Our skin, being the largest organ in the body, is very reactive to our day-to-day habits which directly influence our underlying physical and mental health, as well as the environment around us.
As much as the winter months herald darker and colder days they also signal that ‘party season’, with all its bubbles and late nights, is just around the corner. So starting to prepare or skin now is key to keeping it glowing all throughout December and into New Year.
Why should you start your holiday skin routine early?
For many, the healthy-glow of Summer starts to diminish even before the clocks have turned back. So now is the time to get ahead of the game. Preempt the extra strain that party season can put on skin. Make sure your skin-care routine focuses on replenishing hydration and settling inflammation, and your lifestyle prioritises self-care to ensure you keep skin strong from the inside.
Remember, healthy skin and skin barriers can take weeks to months to get to their best. And preventing and minimising skin flares is always better than just reacting to them after the fact.
Why do we see changes in our skin during the festive season and what can you do about it?
There are 3 main reasons why we may see a dip in our skin as party season progresses. Understanding why is key to taking steps to prevent as well as treat any skin concerns as you can target the action you take and products you use to your skins’ needs;
1) Temperature changes
Temperature directly influenced how much water is lost through the skin and then how hydrated it is. Blasting winds outside and toasting ourselves infront of the fire to warm up sucks hydration out of all skin types, even oily ones, as well as also being directly inflammatory.
As skin becomes dehydrated and physically bombarded by weather (maybe even seeing more use of makeup as we dress to impress), the strength of the skin barrier weakens. The skin barrier refers to how stable our skin is and how able it is to perform its functions, one being healing. As the general state of our skin tends towards inflamed, this promotes flares of acne, rosacea, dermatitis, as well as making even ‘normal’ skin types feel itchy and flakey.
2) Change in diet
The festive season also tempts us with richer foods. Meals and snacks are probably high in refined sugars and simple carbohydrates and washed down with a glass of something fizzy (alcoholic or not).
In the short term, this kind of diet directly promote inflammation though the body by altering hormone levels and even our gut microbiome which. If we regularly eat like this, which many of us will, then inflammation leads to irritation in the skin. As well as causing dullness, iritation and breakouts even in usually stable skin, those prone to acne may fine worse breakouts. And for those with rosacea, psoriasis or seborrhoic dermatitis, specific foods like chocolate, alcohol, citrus and high refined carbohydrates are notorious for causing flares.
Alcohol is a very big player when it comes to managing and avoiding skin flares as well as keeping skin looking healthy. In the short term alcohol causes your body and then skin to become dehydrated and then, to counteract this skin can over produce sweat leading to congestion and breakouts. The ethanol in alcohol as well as preservatives, colourants and sulfites can all directly triggering inflammation. In the long run alcohol effects metabolism, rates of healing, immunity levels and much more, all leading to faster signs of aging throughout.
3) Lack of sleep
If you find yourself regularly missing sleep due to the evening social events, or experiencign restless nights due to an extra glass of fiz, you will also sadly be denying your body and mind time to process what has happened through the day, repair wear and tear and regular hormones. When we are sleep deprived, stress hormones surge through our bodies and promote inflammation which causes visible changes in our skin. Changes such as dullness, breakouts and itch and irritation and in the long run speeds up signs of aging. Beyond your skin you also can find that the less sleep you have you start to find fluctuations in your mood, slowing of metabolism, reduction in immunity which all contribute to the feeling of January Blues.
Top tips to get skin ready for holidays and party season
- Focus on Hydration
This season is the time to invest in good quality ‘basics’ of cleanser and moisturiser as well as active ingredients as these are what literally stabilise your skin barrier by ensuring natural oil levels are maintained.
Most skins should reduce strength of frequency of actives that can dry skin out, such as retinoids and acids like glycolic or salicylic acid. And instead ensure you include gentler, hydrating and antiinflammatory ones such as niacacinamide, lactic acid and pantheons.
All skins will benefit from including ceramides in their hydrating products and maybe even add in a thicker moisturiser to seal it all in. Considering topping these up through the day rather than just in the morning and night.
Be aware that cosy winter habit can also impact hydration here. Maybe pop a sweater on indoors rather than cranking the heating up, don’t indulge too much in a steamy hot bath or shower and avoid too much direct heat from fires and outdoor heaters.
- Learn to use actives that your skin needs
If you find you are getting breakouts from acne or rosacea, salicylic acid and azelaic acids are the respective actives for you. They are both antiinflammatory, reduces sweat production and stops skin cells collecting on the top of pores. However, be aware if used too much they dries skin out.
For salicylic acid it maybe opt for a short sharp hit in a cleanser if you need to use on a regular basis, particualry after a sweaty workout or hitting the dancefloor hard.
If you want more or to react to a sudden breakout consider toners or creams give you a higher dose, but used in a ‘target treatment’ way, so just treating the area needed and avoiding drying side effects for the rest of the face.
In the background your retinoids will be helping stabilise skin, but these do not act quickly, so do not be tempted to up these in reaction to sudden breakouts as you will just get irritation, redness and likely worse skin
- Eat your skin healthy
Focus on building a consistent diet that is diverse, includes all food groups and that you enjoy, so you will eat like that regularly! This sets the scene for healthy skin. Also remember to top up nutrient that you cannot get from your diet such as vit D and omega 3, and these are all the more important in winter as they aid healing and reduce inflammation.
Be aware that there are certain food groups you should also minimise as they can both alter gut microbiome so hinder nutrient absorption as well as trigger inflammation directly. Ultraprocessed foods (of which many surprising things such as supermarket bread can fall into this group!), preservatives, colourants and alcohol. This is particualarly true for those who are prone to acne, rosacea, psoriasis and seborrhoic dermatitis.
- Get out and moving
Whilst the darker and colder days may leave use wanting to snuggle up inside it is so important to see natural light and keep moving. Natural light helps us set circadian rhythms, sleep better and manage stress more. This then allows better healing and less inflammation in our body and ultimately in our skin.
Movement does similar and als promotes blood flow which further helps skin heal and keep a healthy glow.
- Get Your beauty sleep
Sleep is the time that our body, mind and skin has to heal from damage accumulated in the day. Try to make your day as sleep friendly as possible and understand how your actions throughout it impact the quality of your sleep. Key things are including movement, avoiding caffeine after lunch, stopping screen use near bed, eating events meals early and ensuring you both get to bed at a consistent time and get enough hours in (aim for 8 if possible).
- Does your skin need more than what you can do at home?
Sometimes lifestyle and skincare is not enough for partiuclarly irritated or breakout prone skin. Seeking expert advice can help you unpick triggers in your lifestyle and diet, optimise yet streamline skincare and consider treatments such as peels, skin boosters and polynucleotides to get a higher dose of healing, decongest or further boost hydration. Never push through at home as skincare is int self medicine, and if used incorrectly could hinder rather than help your skin
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