Most of us are prepared to feel a little jaded on Boxing Day, after spending the past 48 hours in a port-fuelled fug. But it’s not just our heads that can take a bruising from boozing. A session on the sauce can wreak havoc on your skin - leaving it dry, dull and prone to breakouts. But why, and what can we do to modify the damage, bar vowing to never neck a magnum of prosecco again (until New Year’s Eve, at least)?
The main issue is that drinking too much alcohol dehydrates the body and that doesn’t just leave us with a banging headache and a sickening feeling all over, but also makes our skin feel like sawdust. After a few glasses of wine, you inevitably ‘break the seal’ and spend the next few hours running to and from the loo. That’s because alcohol is a diuretic, forcing water out of the body. Our skin needs loads of water and, when your body’s not only shedding water but struggling to rehydrate afterwards, it's your skin cells that suffer.
And it doesn’t take long for the damage to show; it takes just 24 hours for your face to feel dry and lacklustre. It’s definitely worth saying that, after a prolonged period of partying, you might be adding wrinkles to your list of accessories.
It also depends on what you’re drinking. If you spent Christmas Day knees-deep in espresso martinis and white wine, you may wake up feeling more haggard than if you’d drink something with less sugary. The more sugar you drink, the higher the potential for breakouts on top of the dryness, while caffeine is another diuretic (making espresso martinis the antichrist of skin tonics).
So, how to combat a skin hangover?
Properly cleanse
If you woke up with your mascara smeared down your cheeks, grab a deep cleanser. Proper cleansing is absolutely vital for restoring your skin’s natural balance; foundation, blusher, powder - you want to make sure that your skin can breathe once the party’s over, so be sure to remove it all thoroughly.
Drink lots of water
After a day of drinking, you want to replenish your body’s water supply. Not only will it make you feel better generally but it’ll also do your skin good. After a few days of rehydrating, you’ll notice your skin go back to its normal, bouncy self.
Use retinol-rich skin products
Vitamin A helps with cell regeneration and without it, our skin becomes really dry. While you can eat vitamin A-rich foods like carrots, eggs and cod liver oil (which can help fight against premature ageing, skin disease and cell damage), your best bet is to invest in some retinol-rich skincare. Studieshave found that retinol can help to stimulate collagen while reducing wrinkles if you apply it topically.
Try The Ordinary’s Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane (£7.75 from Cult Beauty), Medik8’s Crystal Retinal 3 (£45, Skin City) or Indeed Labs’ Retinol Reface Skin Resurface Cream (£19.99, Look Fantastic)
Massage
If your face is looking a little puffy, give it a gentle massage to start getting that lymphatic drainage system working. Massaging the face is fantastic for bringing fresh blood and oxygen to the skin’s surface and removing toxins.
Use a jade roller or simply use your fingers, gently tapping around your eye sockets and pinching your jawline. Check Danielle Collins, AKA the Face Yoga Expert, who uploads tonnes of facial massage inspo on Instagram.
Take a booze break
Get NYE out of the way and then have a think about whether you could complete Dry January. After a month of festivities, having a few weeks off the sauce will give your body a proper opportunity to get rid of toxins (you definitely don’t need to use any detox products - the liver can detox itself, if given the time to do so!) and the skin a chance to recover.
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