It is well known that a glass of red wine can be good for our hearts, but now it has emerged that the ingredients in our favourite alcoholic drink can be beneficial for our skin and hair too.
More and more beauty companies are incorporating extracts from popular drinks like champagne, beer, vodka, cider and wine into their formulations, and the following are the reasons why.
"The grape extracts from champagne provide antioxidant protection from the free radicals which can prematurely age skin," the Daily Express quoted Sarah Adam, beauty buyer for QVC Skincare, as saying of champagne.
"They also help balance out uneven pigmentation," she explained.
Where beer is concerned, the proteins from beer hops help add volume to hair, boosting shine and even stopping frizz.
"Hops can have antibacterial, astringent and toning properties on the skin too," skincare expert Esther Cooney explained.
Vodka on the other hand works to tone, brighten, cleanse and polish the skin, said Rowena Bird, co-founder and product inventor at Lush.
"It's often also used when creating perfume. It stabilises a perfume's scent," adds fragrance expert Michelle D'Vaz.
Next, cider helps to keep our hair clean from pollution by stripping away dirt.
"It can help clean away the build-up in hair caused by pollution and lime from hard water," Karine Jackson, organic hair colour specialist said.
"It's alcohol based so will strip the hair of impurities. Try it before you have a colour to clear out build-up," Jackson advised.
Wine, which is already beneficial for our hearts, is the most powerful antioxidant.
"Elements from the vine have amazing benefits," Professor Joseph Vercauteren, from Montpellier University of Pharmacy in France said.
"Grape seed polyphenols are the most powerful antioxidants in the plant world and protect the skin. Grapevine stalk (resveratrol) is a fantastic anti-wrinkle and firming ingredient for the skin.
"Grapevine sap (viniferine) boosts radiance, prevents and corrects dark spots and gives a luminous complexion," he added.
