Alcohol can have various effects on the skin, including making the face look shiny or flushed. This shininess is often most noticeable on the nose, cheeks, forehead and chin. There are a few reasons why drinking alcohol may cause a shiny face.
Dehydration
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes you urinate more frequently. This leads to dehydration as the body loses fluids. With less moisture in the skin, it can start to look drier and tightened. The skin may then overproduce oil to compensate for the lack of water, leading to a greasy shine. Dehydration also causes blood vessels under the skin to dilate, contributing to facial redness.
Blood Vessel Dilation
Ethanol, the type of alcohol found in alcoholic drinks, is a vasodilator – meaning it widens blood vessels. This dilation of blood vessels close to the surface of the skin causes increased blood flow in the face. With more blood circulating near the surface, the skin takes on a flushed, red and shiny appearance. This effect is often most noticeable along the cheeks, nose and chin.
Increased Sebum Production
Sebum is the oil secreted by sebaceous glands in the skin. Alcohol may stimulate sebum production, leading to an excessively oily or shiny face. Research has found that blood alcohol levels equivalent to just one alcoholic drink are enough to increase sebum secretion in some people.
Different Types of Alcoholic Beverages
Some types of alcoholic drinks are more prone to causing facial shine than others. Factors like congeners, carbonation, sugar content and alcohol by volume play a role.
Beer
Beer is a carbonated alcoholic beverage made from fermented grains. The carbonation leads to bloating which can cause a puffy, shiny appearance. Beer also has a high water content which contributes to frequent urination and dehydration. The alcohol content ranges from around 4-6% for regular beer up to 9-12% for stronger craft beers. This is enough to trigger vasodilation and sebum production in the face.
Wine
Wine has less carbonation than beer. However, it still has diuretic effects leading to dehydration. Red wine is especially high in congeners – byproducts of fermentation that can trigger skin flushing. White wine has lower congener levels. Wine alcohol content can range from 5% for light table wines up to 15% for fortified wines. Sweet wines may also have added sugars that can exacerbate skin shine.
Distilled Spirits
Distilled alcoholic drinks like whiskey, gin, rum, vodka and tequila have the highest alcohol content, usually from 35% up to 50% or more. This level of ethanol severely dehydrates the body and dilates facial blood vessels. Darker spirits like whiskey and rum also have high congener levels that make flushing worse. Clear spirits like vodka and gin have less congeners. However, their strength still commonly causes a red, shiny face.
Fortified Wines
Fortified wines, like port, sherry and Madeira, contain added brandy or other distilled spirits. This gives them a higher alcohol concentration, usually from around 17% up to 22%. Their alcohol content and sugar levels mean fortified wines are very prone to causing facial flushing and shininess. Those with skin sensitivity may react after only a small amount.
Drinks That Worsen Facial Shine
Based on their alcohol content, congener levels, carbonation and sugar content, the following alcoholic beverages are most likely to cause a shiny face:
Port
Port wine has a high alcohol content, normally between 19-22%. As a sweet fortified wine, it also contains a lot of sugars that can enlarge blood vessels. These factors make port one of the drinks most likely to instantly redden the face and nose.
Bourbon
Bourbon is a strong distilled spirit, with alcohol levels of 40-50%. It is aged in charred oak barrels that add congeners that dilate blood vessels. Bourbon’s lack of hydration, alcohol strength and congener content make it prone to making the face look shiny and flushed.
Rum
Like bourbon, rum is a distilled spirit with typical alcohol concentrations of 40% and higher. Dark rums are aged in charred barrels and have added sugars. The combination of high alcohol, sugars and congeners exacerbate facial reddening and oil production after drinking rum.
Lambrusco
Lambrusco is a dry, sparkling red wine. Its bubbles add a carbonation effect while the red wine base provides high antioxidant levels that can provoke flushing. With alcohol levels around 11%, Lambrusco is a very common cause of temporary rosiness and shine around the nose and cheeks.
Sweet White Wines
Sweet white wines have added sugar levels that boost blood alcohol concentrations. The lack of hydration coupled with a moderately high alcohol content for a wine (13-15%) makes sweet whites like Sauternes, Tokaji and ice wines likely to produce a shiny facial appearance.
| Drink | Alcohol Content | Carbonation | Congeners | Sugars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port | High | Low | Medium | High |
| Bourbon | High | None | High | Low |
| Rum | High | None | Medium | Medium |
| Lambrusco | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
| Sweet White Wine | Medium | Low | Low | High |
Face Shine and Asian Flush
Facial redness and shine after drinking alcohol is often more prevalent and severe among people of Asian descent. This reaction is sometimes referred to as “Asian glow” or “Asian flush”. Up to 50% of East Asians have an inherited deficiency in the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2). This enzyme helps break down acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol metabolism. With impaired ALDH2 activity, acetaldehyde accumulates after drinking and causes exaggerated flushing and shine on the face.
Causes
The main causes of Asian flush are:
- Genetic ALDH2 deficiency – most common cause
- Facial blood vessel dilation from alcohol
- Accumulation of acetaldehyde
- Dehydration from alcohol’s diuretic effects
- Increased sebum and oil production
Management
People who experience Asian flush can manage symptoms by:
- Avoiding alcohol or limiting intake
- Taking the prescription drug disulfiram before drinking
- Using over-the-counter antacids before or while drinking
- Drinking only clear, congener-free alcohols like vodka
- Staying well hydrated before and while drinking
- Applying oil-blotting skincare products after drinking
Other Causes of Facial Shine
While alcohol is a major cause of temporary facial shininess, some other factors can also be involved:
Spicy Foods
Spicy foods containing capsaicin can stimulate blood vessel dilation, mimicking a flushing response similar to alcohol. Peppers, chili, curries and Sichuan cuisine can potentially cause a red, shiny appearance.
Hot Beverages
Drinking very hot liquids can warm the core body temperature and cause peripheral blood vessels to widen and flush the skin. Caution should be used when drinking boiling hot coffee, tea, soup or other beverages.
Skin Conditions
Certain skin conditions are associated with facial shine, including:
- Rosacea – chronic redness and flushing
- Seborrheic dermatitis – inflammation with oily skin
- Acne – increased sebum production
Proper diagnosis and management of any underlying skin disorders can help reduce unwanted shine.
Medications
Some medications like calcium channel blockers, niacin, antidepressants and hormone therapies may provoke increased facial blood flow and flushing as a side effect. Talk to a doctor about any shine-related symptoms after starting a new medication.
Cosmetics
Oily, thick or iridescent cosmetics on the skin can appear shiny, especially in bright or direct lighting. Non-comedogenic, oil-free products may reduce cosmetic facial shine.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy hormones can increase sebum production and blood volume, causing a flushed, shiny face. This usually resolves after giving birth.
Conclusion
Drinking alcohol is a very common cause of temporary facial shininess, particularly around the nose, chin and cheeks. This is primarily due to dehydration, blood vessel dilation in the skin and increased sebum production after alcohol intake. Beverages like port, bourbon, rum and sweet wines contain high levels of alcohol, sugars and congeners that make flushing effects worse. People of Asian descent are especially prone to facial redness and shine while drinking due to a genetic deficiency in the ALDH2 enzyme. While avoiding alcohol or drinking in moderation can help reduce unwanted shine, other factors like spicy food, skin disorders and medications can also sometimes be involved. Understanding the effects of alcohol intake on the face can help guide efforts to manage temporary facial shine through skincare, cosmetics and lifestyle measures.