The festive season is truly a time for indulgence but if you’ve been drinking more alcohol than usual, barely sleeping and feasting on sugary snacks, you probably don’t feel your best in the aftermath.
Whilst we may be relatively healthy during the year, a combination of late nights and excess food and drink can put a strain on our bodies over the Christmas and New Year period. If you’re feeling bloated, sluggish and potentially stressed from oodles of family time, it’s likely you’ve seen a difference in your skin, too.
There’s nothing wrong with a bit of indulgence, but it can take a toll on your skin. Perhaps your usual radiant glow is now a little lacklustre, you’re experiencing more breakouts than normal or redness is on the rise.
Thankfully, the correct skincare framework will help you feel better after the excesses of Christmas so you can reboot your skin to feel your best for the New Year.
Calm Irritation
Irritated skin is common after a period of indulgence. The combination of lack of sleep, stress and not having a regular routine can disrupt your protective skin barrier which can lead to skin feeling rough, tight and having an increased sensitivity to active ingredients.
The best way to soothe irritation is to perform a little intervention to restore your skin barrier. Achieve this by paring back your routine, removing active ingredients and focusing on the essentials of cleansing, hydration and sunscreen, ensuring your skin gets everything it needs to heal.
Blast Breakouts
Breakouts around the Christmas season are common. A rich diet, spending a lot of time indoors and increased stress can all contribute to more blemishes than normal. Rather than having an “all guns blazing” approach to breakouts, which often exacerbates the inflammation, use gentle yet highly effective ingredients such as niacinamide and azelaic acid. Opt for Flawless Neutralising Gel which is our tried and tested triple-action treatment to tackle breakouts, blackheads and the dark marks they leave behind.
Get Your Glow Back
The best plan of action for tackling dull, sallow skin that has lost its radiance, is to increase your cell turnover using retinoids. The gold-standard ingredient for premature ageing and a complexion overhaul, introducing a retinoid into your regular skin routine is the easiest way to reclaim your glow with the least amount of effort.
When using a retinoid, such as the best-selling Flawless Nightly Serum, a slow and steady approach is crucial to avoid any unwanted irritation. Head to this previous blog to read how to use retinoids for the best results.
An Inside-Out Approach
To support the steps you’re taking externally, it’s always beneficial to have an internal approach too, especially after a period of decadence. A simple addition is to increase the amount of antioxidants and barrier-repair ingredients you consume by making a skin-loving smoothie. I love to combine blueberries, spinach, banana, almond butter, flaxseed and almond milk. Packed with both delicious and nutritious ingredients, which your skin will thank you for, a smoothie is an effective way to consume a cocktail of skin-calming vitamins at once.
If you’ve been more sedentary than usual, curled up on the sofa watching festive films, some gentle movement will inevitably help you feel better. Going outside for a walk and some fresh air is great for blood circulation and to help you feel more energised. Equally, a good stretch with a 20-minute relaxing yin yoga session will help you ease back into your body and release any tension in your spine. I’m currently loving this routine from Heart Alchemy Yoga.
Rest Your Mind
A Christmas break is meant to be relaxing but it can be difficult for our minds to truly switch off. If you’ve been Netflix bingeing and endlessly scrolling on your phone, have a digital detox and swap out any screens for a good book. In the busy midst of Christmas, having some dedicated self-care moments can help you to examine yourself, your goals and what you want to achieve in the New Year.
