The things we choose to put into our bodies play a huge role in our skin health. While serums, cleansers, and other skincare products have a significant effect as well, it’s important to remember that consuming certain things, from foods to beverages to supplements, can make or break the state of your skin. If you’re searching for the best solution to an aging complexion, sometimes it’s best to tackle the issue from the inside out. That may mean cutting out certain components of your diet—perhaps even the beverages you love the most.
To learn more, we spoke to experts Jay Cowin, nutritionist for ASYSTEM, Dr. Fabianna, best-selling author and Global Health Ambassador, and nutritionist Morgyn Clair of Sprint Kitchen. They all pointed us towards one beverage that can add years to your face: alcohol.
Alcohol
If you love to have a drink (or three, or six) on a Friday night, we can't say we blame you. However, if you really want to promote a healthy, youthful complexion, experts say it's probably best to stop drinking alcohol—or at least limiting your intake as much as possible.
"Alcohol unfortunately accelerates skin aging, wrinkles, puffiness, dryness, red cheeks and purple capillaries," Dr. Fabianna says. This especially becomes a problem when you're drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages on a regular basis. "Excessive drinking can add years to your face and dehydrate the entire body," she warns.
If you know much about skin health, you know that dehydration is a major culprit of skin issues, along with a myriad of other health concerns. "Dehydration can lead to several skin problems, including dry skin, wrinkles, and acne," Cowin notes. "Additionally, alcohol is a known toxin that can damage the skin over time. It’s important to limit your intake to protect your skin and keep it from aging faster."
Clair emphasizes the same dangers of dehydration: "When skin lacks moisture it shows signs of aging more quickly," she says, noting that beauty pitfalls like fine lines and wrinkles become more prominent with frequent alcohol consumption.
Dr. Fabianna agrees that drinking alcohol in excess will cause your skin to age more quickly than you may like. "You will lose the skin's healthy glow and natural luminosity," she warns.
So, does this mean you should stop drinking alcohol cold turkey? In a perfect world, the answer is yes. You'd likely see immense improvements in your complexion if you never took another sip of liquor again. However, we don't expect you to be perfect, and there's still hope for youthful skin if you drink in moderation. "It depends on the person and how their individual body responds to alcohol, but one drink per week shouldn’t have too much effect, especially if staying otherwise hydrated," Clair assures.
As far as skin-healthy alternatives go, Cowin suggests keeping your beverages basic and hydrating. "Opt for clean, calorie-free options like water or green tea," he says. "Water is essential for keeping the skin hydrated and helps to flush out toxins. This prevents the skin from drying out and becoming wrinkled, while green tea is full of antioxidants that can help protect the skin from aging and other damage. Additionally, green tea has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce redness and puffiness." Sounds perfect! We'll go hydrate right away.
