Drinking doesn’t tend to do wonders for your skin. But during December (and January for that matter) it proves rather difficult to emit alcohol altogether. Rather, it’s best to be selective with your drinks choices, or at least be aware of which drinks are the best and the worst when it comes to your complexion.

The best:

Spritz
In good news, summer favourite the spritz is one of the better options when it comes to a chilled beverage. At the end of the day, a spritz is a diluted drink and can be a hydrating one if you opt for mineral water over soda.

Beer
While beer does tend to cause bloating, for the skin it often proves less hazardous. Namely, beer contains less alcohol content than its spirit counterparts and is a drink designed to be sipped, meaning less overall dehydration. An added bonus is that the yeast drink contains antioxidants and some anti-ageing benefits.

Anything with juice
Similarly, spirits paired with juice are slightly more hydrating (please note this does not include rum). A lighter spirit like vodka partnered with freshly squeezed or cold pressed juice (particularly orange) has a higher vitamin and antioxidant count – helping to counteract the damage booze does to your complexion.

Tequila
A good quality tequila has a lower sugar content than many other drinks on the market, which means it is less likely to trigger inflammation and breakouts. But the key is to not slam back the spirit in a tequila-based cocktail, but to sip on it without the presence of ever-dehydrating salt.

The worst:

Rum
The cause of many a bad decision and heavy hangover is Queensland favourite rum. The dark spirit tends to house an impressive amount of sugar – one of the leading enemy’s of a glowing complexion. This is especially true when rum is partnered with the equally sugar-laden soft drink.

White wine
Wine has by now garnered a reputation for being one of the worst options when it comes to calories, thanks to a sugar and salt content. This is particularly true of a white vino, which is high in sugar (heightening cell damage and increasing ageing) and devoid of the antioxidants that can be found in its red cousin.

Red wine
Red wine is commonly considered the better wine option in the beverage spectrum, thanks to the presence of antioxidants. But most reds contain vasodilators which promote the pumping of blood vessels to the skin, in turn flushing your face red. This is definitely a drink to avoid if you suffer from redness or rosacea.

Margaritas
Delicious but devilish on the skin is the margarita. It contains the two worst culprits when it comes to dull, dehydrated skin – that of salt and sugar. The duo not only encourage breakouts and dryness, but also helps to create the puffy face that often accompanies a hangover.