We’ve always known that alcohol is bad for our bodies and still, it hasn’t stopped us from drinking the regular glass(or two) of wine every night. If anything, 2020 was a year of alcohol overconsumption and drinking your way through its drudgery was the highest form of self-care.

But again, like all things great, the effect of alcohol runs deeper than we think. Turns out, drinking glass after glass of booze is one of the worst things we can do for our skin. Today we take a look at how alcohol affects your skin and what you can do to lessen the impact. From choosing the right drinks off a menu to finding quick-fixing skincare, here’s how to enjoy a drink with relatively good skin!

What exactly does alcohol do to your skin?

Dehydration

We all know how parched our throats can feel after a night of extra tipples. A common side effect of drinking alcohol is the loss of moisture from our bodies and our skin. Not only does alcohol dehydrate our system, but it is also notorious for leaving behind dry, flaky skin with wrinkles and other signs of ageing looking far more obvious.

Acne

This may be down to all the cocktails you drink! With every cocktail you order comes a fair helping of sugar that starts to show up as acne after a few weekend indulgences. In fact, this is true even for white wine which can leave you with multiple breakouts and a duller complexion over all.

Inflammation

Feeling bloated after a night of heavy drinking? Alcohol has an inflammatory effect on the body as well as the face. A night of overindulgence can lead to the face becoming puffy and red.

Triggers or Increases Rosacea, Eczema

Alcohol depletes healthy bacteria from the gut causing an imbalance in the body’s microbiome. This microbiome controls our immune system and when that falls out of place, you can expect inflammatory skin issues such as eczema to flare up.

What can you do about it?

In an ideal world, we’d say giving up alcohol is the best way to not stress out your skin. However, when it’s just not possible to hold back, here are a few tricks that can help minimize the effect of alcohol on your skin:

Choose your drink

The ingredients and type of alcohol you have, play a huge role in how it affects your skin. Anything containing a lot of sugar should be avoided and that includes cocktails, drinks like Baileys, and white wine. In comparison, drink mixes that contain salt may seem safer at first, but they add to bloating and dehydration.

In most cases, the more ingredients in your drink, the harder your liver will fight to metabolize them. Try to stick with red wine as it contains a low carbohydrate content as well as antioxidants that are great for the skin. You can also choose clear spirits like vodka. Just keep in mind that your mixers shouldn’t be high on sugar!

Stop at 2

When you can’t skip the alcohol altogether, try and stick with just 2. Moderation is key when it comes to drinking. Some even suggest that binge drinking on the weekend does you more harm than the casual glass of wine every night, through the week!

Hydrate

As alcohol tends to deplete moisture from your skin and body, it is essential to pack in as much water between your drinks. Recovering from alcohol also needs as much hydration as possible, so don’t forget to tank up the morning after!

Clean your skin

Mascara left over after a night of bingeing? One of the most common sights after a night of drinking is makeup on the skin. No matter how drunk you are, make sure that any grime and makeup are removed effectively from the skin. And if you have the energy for it, a hydrating sleeping mask will help counter any loss in water overnight too!