Holiday skincare can be challenging.
You want to look your best, but it’s a stressful time. Your skin may be reacting with acne, dryness, dullness, and red spots.
What can you do? We have some tips that will help!
Holiday Stress Can Cause Skin Issues
First, a general warning: holiday stress can cause skin problems. Scientists used to be skeptical about this, but recent studies have shown that psychological stress can exacerbate skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. It can also lead to unexpected breakouts and redness.
So the first thing you can do to keep your complexion looking radiant is to practice some sort of daily stress relief. Good options include a regular exercise routine, medication, yoga, journaling, pet therapy, long walks, deep breathing, and time with positive people.
Next, do your best to stay consistent with your regular skin care routine. Just like a healthy diet can strengthen your immune system and help you resist holiday sickness, healthy skin can withstand stress better than skin that has been neglected or that has a compromised outer barrier.
That means twice a day, make sure you’re using a gentle cleanser, hydrating toner (like our repairing Rescue + Relief Spray), and quality moisture (like our Calming Moisture) to help your skin stay calm, clear, and strong.
5 Last-Minute Holiday Skincare Tips
Even if you do your best to keep your skin healthy and relief stress, it’s still possible that your skin may struggle during the holiday season.
If you’re noticing dryness, dullness, acne, redness, and other issues, here are some tips to solve those issues quickly!
1. Drink more water.
This may seem like a silly suggestion, but think about it. You’re running around getting everything done for the holidays. Are you drinking water? Even if you are, it’s very possible you’re not getting enough.
During the cold winter months, our natural thirst doesn’t work as well as it does in the hot summer. You may not feel thirsty, but your body still needs water. And your skin needs it to stay moisturized from the inside out.
Water also helps flush toxins through your system so you can get rid of them faster. This is great for your skin, as then it can get better access to the healthy nutrients it needs.
The holidays are often full of high-fat, high-sugar treats that taste good, but aren’t good for your skin. If you’re regularly drinking water, you’ll be able to avoid temptation more easily than if you aren’t. Water helps you feel full. It can also help tame any cravings you may be having, so make a point to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day and see if you don’t notice a difference!
Holiday Skincare Tip 2. Get 7-8 hours of sleep.
Doctors and scientists recommend that we all get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Your skin needs that sleep to conduct its nightly repairs. Without it, it will naturally start to look older. You’ll notice more fine lines and wrinkles, and radiance? It will be long gone.
Do your best to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Keep technology out of the bedroom, avoid alcohol and caffeine at least four hours before bedtime, and have a before-bed routine that involves turning down the lights and doing something relaxing.
3. Try a steam detox.
If your skin is struggling and your noticing enlarged, clogged pores, try steaming your skin. The steam will open up the pores and help your skincare products work more efficiently.
Simply boil some hot water, put it in a bowl, then drape a towel over your head and let your skin soak in the steam for 1-2 minutes. Don’t go overboard, particularly if you have sensitive skin, as too much steam can lead to redness.
Follow with a gentle cleanse, then spritz on our Rescue + Relief Spray. It has a natural cooling action as well as powerful anti-inflammatories that can keep acne and eczema breakouts at bay assisting your skin with recovering its health and youthful radiance.
Holiday Skincare Tip 4. Exfoliate.
Before you head out to your holiday party, use a gentle exfoliating product on your skin. It can help to slough off the old dead skin cells, allowing the younger ones to show through. The right exfoliating treatment can give you an instant glow that will last the rest of the day and night.
Be careful of what you use, however. Harsh crystal and nut scrubs can cause microtears in the your skin that lead to redness, irritation, and breakouts. Instead, use an exfoliating product with gentle acids in it, or the mildest of sugar scrubs. Then use a slow, circular massaging action to scrub your skin. Don’t press too hard or tug.
Rinse clean, then apply your toner and moisturizer. Try our award-winning Calming Moisture as it will help tame any inflammation while diminishing signs of fine lines and wrinkles. It will also leave you with a lit-from-within radiance.
Don’t forget your lips when exfoliating. They are often dry and chapped in the cold winter months. Use a little of the same exfoliating product on them, then follow with a healing balm. We recommend our award-winning Restorative Skin Balm. It will help safeguard the moisture barrier so your lips can recover.
5. Apply a face mask.
If you’ve got dry skin and it’s looking even drier over the holidays, it’s time to apply a moisturizing face mask. The right one can do in minutes what would otherwise take you days to achieve.
Look for one that contains healthy ingredients like natural oils, aloe vera, shea butter, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and extracts that will not only deeply moisturize, but help your skin recover from stress. Allow it to sit on your skin for 10-20 minutes, then rinse off and apply your moisturizer.
You can also use our Calming Moisture as a mask. Just apply it generously all over your skin, then allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes before rubbing the rest in. (If there is still some extra left, rub it into your hands. It will leave them smooth and radiant!)
Don’t Forget to Smile!
No matter what you do to get ready for those holiday events, try to choose something that will make you feel good, because your smile is the best beauty asset you’ve got!
So fix your hair, try some new makeup, pamper your skin, and dress up your nails so you feel confident and beautiful. How you feel on the inside shows on the outside, so start with self care and you’ll be much more likely to enjoy yourself this season!
Happy holidays! xo
Do you have any last-minute beauty tips for the holiday season?
Featured image courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.
