The Sneaky Way Halloween Is Ruining Your Skin - and What To Do About It
Halloween is all fun and games until someone dressed as Pennywise drinks too much zombie gut punch and trips over the cauldron of Kit Kats. But besides the next-day regret that's often fueled by fuzzy memories and a few unknown bruises, you can also blame your splotchy, dry, hungover skin on the a-a-a-a-alcohol.
"Drinking alcohol dehydrates the body and skin, which can make you look puffy and bloated," said dermatologist Debra Jaliman, MD. "It also creates a histamine reaction, because it causes the facial blood vessels to dilate, causing redness and flushing." (Oh, and then there's this part that dermatologist Josh Zeichner, MD, pointed out: "Some data suggest that alcohol lowers the skin's antioxidant defenses, meaning it cannot protect itself from the environment as well as it should.")
That's the bad news. The good news is that not all spooky cocktails are created equal, nor do they have the same effect on your face. So when the only way to survive a night filled with candy-hyped children in princess costumes is with an adult beverage, we're breaking down the scary-good products that do a little damage control.
Your Poison: Spiked Punch 
As if guzzling down drinks with names like Bloody Shirley Temple and Witches Brew weren't scary enough, drinking all that sugar may actually be aging you. Sugar glycates the collagen, Dr. Jaliman said, which weakens the skin's surface and makes it more susceptible to fine lines and wrinkles.
To keep yours from slowing down, look for collagen-revving ingredients like retinol, which you can find in Elizabeth Arden's Retinol Ceramide Capsules Night Serum ($84). (Halloween ballers on a budget, we've got you: Pixi's brand-new Retinol Tonic [$15] is also a great, and affordable, option.)
Elizabeth Arden's Retinol Ceramide Capsules Night Serum $84 from elizabetharden.com Buy Now Your Poison: Monster Margaritas 
There's nothing like a salty rim to take the edge off of a too-sweet Halloween drink (pumpkin-inspired margaritas, anyone?), but all that sodium can put a damper on your visage. "Salt, like alcohol, dehydrates the body and pulls water out of your skin," Dr. Jaliman said. "This causes bloating."
So, while you could ask the bartender to kick the stuff from your cocktail, you could also set a reminder on your phone to load up on the soothing Talika Eye Therapy Patches ($49) tomorrow, which can help calm and deflate swollen, puffy skin around the eyes.
Talika Eye Therapy Patches $49 from dermstore.com Buy Now Your Poison: Mulled Red Wine 
We know, we know: it's far more fun to believe red wine is good for you, no matter how (or how often) you drink it. But the truth is that too much of a good thing can lead to dehydration and skin inflammation. "Red wine is also known to be a common trigger for rosacea, so try to avoid it if you suffer from this condition," Dr. Zeichner said. Just as spooky: every time you imbibe, you're also causing the blood vessels in your face to dilate, which can lead to some serious redness.
Luckily, this Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Masque ($58) exists; the formula is loaded with anti-inflammatory botanicals and hydrating hyaluronic acid to give your skin instant relief, every single time.
Your Poison: Haunted Chocolate 
Kit Kats, M&M's, Snickers — chocolate was practically made for Halloween season, and cocktails (or, as some people like to call it, candy for grown-ups) are by no means excluded. However, when you're drinking your spiked hot cocoa, just remember: "Those high sugar levels, whether it is from the candy you eat or chocolaty drinks, can promote inflammation in the skin and may be associated with acne breakouts," Dr. Zeichner said.
Your best next-day defense plan: the Glossier Solution ($24), a chemical exfoliator that unclogs pores and keeps skin in the clear.
Your Poison: Boo-zy Coffee 
Slurp down an espresso cocktail come All Hallows' Eve and you're all but asking for next-day hangover face. "Caffeine causes your blood vessels to constrict, which prevents them from pumping the necessary amount of antioxidants and nutrients through the body," Dr. Jaliman said. That means you're likely to end up with dull, lackluster skin.
The jolt can also impact your beauty sleep, which does no favors for your visage, either. "It may keep you up at night, interfering with normal sleep patterns," Dr. Zeichner said. "If you don't get a full night's rest, the skin may not be prepared to protect itself from the environment the next day and be left dry and inflamed." Take on the next day with vigor and the antioxidant-packed Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Serum ($95) — hangover face be damned.
Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Power Serum $95 from sephora.com Buy Now
