If you find your acne getting worse around the holidays and you can’t figure out why, it might just be that egg nog you’re sipping! New research suggests that dairy products, including this calorific staple of holiday parties everywhere, might be responsible for more than just love handles and broken New Year’s resolutions, and can actually give you breakouts.

Dairy, Hormones and the Acne Connection

Even when you’re drinking organic milk that advertises “no added hormones,” that doesn’t mean it’s hormone-free. All milk contains naturally occurring hormones, and when you add these to your diet it can throw off your body’s natural balance, leading to excessive sebum production, clogged pores and, you guessed it, more breakouts! Dairy cows are often pregnant when they are milked, which leads to even more pregnancy-related hormones in milk. As it turns out, hormones aren’t just in your milk, either—if you work out and supplement your diet with whey protein, which comes from milk, you’re getting hormones there, too.

You may think that fat-free or skim milk is better for you, but interestingly these are worse for acne sufferers because they actually contain more hormones than whole milk. In fact, LovelySkin’s founder and CEO, board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Joel Schlessinger, urges his patients with acne to avoid milk at all costs and drink almond milk and almond nog instead, because these delicious options are more nutritious, truly hormone-free and won’t aggravate acne.

Our Favorite Acne Treatments and Fast Fixes

If you’ve already indulged and need some help to clear blemishes before your holiday celebrations, start with a quick cleanse with LovelySkin LUXE Clarifying Gel Cleanser. This exfoliating cleanser works with 2% glycolic and salicylic acids to clear pores and soothe inflammation without over-drying your skin.

Once you’ve cleansed and prepped your skin for treatment, target the cause of blemishes with me clear. This new device uses 3 advanced technologies—blue light therapy, sonic vibration and gentle warming—that kill acne-causing bacteria deep within pores and stimulate your skin’s natural repair function. Best of all, this device works fast—87% of users saw their blemishes disappear in 24 hours!

Follow your me clear treatment with LovelySkin LUXE Acne Care Gel, which gently exfoliates with a blend of amino acids while vitamin C and dead sea minerals promote skin healing. This lightweight formula not only heals your existing blemishes, but with daily use it keeps your skin looking clear, healthy and blemish-free.

For a truly flawless complexion in time for the holidays, we recommend Dermablend Blurring Mousse Camo, which covers all kinds of imperfections with ease. The medium coverage oil-free formula is highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way to create even and smooth skin.

Pro-Tip: You can get up to 18-hour wear when you finish with Dermablend Loose Setting Powder!

How are you prepping your skin for the holidays? Let us know in the comments below!