Skincare experts reveal how St Patrick’s Day drinking impacts your skin
Although your hangover from St Patrick’s Day has started to wane, your skin will still be feeling the effect of any alcohol drank over the weekend.
And many are certainly concerned about how drinking might ruin their skin, with searches for ‘effects of alcohol on your skin’ up by 29% over the last 12 months.
So, to shed some light, Dr Dave Reilly, Senior Scientist at Absolute Collagen has explained how alcohol can impact your skin:
“Alcohol affects the body in many ways, and for the skin, consuming excessive amounts of alcohol dehydrates and inflames the skin.
“This is because alcohol is a diuretic, meaning the body releases more urine, losing more water, salt and nutrients than usual. The increased loss of vital nutrients impacts your body performing other functions, such as collagen production.
“Collagen loss means the skin loses its elasticity, which in turn can lead to wrinkles, sagging skin, and dry, and dull skin.
“Alcohol also causes the release of histamines which dilate blood vessels under the skin, resulting in inflammation. This can present itself through the flushing of the skin and increased fluid retention, potentially making your face and body puffy.
“But there are ways to minimise the impact of alcohol on the skin such as hydration, supporting your internal health and taking breaks to allow to body to recover.”
To help you find the balance between celebrating and perfecting your skincare routine, the experts at Absolute Collagen have shared four ways to support your skin.
- Stay hydrated
When consuming alcohol, make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the night. That’s because your body needs water to flush the toxins out of your system (which will also help with your hangover the next day).
Drinking lots of water after a night out is also super important to help rehydrate your body before going to sleep – which will benefit your skin the next day.
Then, the next morning, try adding cucumber or mint to your water for an added antioxidant boost. Cucumber is a natural source of vitamins and minerals, and mint helps to support digestion and may help soothe headaches.
2. Support your internal health
Both vitamin C and collagen production help to support healthier-looking and firmer skin. However, the skin can become dry and dull after a night of drinking, as your body is dehydrated and cannot absorb or produce these vital nutrients.
Vitamin C helps stimulate collagen production and assists in antioxidant protection against UV and alcohol-induced damage. Adding a collagen supplement that contains vitamin C to your water in the morning can help you to feel hydrated and help the skin feel less dull.
To further support your internal health, there is also research to suggest that the amino acid glycine, found in collagen, can protect against inflammation and is also a humectant that can bind water and help rehydrate the skin.
3. Give your body time to rehydrate
The best solution to look after your skin is, of course, to avoid alcohol completely. However, for those who enjoyed their celebratory drinks, cutting back on your consumption can also really help.
Planning celebrations with at least a few sober days in between will allow the body and skin to rehydrate, regenerate and detox. The body can then re-absorb nutrients and vitamins, allowing for recovery and collagen production.
4. Don’t forget your skincare routine
We know maintaining your skincare routine is already important, but it is especially so when your skin might be damaged by alcohol consumption.
Cleansing and moisturising are the two main steps to ensure your skin is as well-hydrated as possible. Thoroughly remove any makeup and oils with a cleanser and apply a rich moisturiser to soothe, hydrate and reduce inflammation. The best ingredients to look out for are hyaluronic acid to aid hydration, then glycerine and ceramides for locking in that moisture to your skin.
So, for those who indulged in the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, these four tips can help refresh and restore your skin in the days ahead.
To shop collagen supplements and for skincare, visit the Absolute Collagen website.
