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The morning after the night before - Instant hangover fix

It's party season, you had too much last night and you didn’t make it home. No judgments here, but what about that big meeting today? How can you make yourself look presentable -- without the benefit of a shower or a stunt double? No sweat! But even if there is, we’ve got you covered! Just follow these quick and easy acts of portable hygiene and you’ll be good to go … to work. Tip: Buy the products first, then hit the cleanest men’s room you can find to perform the necessary emergency surgery.

Sweep your cheeks. The first thing people will notice -- and the thing that will instantly make you feel tidier -- is a clean face. So get your filthy mug to the nearest pharmacy and toss some facial cleansing pads (such as desert essence’s Natural Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Pads, $8, which use herbal extracts to lift oil, dirt and other residue from your mug) in your basket. These babies are a great quick fix: Without the help of a fire hose, they leave you looking scrubbed and presentable.

Say “Bye” to the beard. A clean-shaven face can hide sartorial sins, so today -- and all days -- you can stay one up on the competition by keeping a portable shaver in your briefcase or desk drawer.

Freshen your breath. If you can find a sink, a travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste will be your best friend. But this is man vs. wildlife, so you may need a more portable and less sink-reliant solution, in which case you should try a travel-size bottle of mouthwash.

Pass the smell test. If you’re carrying a post-party odor, invest in a fresh deodorant and -- if necessary -- a nose-saving foot powder.

Coif control. If you don’t carry a pocket comb, spring for one and avoid looking like a night-crawlin’ Wookiee. And if a comb just ain’t gonna cut it, pick up a can of dry shampoo to keep your coif from being categorized as a national disaster area. It will soak up the oil and restore body so you don’t look (and smell) like Mickey Rourke.

Presto, change-o. Depending on how important it is for you to not look like you’re commuting from, rather than through, a bus station, you may want to store a shirt, socks and pair of tighty-whities in your desk for just such a potentially embarrassing occasion. At the very least, an impressive or bold-patterned tie can distract eyes away from yesterday’s stained and wrinkled shirt. But if you’re not Joe Prepared, the next best option is a can of Febreze’s To Go fabric freshener spray, which temporarily eliminates odors.

The Lesson? Be Prepared!
Hackneyed, but true. If you want to avoid having to track down all the self-sanitization supplies as you stumble into work, pick up an all-inclusive travel kit to keep in your desk drawer … and file it under “Career-saving Equipment.”

Suzanne Gerber is a writer whose work has appeared in InStyle, Elle, Redbook, Westport and Greenwich magazines. She’s also a former editorof Vegetarian Times and Pilates Style.