We’ve all heard it: “Just drink more water!” when you complain about a hangover. And sure, hydration helps—but if water alone were the magic cure, mornings after wouldn’t feel so brutal. The truth? Water fixes a few things, but the real culprit behind most hangover misery runs much deeper.

What Water Actually Helps With

Alcohol is a diuretic—it tells your kidneys to ditch water faster than usual. That’s why you spend more time in the bathroom on a night out. The result is mild dehydration, which shows up as:

• Dry mouth
• Thirst
• A bit of dizziness or lightheadedness

Chugging water can ease these symptoms, so it’s not bad advice. But if you think it’ll solve all your next-day woes? Not so fast.

What Water Can’t Fix

Studies show dehydration and hangovers often overlap, but they’re not the same thing. You can drink water all night and still wake up with:

• Red face & flushing (acetaldehyde overload, not dehydration)
• Headaches & nausea (inflammation + toxins, not just thirst)
• Poor sleep & fatigue (alcohol messes with your sleep cycles)
• Brain fog & anxiety (immune and neurological effects of alcohol)

In other words: water helps with the thirsty part of drinking, but it doesn’t touch the metabolic chaos going on inside.

The Real Villain: Acetaldehyde

When your body breaks down alcohol, it turns into acetaldehyde—a toxic, inflammatory by-product. If you can’t clear it fast enough, it lingers, triggering the redness, nausea, pounding head, and dreaded “never drinking again” spiral.

Water can’t flush acetaldehyde away. Your enzymes and antioxidants (like glutathione) do the heavy lifting here. And if those pathways are sluggish, symptoms hit harder.

So Where Does iBlush Fit In?

That’s where we come in. iBlush is designed to support your body’s natural detox systems—helping you clear acetaldehyde faster so you can bounce back smoother.

• Hydration helps thirst.
• iBlush helps the flush, the fog, and the fatigue.

Together, they’re a much smarter duo than water alone.

Smart Habits That Actually Work

• Eat before you drink: food slows alcohol absorption.
• Alternate water and alcohol: cuts dehydration in half.
• Take iBlush before or while drinking: supports your body where water can’t.
• Choose lighter drinks: fewer congeners = fewer headaches.
• Prioritise sleep: your best recovery tool after iBlush.

Hydration is important—it’ll soothe your dry mouth and maybe a touch of that headache. But the real hangover villains are acetaldehyde, inflammation, and poor sleep—and water alone won’t stop them.

That’s why iBlush exists: to handle the not-so-fun side of drinking so you can enjoy the fun side.

👉 Shop iBlush Alcohol Flush Remedies

P.S. We did the research so you don't have to: 

1. Sharma, R., et al. (2024). Physiological and Biochemical Mechanisms of Alcohol-Induced Dehydration and Its Contribution to Hangover Severity. Current Opinion in Physiology
2. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2023). Hangover Headache: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology.
3. Eriksson, C. J. P. (1982). The Role of Acetaldehyde in the Actions of Alcohol (Update 1982). Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
4. Cedars-Sinai. (2023). Alcohol Intolerance: What You Need to Know. Cedars-Sinai Health Blog.