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Keep Your Skin Healthy and Still Enjoy Christmas

By: Sarah Clark (ILEX) - Updated: 20 Sep 2012 | comments*Discuss
 
Skin Christmas Festive Skincare Dry Heat

Christmas is a great time of year for the soul, but not necessarily for the skin. The partying, rich food, drink and late nights all combine with the seasonal cold to put a lot of extra strain on your skin – so it’s not surprising that when the festive season is done, some of us can be left looking as if we need another holiday!

Winter Conditions

The British climate is not kind to skin, and winter is the most difficult time of the year to keep your skin looking peachy. The great British wind and cold, contrasted with drying centrally heated offices and homes, plays havoc with skin, sucking out all of the moisture and leaving it itchy, dry and uncomfortable. Chapped lips add to the misery.

If you suffer from eczema, you’ll know that the dry, artificial heat indoors can make your itchy, dry skin worse. If you really suffer with the dryness, you could consider investing in a humidifier.

Start your pre-Christmas skincare routine before you even start on the advent calendar, and you can keep the ravages of winter to a minimum and glow your way through to New Year.

Start Your Skincare from the Inside

Beauty editors and writers have said it since time immemorial but the number one thing that you can do to keep your skin looking good is to keep it well hydrated. This is even more vital at the time of year when you might be tempted to swap the sparkling mineral water for a vodka and tonic or three. Although it might get the party going, alcohol is a diuretic which wreaks havoc on your skin so try to keep festive indulgence to a minimum and drink plenty of water to compensate for any big nights out. Good hydration is the basis of any skincare campaign so don’t skimp on this part!

Cover Up!

Keep moisture in and lock the winter conditions out with a good moisturiser on your face. Most people find that they have to use a slightly heavier moisturiser at this time of year, so find one which suits you and make sure that you apply it liberally. A good quality moisturiser will keep the harsh conditions from attacking your skin and also lock in moisture to keep your skin supple.

Don’t forget your SPF either. Just because it’s freezing cold, it doesn’t mean that the sun won’t have any effect.

A weekly exfoliation will keep your face looking bright, and slough dead skin cells from your face – use a good exfoliator all over your body too, to keep skin that’s under woolly jumpers every day from becoming dull and tired-looking when you reveal it come spring. Dry skin all over the body will benefit from a good body lotion – a rich, unscented body cream is great for drier skin, while a lotion is adequate for normal skin.

Don’t Party Too Hard

Another top tip for Christmas is to get as much sleep as possible. Relentless nights out and socialising are great fun but a glut of late nights and general lack of sleep over the Christmas period can leave you looking less than great and your skin will reflect your activities right back at you in the mirror. Try to get as many decent night’s sleep as possible when you can, to avoid the dark eyes that will give you away!

Eat to Beat Christmas Dull Skin

There are so many delicious treats around at this time of year that it’s hard to know where to start when faced with a buffet table full of veritable Christmas goodies. But the best things to fill up on for your skin’s sake are oily fish and nuts, all rich in Omega oils that will do your skin a great deal more good than yet another Christmas chocolate or mince pie. If you spot a tray full of smoked salmon canapés, pounce on these immediately, and while you’re at it, grab a handful of almonds (preferably not the sugared kind) or some other natural, unsalted nuts.

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t indulge in the usual delicious festive fare, but topping up on good fats and washing them down with plenty of water might go some way towards keeping your Christmas look more Cinderella than Ugly Sister!

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