I didn’t stop drinking for my skin, which feels almost embarrassing to admit after more than 25 years working as a beauty editor. I’d tried every retinol, LED facial, and faddy 24 carat gold-infused cream known to the beauty world, but it never occurred to me that the real game-changer might be quitting alcohol.

When I first decided to go sober, my skin was an afterthought. Like so many women in their forties, I was done with how alcohol was making me feel—permanently rough and anxious—even after just a couple of glasses of wine. I wasn’t someone who drank heavily in my twenties, but over the years, alcohol became threaded through my everyday life: after-work drinks, family parties, a post-putting-the-kids-to-bed treat.

And then almost four years ago, when I was 45, I moved from London to Florida, where it always feels like cocktail o’clock, and that quiet habit turned into something louder. I was also experiencing perimenopause at the time, which didn’t help my drinking. Or my skin for that matter. My tolerance to alcohol was shrinking while my anxiety and sleeplessness were growing. And my skin was suffering too. I noticed sagging creeping into my jawline, lines on my upper lip, worsening pigmentation, more prominent dark circles.

At 48, I’d had enough and decided to give up alcohol—literally overnight—and everything changed.

The very first week, I woke up with a clear head and clearer skin. That short timeline for good results is actually quite common, according to board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, especially if alcohol was a regular part of your routine. “Even a week off can be enough for your skin barrier to recover some of its moisture and for inflammation to start calming down,” Dr. Gohara explains. Jessica Krant, MD, a board-certified NYC dermatologist also points out that alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes the body to release more urine and lose water, which is awful news for aging skin, as it is drier by default. “Dehydration can negatively affect your skin by causing it to dry out and become dull and rough,” Dr. Krant says. “Lack of hydration can also decrease the skin elasticity, making it saggy and wrinkled, so you appear older than you are.”

Michael Madsen
Recently Sober Before His Death
… After Years-Long Battle With Alcohol

Published July 7, 2025 1:35 PM PDT

Michael Madsen was making enormous strides in his recovery from alcoholism … right up until just before his tragic death.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Madsen was sober in recent months, making a consistent and valiant effort to turn his life around. But, those close to him remain uncertain about his state of mind in the days leading up to his passing. Everyone around him was hoping and believed he was still working his program.

The beloved actor spent years in and out of rehabilitation programs as he battled alcohol addiction … while also struggling with depression and grappling with personal hardships, like a troubled marriage — and his son’s untimely death.

Despite his obstacles, Madsen always tried to extend a helping hand by mentoring others with similar troubles at a Malibu recovery facility.

As we reported … the “Kill Bill” star was found unresponsive in his Malibu home last Thursday and was pronounced dead at the scene. His rep told us he suffered cardiac arrest, while an official cause of death hasn’t been released.

It is unclear as of now if he had been drinking in the days leading up to his death … or whether alcohol played any factor at all.

Madsen’s longtime friend and assistant Dougie Smith revealed to us the actor appeared in good health nearly a week before his passing, after a routine doctor’s appointment for his rotator cuff … making his death all the more shocking.

Michael was 67.

RIP