We are back from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. While it was full of merriment, laughter, parties, tonnes of food and sweets, your skin health was anything but merry. Yes, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but all of the partying and travelling is the reason for your stressed skin right now. Skincare routines get challenged by family get-togethers, travelling, hosting parties, shopping sprees, excessive drinking, sugar binging, and of course, all that makeup! While you took in everything with open arms during the holidays, its effects on the skin are seen when the excitement has subsided and you are back in the grind.
We are looking at all the skincare sins committed during the holiday season and best practices to hit reset in your skin for the new year!
1. Binge Drinking
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It’s understandable to lose track of your alcohol consumption while partying with family and friends. But even delicious cocktails have repercussions – you end up waking up with skin looking dull, pale and lifeless. Alcohol dehydrates your system, which is why we crave more water after being hungover. It also strips your skin and lips of essential hydration, leaving it feeling tired the next day.
Skin-loving tip: Drink a lot (we mean a LOT!) of fluids and hydrate your system. For your routine, switch to a formula that is lightweight, seeps deep into your skin and maintains hydration for long hours.
2. Excessive Junk and Sugar Consumption
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A healthy diet goes out the window during the holiday season and is replaced by homemade sweets, savouries and unhealthy meals. Your skin got neglected while gulping those extra laddoos and oily savouries. Christmas cakes and cookies add to the sugar binge, leaving your skin prone to excessive sebum production and pesky pimples.
Skin-loving tip: The best way to deal with the post-festive season greasiness of stressed skin is to eat healthy timely meals. Include large portions of leafy greens like broccoli, kiwi juice, kale, spinach in your diet. Pause on the sugar intake to let your system balance itself. Incorporate a mattifying toner in your routine as an extra step for oil control. Carry blotting papers to keep oily and slick patches on your skin in check throughout the day.
3. Improper Makeup Hygiene
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Every party and celebration demanded the need to dress up. And dressing up is incomplete without makeup. A complete glam look is essential to slaying every party. So is proper removal and the much-needed post-makeup routine. Wearing makeup for long hours can strip your skin of natural oils, causing dryness. Improper cleansing also leads to clogged pores and breakouts. Removing makeup before calling it a night with water, micellar, or makeup removal balms is essential.
Skin-loving tip: Give your skin a break from makeup and focus on repair and rejuvenation. Switch to a tinted moisturiser to fulfil your daily coverage needs; dab on some lip and cheek tint for added warmth, and you are good to go.Â
4. Winter Tan
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If you have indeed been skimping on the sunblock of your winter vacay, your new year skin is probably damaged. A common misconception many have is that skin tanning is not as severe in the winter as compared to summer. But that’s just not true – your skin is exposed to harmful UV rays during the colder months, so SPF is a MUST.
Skin-loving tip: Include brightening ingredients like Vitamin C, liquorice, niacinamide and kojic acid in your skincare routine to reverse the ill effects of UV rays on your stressed skin and help fade tanning faster.
5. Festive Stress
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The holiday season and stress levels make for a weird combination. Yes, you are supposed to have loads of fun. Still, the planning around hosting parties, gifting, and preparing elaborate meals can get stressful. That is not good news for the skin. Take a break from constant activity and stress, and let your skin breathe.
Skin-loving tip: Use your nighttime routines to wind down with a relaxing massage with a facial tool (ice helps as well!). Include calming essential oil blends in your daily routine to allow you to really experience downtime, and see your skin’s natural glow creep back in!
6. Incomplete Routines
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The holidays can keep you busy, especially when travelling. Filled calendars can mean that you are cutting corners in your daily routine. And exfoliation is often the one step that is skipped to save time.
Skin-loving tip: Amp up exfoliation to slough off dead skin buildup from the holidays. Make sure to put your trust in chemical exfoliators like AHAs and BHAs. You can also opt for hybrid exfoliators that combine active ingredients with fine powders. They don’t cause abrasions on your skin but will get the job done.
7. Winter Dryness
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As the holiday season clashes with winters, your skin tends to dry up. This can be easily ignored in favour of clocking in that extra 30 minutes of sleep before you get back to the festivities. Also, water consumption tends to be lesser during winters, leading to stressed skin. But drinking water, even on the go, is mandatory. And even though the parties are done, the winter season is still here, this time on its final legs that tend me a lot drier than early months.
Skin-loving tip: Load up on moisturisers and facial oils, especially those formulated with almond and sesame. It will keep your skin hydrated for longer durations making it supple and adding the natural glow. Do not forget to exfoliate your lips as well – sugar scrubs on bare lips will do the trick.
While you enjoyed the holidays, your skin suffered the wrath of your ignorance. Now is the time to give your skin a much-deserved break and indulge in proper care. Try home remedies to exfoliate and DIY face masks. Eat a balanced healthy diet rich in vitamins for natural, healthier skin. Also, indulging in yoga and face yoga, exercising regularly, drinking ample water will work wonders for your skin.
Photos: Instragram, Pexels
