Dry January Benefits: How Skipping Booze Boosts Your Glow

As the last month of the year, December is a time for allowances. Last hurrahs, if you will. You break your diet for Noche Buena. You put a pause in your budget for gifts. You permit yourself to let loose. It’s okay because you’ll make up for the debauchery come the new year. By then you can make good on your self-improvement resolutions and reap dry January benefits because you already got the temptations out of your system.

And isn’t that what January is about? Making up for the mistakes of the past and kickstarting good habits – that is, until the next batch of holidays rolls in. Here, we discuss the benefits of enjoying a dry January. You can thank us later when you get the most radiant skin of your year.

Dry January is when people abstain from alcohol consumption for the entire month. The United Kingdom-based organization Alcohol Change initiated the campaign in 2013 to encourage people to reassess their relationship with alcohol. It quickly snowballed, becoming a health and well-being motivator. The movement allowed folks to recuperate from the potential excesses of the holidays, reset poor habits, and explore the perks of an alcohol-free lifestyle.

Before you dive into the many dry January benefits, it’s important to know what alcohol does to your skin.

While certain types of alcoholic beverages, such as wine and beer, may have a positive effect on your complexion thanks to their antioxidant content, you’ll find that the cons far outweigh the pros – as far as your skin is concerned. Hard liquor, like vodka, whisky, gin, and rum, typically has worse consequences. Here are some of them:

According to a 2019 study, alcohol is a diuretic. Booze dehydrates your skin, making it less flexible and more prone to dryness, lines, and wrinkles.

Your dehydrated, post-alcohol skin is more than a stiffness issue. Skin that lacks moisture results in poor wound healing. Your scars will take a longer time to fade, too.

Quality sleep is a well-known beauty secret. Moderate drinking has proven social benefits, but the downside is that it messes with your sleep patterns. This doesn’t just refer to late-night partying. According to the Sleep Foundation, the sedative property in alcohol creates an imbalance between REM sleep (where your brain is still active) and deep sleep, giving you less of the restful latter.

Puffiness and redness are common post-drinking symptoms, but alcohol can also trigger hives, rosacea, eczema, and more.

Moreover, long-term and heavy drinking can lead to other illnesses, such as liver problems and cancer, that could also impact your skin.

So how will passing on your favorite cocktails help your complexion? Put down that pint and browse through these dry January benefits.

Healthier skin. Replace that stein with a mug of water and let your skin drink up hydration. Hydrated, moisturized skin is the secret behind that healthy glow Your skin becomes more elastic and more resistant to cracking.

Clearer skin. When your skin is hydrated enough, your sebaceous glands are better regulated when producing natural oils. This prevents oiliness as well as dryness, meaning you are less prone to breakouts!

A more youthful appearance. Parched skin means cracks. Nourished skin means suppleness. It’s simple skin math.

Better sleep. Without alcohol messing up your sleep cycle, you have more chances of enjoying the beauty and health advantages of good slumber.

Stronger skin. Alcohol can weaken your skin's protective barrier. A strong skin barrier protects your skin from external stressors.

Complement the effects of a dry January with a good skincare routine. Keep your skin squeaky clean but nourished with Dove Facial Cleansing Mousse Brightening Care. It has 40% Active-boost serum and hyaluronic acid to make up for the moisture you lost over the holidays. It leaves your skin juicy and radiant for up to 24 hours.

To help reverse the effects of partying on your skin, try incorporating Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Lotion Overnight Radiance Repair into your nightly regimen. Amino Peptide Complex and Serum Burst Technology make the product explode into tiny water droplets that dive deep into your skin. You’ll wake up more radiant – as if you’ve been snoozing eight hours every night.

If it’s true that you only need 21 days to develop a habit, then sobering up for a month might just change the way you enjoy alcohol. Those dry January benefits are certainly something to celebrate. If you’re only doing it temporarily, it’s okay, too. Just always remember to drink responsibly!