Stop Drinking These 5 Beverages Dermatologists Say Cause Wrinkles

A woman in leopard print pours a dark liquid into a crystal glass, suggesting mystery.

Your skin’s destiny is often decided in the kitchen rather than the bathroom cabinet. While we blame the sun for fine lines, the liquids you consume daily can act as “collagen saboteurs.” These beverages trigger biological processes, such as glycation and systemic dehydration, that turn flexible, elastic fibers into brittle, inelastic “leather.” If your morning routine includes high-sugar or inflammatory drinks, you are likely undermining even the most expensive skincare regimen.

Premature aging is driven by the rate of cellular decay. When you consume drinks that spike insulin or deplete mineral reserves, you accelerate your body’s internal aging clock. By swapping these wrinkle-causing beverages for nutrient-dense alternatives, you can protect your skin’s structural integrity and reclaim a youthful glow. Here are the five beverages dermatologists want you to eliminate immediately to protect your collagen.

The Science of Glycation: Why Your Drink Shows on Your Face

To understand why certain drinks cause wrinkles, we have to look at a process called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). When you consume high-sugar beverages, excess sugar molecules in your bloodstream bind to proteins such as collagen and elastin. This creates a “criss-crossing” effect that makes these flexible fibers stiff and malformed.

Once collagen becomes glycated, it loses its ability to keep the skin “bouncy.” This leads to deep furrows, a yellowish skin tone, and a loss of facial volume. Furthermore, these AGEs make your skin significantly more vulnerable to UV damage, meaning that sugary latte is making your sun protection less effective.

The Beverage	The Aging Mechanism	The Visual Consequence
Soda & Sugary Juice	Glycation (Sugar bonding)	Deep wrinkles and sagging
Alcohol	Dehydration & Inflammation	Puffiness and broken capillaries
Diet Soda	Gut microbiome disruption	Dullness and adult acne
Energy Drinks	Cortisol spikes & Acid erosion	Thinning skin and yellow teeth
Excessive Caffeine	Mineral depletion	Dark circles and loss of “plumpness”

Beverages Dermatologists Say Cause Wrinkles

1. Soda and “Concentrated” Fruit Juices

Soda is the ultimate “skin-wrecker” because it is a double threat: it contains massive amounts of refined sugar and phosphoric acid. The sugar triggers the glycation process mentioned above, while the phosphoric acid interferes with your body’s ability to absorb calcium, which is vital for maintaining the bone structure of your face. As your facial bones lose density, the skin above them begins to sag and fold.

Even “all-natural” fruit juices can be problematic. Without the fiber of the whole fruit to slow down digestion, fruit juice is essentially a concentrated sugar bomb. It hits your bloodstream with the same velocity as a soda, triggering an insulin spike that flares up inflammation and destroys collagen.

The Smart Swap: Switch to Sparkling Water with a squeeze of fresh lime or a few muddled berries. You get the carbonation and flavor without the insulin spike. If you crave juice, choose a Cold-Pressed Green Juice that is primarily made of cucumber, celery, and spinach with only half an apple for sweetness.

2. Alcohol (The Dehydration Trap)

Alcohol is a potent diuretic, meaning it actively pulls moisture out of your cells. When your skin is dehydrated, it loses its “plump” appearance, making every fine line and wrinkle look significantly deeper. Furthermore, alcohol triggers a process called vasodilation—the widening of blood vessels. Over time, this leads to permanent redness and “spider veins” around the nose and cheeks.

Beyond dehydration, alcohol depletes your body of Vitamin A, which is a key antioxidant for cell renewal and collagen production. Without enough Vitamin A, your skin’s ability to repair itself from daily environmental damage is severely compromised.

The Smart Swap: Reach for Kombucha or a Seedlip-based Mocktail. Kombucha provides probiotics that support the gut-skin axis, and mocktails give you the “social feel” of a drink without the inflammatory rebound. If you do choose to drink alcohol, stick to a glass of red wine for the resveratrol, and follow it with two glasses of water.

3. Diet Sodas and Artificial Sweeteners

Many people switch to diet soda thinking they are saving their skin from sugar, but artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose carry their own risks. These chemicals can disrupt your gut microbiome—the collection of beneficial bacteria that regulates your immune system and skin health. A “leaky gut” often manifests as “leaky skin,” leading to chronic inflammation and dullness.

Some studies also suggest that artificial sweeteners can confuse your metabolism, leading to increased cortisol levels. Cortisol is the “stress hormone” that actively breaks down collagen, meaning your diet soda habit could be thinning your skin just as fast as the sugary version.

The Smart Swap: Try Iced Hibiscus Tea. Hibiscus is naturally tart, deeply red, and packed with vitamin C and AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) that support skin turnover from the inside out. It is the closest thing to an “internal facelift” in a glass.

4. Commercial Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are a “cocktail of aging.” They are typically loaded with caffeine, sugar, and synthetic taurine. This combination keeps your body in a “fight or flight” state, which floods your system with cortisol. When cortisol stays elevated, it inhibits the production of hyaluronic acid, the molecule that keeps your skin hydrated and dewy.

Furthermore, energy drinks are highly acidic. This acid can erode tooth enamel, leading to yellowing and a “collapsed” smile, while also disrupting the pH balance of your skin mantle. This leaves your skin barrier weak and prone to redness and irritation.

The Smart Swap: Opt for Matcha Green Tea. Matcha provides a steady, L-theanine-backed energy boost without the cortisol crash. It is also the highest source of EGCG, an antioxidant that actively repairs damaged DNA in your skin cells.

5. Excessive Caffeinated Coffee

Coffee itself is high in antioxidants, but the problem lies in quantity and additives. If you are drinking four or five cups a day, you are constantly flushing out minerals like magnesium and potassium through your urine. Magnesium is essential for maintaining skin elasticity and a healthy moisture barrier.

Moreover, if you take your coffee with “flavored creamers” or “non-dairy syrups,” you are consuming hydrogenated oils and hidden sugars that trigger the glycation process. The result is “Coffee Face”—a complexion that looks sallow, dry, and sunken.

The Smart Swap: Limit yourself to two cups of black coffee or coffee with a splash of unsweetened almond milk. If you need a third cup, switch to Dandelion Root Tea. It has a similar roasty flavor profile but acts as a gentle liver detoxifier and provides a boost of skin-clearing minerals.

How to Transition to a “Skin-First” Diet

Changing your beverage habits doesn’t have to happen overnight. The goal is to reduce the “toxic load” on your skin so that your body’s natural repair mechanisms can take over.

The 1:1 Rule: For every “fun” drink you have (like a coffee or a glass of wine), you must drink 16 ounces of filtered water to mitigate the dehydration.
Read Labels for Hidden Sugars: Many “healthy” bottled teas and flavored waters have more sugar than a donut. Always look for “0g Added Sugar.”
Hydrate with Electrolytes: Plain water is great, but adding a pinch of sea salt or a trace mineral drop ensures the water actually enters your cells to plump your skin.