Do you breakout after a night of drinking or even a couple of cocktails? I used to. But after years of making mistakes and learning from them, I now have 3 drinking rules I live by that help me get through holiday parties, summer outings and more without incurring breakouts after imbibing.
Rule #1: AVOID SUGAR
This includes sugar mixers, like high sugar liqueurs (ie Malibu, St. Germain, Grand Marnier, Alize etc), juices (orange, cranberry, pineapple, etc) and I also opt to drink alcohol that are very low in carbohydrates and sugars themselves – Vodka, Tequila, Gin, Rum and Whiskey – being the top five best options for their low carb and low sugar profiles.
Sugar causes inflammation and if you’re prone to inflammatory breakouts like I am, especially around the mouth area, then avoiding sugar while you drink could reduce inflammation caused while drinking and thus inflammatory skin issues.
*Sugar also causes inflammation that can lead to the breakdown of collagen and elastin.
*Dry wines, like pinot grigio and cabernet sauvignon are your best bets for low sugar wine options!
Rule #2: AVOID CAFFEINE
I avoid caffeine mixers when I drink. This is super important because caffeine is a diuretic, so it can speed up dehydration while drinking. This includes – coffee, red bull, diet sodas etc.
Rule #3: Water, Water, WaterÂ
Drinking water while drinking alcohol is the key (at least for me) to preventing swollen, broken out, red skin the day after drinking. I typically, like to drink Vodka Sodas (vodka mixed with club soda water) and I add three limes for some flavor. This makes sure that I’m ingesting water simultaneously while drinking. If I’m not drinking this and perhaps drinking wine instead, I make sure to alternate one alcoholic beverage and one glass of water.