It’s the scariest day of the year, but as your favorite esthetician, nothing scares me more than what I see some people do to their skin to celebrate the day. Frightening!

I love to get in costume and party just like everyone else, but I don’t do so at the risk of my skin’s health. Here are some quick things to reconsider before you venture out:

Don’t eat too much sugar.

I know, this is the exact opposite of what you traditionally do for Halloween. But seriously, processed sugar is terrible for your skin. It breaks down the skin’s collagen and elastin–important proteins that give your skin shape and firmness. Without these, your skin looks aged, dull, and wrinkly.

Break up your sweet treats with trail mix, dark chocolate, or dried fruit.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Halloween parties are lit with alcohol (trust me, I know!), which is super dehydrating. And if you’re walking the neighborhood trick or treating, you could be working up a sweat under your costume and mask. Plan to stay hydrated with a few bottles of water handy and avoid the dry skin later. Drink a bottle of water for every drink or shot!

Do not sleep in your makeup

This is one of the worst things you can do to your skin aside from overdoing it with the sugar. I don’t care how late the party goes until, wash your face before you go to sleep. Use a pre-cleanser to break down the makeup first and then double cleanse if you really got into character. But don’t skip your regular nighttime routine.

Rest and replenish

Once all the fun is over, make sure you find time to catch up on sleep. When you’re resting, your skin cells are rejuvenating themselves and that’s important for appearing bright and well-rested the next day. Don’t take this for granted!