MY GIRL WANTS TO PARTY ALL THE TIME
TOO MUCH PARTYING CAN MAKE YOU LOOK PRETTY DARN POOPED. WITH THE HOLIDAYS
AROUND THE CORNER (READ: TWO TOO MANY MARTINIS, CHIPS AND DIP, CAKE, COOKIES
AND A TODDLER WHO GETS UP AT 5 AM), HOW CAN A GAL LOOK GOOD, BUT STILL BE BAD?
THE FAMILY GROOVE ASKED RENOWNED SKIN SCIENCE EXPERT, DR. JEANNETTE GRAF, MD,
FAAD, TO HELP US FACE THE SEASON.

The Problem
You stayed out too late and indulged in too much food and drink. You need to look great the next day but lack of
sleep and all that indulging has made your eyes look puffy with dark circles and your face look bloated and blotchy.

The Facts
Adequate sleep is essential for our health, well being and beauty; however, it's not always possible. Lack of sleep can make us look as tired as we feel. During sleep our skin’s blood circulation is increased and important metabolic processes are taking place. Lack of sleep impacts our circulation making us look pale and pasty.

Alcohol has a diuretic and dehydrating effect on the body which will make skin look dry and dehydrated. Alcohol can also dilate skin capillaries making you red and blotchy.

Salty foods and snacks cause fluid retention. The result is dry, dehydrated skin and undereye puffiness.

Dark circles can be genetic (hyperpigmentation), while some dark circles appear dark due to dilated blood vessels (veins) in the skin, as in the case of lack of sleep and allergies. The undereye skin is so thin that often the undereye area will have a dark bluish shadow.

The Tips for How to Look Good in the Face of the Facts

1. Drink several glasses of water before you begin drinking alcohol. You may want to mix a teaspoon of sea salt (not table salt) in eight ounces of water. This will give your body a burst of trace elements and minerals which are essential for energy. Water will also have a domino effect and push or flush out the retained fluid.

2. Chill out! Yes, cold is going to be your savior this season. If your peepers looked too pooped to pop, try any one of these at-home remedies. Remember to keep them in the refrigerator for an even quicker fix.

		An eye mask is very soothing to swollen puffy eyes. The cold causes vasoconstriction of the skin (the capillaries and blood vessels narrow), lessening the appearance of dark circles.
		Black tea bags (with caffeine) work wonders for your weary eyes, too. The tannins in black tea can be helpful for puffy eyes while the caffeine constricts dilated capillaries which helps diminish the dark circles. Tea bags are preferable to cotton pads soaked in tea since they are far more concentrated in tannins. They should be freshly steeped for five minutes and then added to ice water for five to ten minutes to cool them down.
		Green tea bags are great for your skin. Be sure to use the same technique of steeping and cooling as described for black tea bags. Green tea is rich in skin-soothing polyphenols and contains caffeine unless specified otherwise.
		Chamomile tea bags work wonders, also. Chamomile tea contains bisabolol which is known for its soothing properties. Compresses of these tea bags can help swollen, puffy eyes.
		Chilled cucumber slices. Applying chilled cucumber slices to swollen, puffy eyes can be very calming and helpful. The cool temperature will help to constrict the skin blood vessels and capillaries. Whether cucumber slices contain enzymes or not is a subject of debate, however, it works and has cooling astringent properties.
		Chilled potato slices. Raw potato slices are used by many and can provide relief to puffy eyes. Since potatoes oxidize and turn brown very quickly after being sliced and exposed to air, and it is unwise to put anything on your skin that is breaking down and oxidizing, keep the potato slices in water right away and refrigerate them overnight.
		Preparation H . This hemorrhoid-shrinking cream has an anti-inflammatory effect that also decreases eye swelling. Runway models who used the cream as an all-night partying antidote popularized it some years back. Be careful to avoid eyes since it can be irritating and rinse off after fifteen minutes. Preparation H does not need to be refrigerated.

3. Shed those unwanted layers. Skin that is dehydrated often carries a load of excess layers of dead skin. This dull look can be remedied by a five minute home exfoliating treatment. There are many good companies that have come out with at home microdermabrasion kits as well as chemical peel kits. Take your pick—they all work to lift off dead skin and reveal glowing renewed skin. Choose either a chemical peel or microdermabrasion—don't go for both. Remember that your skin will look the most healthy if you do the treatment gently. One treatment will make you look refreshed and rested.

4. Don't forget about your body. A quick shower can do wonders. Use the same exfoliating treatment on your chest, shoulders and arms, if you will be baring them. Glowing skin reflects light and gives you that holiday glow.






Dr. Jeannette Graf, MD, FAAD, is a leading skin science expert, board certified, clinical and research dermatologist. A top industry expert, published author and National Institute of Health award winner, Dr. Graf combines minimally invasive office procedures with effective skincare products and nutrition and lifestyle counseling to elicit both an inner and outer beauty from each of her clients. To get your glow, go to www.askdrgraf.com.