So you've just visited your dermatologist or skin care therapist with regard to looking like a 16 year old pizza face or a wrinkled prune. You drop $300 on your miracle regimen to rid your skin of acne drama, blackhead nightmares and shriveled grape syndrome. Faithfully, day and night, you've applied your enzyme creams, zit zapping spot treatments and pore shrinkers. Each day that passes, you become more and more angry with the person that prescribed your miracle skin care with the price tag that could've afforded those luxury jeans that give you the magic tummy tuck. You feel jilted, jaded and used, like a drunken one night stand left with the promise of a happy ending.

I encounter people like this every day and then I realize that it's not how they take care of their skin, it's what they put into their bodies.

Most of the people I see don't even drink water. Instead, they begin their day with a few cups of coffee and continue into the afternoon with their favorite caffienated beverage and move into the evening with a few glasses of wine. Not to mention the on the go lifestyle which leads to fast, processed, junky foods. So what's that doing to your skin?

Caffiene is dehydrating so those fine lines will have more definition and the furrows between your eyes will be more pronounced. It also constricts you blood vessles so if you are wondering why your face looks like a road map after a caffiene marathon, you may want to think about getting that 64 oz. of water in. A caffiene binge will make those capillaries become more noticeable and your skin will be robbed of moisture. It's also much harder to fight off those puss filled bumps on your face without water to flush it out. Simply, your skin has been robbed of moisture and becomes a dried up well with barnacles.

Alcohol has the same effect. Who doesn't love glass of wine or cocktail to ease the tension after a day of work or chasing little ones? But over consumption without water wreaks havoc on your skin. Once again you'll see dialated capillaries and pronounced lines. You have no moisture left to combat premature aging.

Now I'm not saying that you have to call it quits on the alcohol or caffiene. Moderation is the key!

Drink your water! Water is like oil to a car. It lubricates the body and keeps it running smooth!

Diet!!! Eat sensibly! Your skin isn't going to improve with a diet of starvation or cheeseburgers. Also, certain food allergies may cause the skin to react or become inflammed. Many people who have had allergies to wheat,dairy or preservatives noticed a huge improvement in their skin when they completely removed it from their diet.

Smoking!! Okay, it's not eating, but it's close enough! Smoking depletes cells of oxygen and vitamin C, which is what produces collagen. This is why many smokers appearance is that of dehydrated fruit.

So before you consider strangling your skin care therapist, you may want to take a look at your lifestyle and consider making a few changes. Drink your water!! Take your vitamins!! Replace that burger with a healthy salad!! Not only will you look better, you'll feel better!