn it into a nightly treat, as well as an easy-to-use flavored floss like Cocofloss.

Overnight Treatments

Right before bedtime, I like to apply an overnight lip balm like Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask, followed by a thick hand cream with retinol, such as Soft Services Theraplush. Unfortunately, I’m not one of those people who avoid screen time two hours before bed, as much as I’d like to be. So applying this smoothing treatment is at the tail-end of my routine. Finally, I spray a bit of The Nue Co’s Magnesium Ease onto my wrists to calm myself down before passing out and (maybe) doing it all again the next night.