We all know that alcohol is a common ingredient in skin care products. "It's often used as a solubilizer and helps with controlling oily skin," says Dr. Eddie Omar, CEO of Phyto-C. "Alcohol also helps with skin penetration of ingredients since it's easily absorbed."
Another benefit? It kills bacteria so there's no need for preservatives. But the kind of alcohol used in skin care products isn't the kind you'd want to pour into a champagne flute.
Booze is frequently frowned upon from a beauty perspective. You've likely heard that it dehydrates your skin or even increases pore size, puffiness and fine lines. But that isn't always the case!
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Red Wine
"Drinking red wine can be great for the skin as it's full of helpful antioxidants that have anti-aging benefits like restoring collagen," says Dana Richards, co-founder of Miami Gorgeous. "I recommend drinking in moderation: one glass of red wine a day is plenty. Any more can have the opposite effect and lead to dehydration."
Consuming one glass of wine also has reparative benefits. "Since our blood is an important food source for our skin, if our blood is healthier with more nutrients and oxygen, then our skin will also be healthier," says Karen Fernandez, lead esthetician at SkinSpirit. "And the acidic value of wine makes it exfoliate topically, which is also beneficial to the skin. Think Cleopatra who, legend has it, used aged wine to keep her skin soft."
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Beer
Thanks to being rich in vitamins, beer can be used as a spot treatment on a pimple, according to Dr. Howard Sobel, founder of Sobel Skin. "It's best to apply only to the affected area." You can also use beer for a quick hair rinse as it helps to close hair cuticles, increase shine and tame frizz. "For color-treated hair, stick to doing this once a week to avoid additional dryness. As a bonus, adding vodka to the hair rinse can help with dandruff."
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Champagne
"I personally like to use leftover champagne as a toner," says celebrity facialist and dermatological nurse Natalie Aguilar. "Just soak a cotton pad and wipe over your face after cleansing. It feels cooling, refreshing and surprisingly not sticky or stinky. You don't even have to rinse it off. Follow with a moisturizer."
Sobel also likes the idea of using champagne as a toner. "The bubbling effect of champagne can help skin become firmer and give you a natural glow. Women in France have been using this 'secret' for years." He also suggests pouring some bubbly into your warm bath for an exfoliation boost.
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Vodka
According to Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, CEO and founder of Epionce, vodka has been reported, at doses of 1.5 to 3 ounces daily, to reduce emotional stress, increase hair growth and improve skin health. "This would be expected since stress increases chronic destructive inflammation, which higher doses of alcoholic drinks also enhance in a bad way."
If a small shot isn't your style, Richards suggests adding a bit of vodka to your next DIY face mask. Just be sure to dilute it with water.
"Vodka is great for unclogging pores and brightening the skin," says Richards. "Mix one tablespoon of vodka with one tablespoon of rose water. You can also add in a few drops of lemon and mix. Apply to the face with a cotton pad and allow to dry. Wash off with water after about 5 to 10 minutes. I wouldn't recommend using this more than one to two times per week as it can be drying. Make sure to use your favorite moisturizer after."
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