It’s the most wonderful time of the year and do you know what that means? The holidays are finally here! Family gatherings, Christmas caroling, seasonal sweets, and yearly celebrations are just some of the many festivities we get to look forward to during this time. And while this season is notorious for the joy it brings on to others, it’s also the season of stress on the skin.
Between the cold winter weather conditions as well as the planning, preparing, cooking, spending, eating, and gift-giving that comes with the holiday season, your skin experiences a lot of stress-induced changes around this time. Although some factors can be more influential than others, all of them can affect the state of your skin in one way or another, which is why it’s important to be especially mindful of your lifestyle habits and daily skincare rituals during these months.
Your complexion can reveal a lot about how you take care of yourself throughout the holidays, so it’s important to consider how different stressors can impact your skin and what you can do to overcome them in order to maintain healthy skin all season long. Let’s take a closer look:
Lack of Moisture
Because the holiday season is usually accompanied by drier air and colder temperatures, it’s no wonder why the skin’s moisture barrier becomes increasingly threatened during this time. The lack of moisture in the air to explain why so many of us experience changes in the texture of our complexion; primarily, dry skin. Beyond that, the lack of moisture can also lead to itchiness, redness, and irritation of the skin. Needless to say, it’s important to amplify the amount of moisture in the air and add more hydrating skincare products in your everyday routine. After all, there’s no hiding those dry patches with makeup!
The Solution: If you live in an area where the weather conditions are cold, harsh, and drying, you may benefit from investing in a home humidifier. Humidifiers are specifically designed to add moisture into the air and can help to protect against dry, itchy skin and provide you with a number of other health benefits. Additionally, be sure to swap out any summer or fall skincare treatments you may still be using in your daily routine as these can further strip your skin of its natural oils and agitate your sensitive skin at this time. Instead, replace them with more gentle, nourishing products such as a milk-based cleanser, a hyaluronic acid serum, and/or facial moisturizer rich in vitamin E. Regardless if you use one or all three of these products, adding these to your daily regime will work to restore your skin’s moisture barrier and balance its PH levels.
Over-Indulging in Sugary Sweets
Arguably one of the best parts of the holidays is all the delicious sweets and treats it brings. From sweet pumpkin pie to Santa’s homemade cookies, there’s no better time to indulge than during the holiday season! Still, it’s critical to watch the number of sugary foods and drinks you consume as too much of this can not only lead to weight gain, but also lead to glycation, which can lead to developmental signs of aging. Glycation is when sugar binds to lipids, proteins, and other molecules in your body, which can stop your cells from functioning properly and create free-radicals. In turn, the molecules in your skin, namely, collagen and elastin, are unable to perform their jobs correctly, causing your skin to age more rapidly.
The Solution: It goes without saying, but be mindful of what you’re consuming throughout the holidays. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a festive alcoholic drink or enjoying a few cookies here and there, but too much will quickly lead to glycation and therefore speed up the natural aging process. Aside from this, it’s also a good idea to incorporate anti-aging skincare in your daily regimen by using a specialized wrinkle-fighting cream to keep your skin youthful and tight throughout the holidays and beyond.
Not Enough Sleep
Whether it’s food prepping, holiday hosting, or gift shopping, there’s no denying that this season is a busy time for almost all of us. Naturally, this may cause some of you to disrupt your normal sleep schedule and fall short of the number of hours typically associated with a good night’s rest. When this happens, the body-repairing hormones produced by your brain are less likely to function properly when you deprive yourself of sleep, meaning your body is unable to recover from the high levels of cortisol (stress hormones) being produced during the days. Thus, leaving your body in a permanent state of stress. As a result, you may start to notice dark circles and eye bags throughout the holiday season.
The Solution: Obviously, you’ll want to try and get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Try your best to get your circadian rhythm in check by turning off all of your electronic devices at least an hour or two before you plan to go to bed as this will help you unwind more quickly. For an extra boost, treat yourself to an aromatherapy sleep mist that’s formulated with calming relaxation ingredients such as lavender or chamomile. To take it one step further, you can customize your sleep schedule using a downloadable sleep-tracking app that allows you to create your own bedtime and wake up time as well as analyze your sleeping patterns.
The Final Takeaway
We are not saying that all the above-mentioned stresses affect all skin types uniformly. This is why it is essential that you think about your skin combination type and then try to address issues with regard to keeping it healthy with the best skin care products. Please understand that caring for a normal skin type during the holidays is very different from caring for an oily skin type. If you have any more questions regarding looking after your skin during the holidays, please let us know in the comments section below.
Happy holidays!
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