Is alcohol in skincare bad for you?

Those of you who have managed to get this far through ‘sober october’ may already be enjoying a brighter complexion. But you might have to go further than skipping wine o’clock — alcohol in skincare products can be a problem, too.

Dr Pauline hili, of organic brand nourish London, says: ‘A lot of people think alcohol only affects their skin in terms of the number of units consumed, however ethanol applied in skincare can destroy the natural balance of the skin’s surface and lead to dryness and flakiness.’

In colder weather, try an alcohol-free facial oil such as nourish London Radiance Firming Facial oil (right, £25, nourishskinrange.com) or Jurlique skin Balancing Face oil (£38, jurlique.

co.uk), a lovely blend of rosehip, avocado and macadamia seed oils.