This is a hot topic this season- How to manage holiday season stress and your skin care.

The holidays are a joyous time filled with friends, family, and delicious food. With that being said, the holiday season can also wreak havoc on your complexion without you even realizing it. There are many factors to blame for these affects on your skin. Luckily, they are easily avoidable.

  1. Holiday Drink Overload

Alcohol can substantially affect your skin. Not only does it dehydrate your body overall, but it also dehydrates your complexion while dilating the blood vessels, causing your skin to be red.

Tip: If you can’t give up the holiday drinks, try to choose red wine over hard liquor, as red wine is full of antioxidants and can actually be good for your skin.

  1. Lack of Sleep

​With the preparation that is involved with the holidays, it can be a challenge to get a good night’s sleep. As your skin repairs itself while you sleep, it is important to get 7-8 hours per night.

Tip: While lack of sleep can also cause circles and “bags” under your eyes, there are ways to reduce these signs, and provide you with a refreshed look. A refreshing eye gel, like Pure one, can help you look and feel like you had this power nap, even if you didn’t

  1. A Busy Schedule

From holiday parties to long shopping trips at the mall, the holidays are a busy time. Because of our hectic schedules, a proper skin care regimen can be forgotten. Whether you’re coming home late from a party, or you are just too tired, going to bed with makeup on is a major no-no. This can cause breakouts, which can add more stress to the already-stressful holiday season.

Tip: Try and make the time to take care of your skin by following a regular skin care regimen, regardless of your hectic schedule.

  1. Holiday Treats

From Christmas cookies to hot chocolate with marshmallows, it’s no secret that we consume a lot of sugary treats during the holidays. Although these treats are delicious, indulging too much can affect your skin. Sugar can impact the aging of your skin by causing wrinkles.

Tip: If your sweet tooth is hard to control, try eating something that will satisfy your cravings while providing your skin with nutrients. Try eating berries, which are full of antioxidants and can help fight aging.

  1. Overall Stress

The holidays are a stressful time, which can have a huge impact on the skin. It can increase oil production in the skin, leading to breakouts and acne. Managing Holiday season stress and your skin care:

  1. Reduce Stress by Prioritizing Self-Care

Forgive us for sounding like your mother, but she was right when she told you to focus on good nutrition, drink plenty of water, and get a good night’s sleep. And don’t forget the regular exercise. The truth is that if you don’t prioritize self-care in your schedule, your health, including your skin health, will eventually force you to prioritize it with illness, an itchy skin rash, or a worsening of any skin conditions you currently struggle with.

  1. Prevent an Itchy Skin Rash: Protect Your Skin Barrier

The most important thing, of course, is protecting your skin barrier through your winter skincare routine. “To strengthen the skin barrier during colder months, people should focus on using gentle, hydrating cleansers, applying lipid-rich moisturizers,

Methods to Help You Cope and help Managing Holiday season stress and your skin care

Instead of reaching for that extra glass of wine or cookie, try to cope with stress by incorporating a stress reducing activity into your day, such as exercise, meditation, calming music, or volunteer work. Additionally, pay more attention to your skin with the following methods to reduce your risk of acne, flare-ups and other issues.

How to Get Your Healthy Glow Back After the Holidays

  • Avoid hot showers and baths. They strip your skin of moisture. Use a lukewarm temperature instead and moisturize immediately after you’re finished.
  • Wear sunscreen. YES, even in the winter! Sun exposure and harsh weather conditions can flare up certain skin conditions and increase the visible impact of aging.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Your skin really does reflect your diet. During the holidays, do your best to continue to eat healthy foods like leafy greens, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil.
  • Get enough sleep. Sleep recharges your body and makes it more resilient to stress. We’ve all seen what lack of sleep does to the circles under our eyes. Try to keep a regular bedtime, and wind down with a relaxing activity, like yoga or aromatherapy, before tucking in for the night.
  • Keep your hands away from your face. Bacteria on your hands can stimulate the development of acne, especially when you’re stressed.
  • Hydrate. Drink enough water to flush impurities from your body, which can help keep skin clear.

Book your “damage control” facial and bring the peace back, within and out!