How to Enjoy a Christmas Tipple Without Ruining Your Skin

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Unless you have a medical or personal issue, Christmas is a time when most of us enjoy an alcoholic drink. The problem is, excessive alcohol consumption can not only play havoc on your liver, it can also be damaging for your skin. There are, however, certain drinks which do less damage than others, so we thought we’d give you the lowdown on which drinks you can enjoy at Christmas without having to worry too much about your complexion.

Beer

Even if you’re not a pint-drinker, enjoying half a lager can be better than other drinks for a number of reasons; firstly, beer generally has a lower alcohol content, so it’s not as dehydrating. Many beers also contain antioxidants and are isotonic, which means they can actually be good for you, replacing certain things which are lost when we become dehydrated! Be aware though – beer can often cause bloating, so be mindful if you’ve poured yourself into a clingy outfit!

Gin

Sugar can play havoc with the skin’s ageing process, which is why something like white wine is a no-no if you’re trying to stay on top of the signs of ageing. Gin, however, is pretty low in sugar and also in salt, so do far less damage to the skin than other, more sugary spirits. In fact, the general rule of thumb is that clear spirits are far less suagry than darker ones like brandy or dark rum.

Tequila

Don’t get us wrong, we’re definitely not suggesting that a night on the tequila slammers won’t be bad for your skin because that’s not the case AT ALL. However, tequila contains more or less the lowest sugar content of all spirits, which means that you can enjoy a few without having to worry too much about the effects on your skin.

Vodka

This is where we have to get specific – vodka in general is not too bad for your skin providing you drink it in moderation (see the sugar rule above) HOWEVER, this obviously depends on what you mix it with as most mixers, such as fruit juices or cola, are full of sugar. Also, according to experts, opting for a potato vodka rather than one made from grains will also be a lot better for your skin in the long run.

Red Wine

While the sweeter white wines are usually frowned upon by skin experts, most generally agree that red wine is pretty good for you. It contains antioxidants which help protect against oxidative reactions, which come from sun exposure, and can cause sunburns, wrinkles and even skin cancer.

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Don’t let hay fever get you down

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allergic reactions, Antihistamines, apples, beer, blocked nose, Broccoli, brown rice, cabbage, carpets, cinema, clear sinuses, control, corticosteroids, curries, dehydrates, difficult, ease congestion, enjoy, Eyes, flowers, garlic, ginger, GP, grass, histamine, Home comforts, honey, Housekeeping, impractical, inflammation, itchy, itchy eyes, leeks, Low-allergen foods, mushrooms, nutshell, organic, over-the-counter medicines, pears, peas, pillow, plants, pollen, quinoa, red, red onions, Reishi mushrooms, runny, salads, shopping centre, sleep, sneezing, spirits, stir fries, summer, sunglasses, sweep, sweet potatoes, swelling, symptoms, tips and tricks, vacuum, Vaseline, Wash your hair, wet, windows, wine

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, off the shoulder dresses are on trend and everyone is happy.

Well, nearly everyone.

With an estimated one in five people suffering with this common allergic condition during their life, summer can be unbearable for many.

In a nutshell, pollen from grass, flowers, plants and trees can cause sneezing, runny or blocked nose and itchy eyes and it can be both painful and frustrating as there is no known cure.

Of course, the most effective way to keep hay fever under control is to avoid pollen exposure. This, however, it’s difficult and impractical, so we have some tips and tricks to help keep it at bay so you can enjoy your summer as much as everyone else.

Medicines
Hay fever can be controlled with conventional, over-the-counter medicines on sale at your chemist. Antihistamines help prevent allergic reactions and corticosteroids ease inflammation and swelling. If you try these and they aren’t helping it is worth speaking to your GP to see if prescription medication is needed.

Diet
Eat organic food where possible as this helps avoid pesticides and additives. Low-allergen foods such as brown rice, quinoa, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, leeks, peas, pears, apples and papaya are all good options and of course will aid general peak health.

Mushrooms
Mushrooms aren’t just for breakfast and can really help regulate the immune response. A good quality organic extract from Reishi mushrooms is a good option and worth investing in if you are serious about dealing with hay fever for once and all.

Drinking
Keep your water drinking up and reduce your alcohol intake. Beer, wine and spirits all contain histamine, which is the chemical that sets off allergy symptoms in your body so as well as making you more sensitive to pollen, alcohol also dehydrates you, making your symptoms seem worse.

Wash your hair
Did you know pollen can stick to your hair? Well it can and when you go to bed it transfers to your pillow and will affect you as you try to sleep. If you have been out for the day, it is a good idea to have a shower and change your clothes before going into your bedroom and sprinkling pollen around and making life harder.

Go for sunglasses
As well as shades protecting your precious peepers, they are also a great way of stopping pollen from getting into your eyes. Go for a decent wrap around pair to create a barrier and to ensure your eyes are less red and itchy.

Housekeeping
We aren’t saying you don’t clean but given that pollen can easily get into your carpets it is a good idea to vacuum regularly and sweep it away. Try not to have the windows open too much and dust with a wet cloth so pollen doesn’t unknowingly spread around your house

Barrier
It is said that applying a little Vaseline (petroleum gel) around your nose can stop pollen getting into your system.

Home comforts
This isn’t going to happen every day but if the pollen count is high (over 50 grains per cubic metre of air) you might want to stay at home or visit a shopping centre, cinema or museum rather than being outdoors and at risk of symptoms getting worse.

Spice up your life
Garlic, ginger, red onions and other spices are all brilliant ways to help clear sinuses and ease congestion. Add them to curries, salads, stir fries and BBQs to keep your pain away.

Honey
Pop some honey on your toast or in your green tea and let the bee pollen in it desensitise your body to the plant pollens that cause the hay fever grief.

We hope you find a way to keep your hay fever under control this summer, and if you have a top tip, would love to know what it is.

Team Pure Beauty