By Vivian Kelly
It’s true that our skin woes reach a peak during the festive season. Canapé laden feasts, flowing champagne, late nights and of course, the end of year stress, all come at the most unwelcoming of times, but fear not, Elite Traveler is here to help.
From re-stashing your beauty arsenal to investing in a good quality detoxing supplement, there are plenty of tips to help you survive the annual holiday soiree. Check out our guide to surviving the festive season below and look and feel your best all season long.
Winterize your skincare regimen
Instagram: @mybeautyquebec
Flare-ups and lack luster skin are common during this time of year, but with an altered skin routine, glow won’t be too far away.
An exfoliating treatment is our number one go-to for instant radiance – a secret weapon in our arsenal. Simply apply to the face, neck and decollete in upward circular motions (no need for a moisturizer). We recommend Alpha-H Beauty Sleep Power Peel, infused with nature-derived glycolic acids that help cell stimulation while alpha hydroxy acids help ‘melt’ away dead skins cells revealing new healthy skin beneath.
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Image: Cult Beauty
While we suggest not going overboard on the amount of product you use on your skin during this busy time of year, there are a couple of must-have products we’d recommend. Our winter staples include a good quality facial oil or ampoule (a powerful serum) to ensure your skin is moisturized and healthy. Our favorite is Rodin’s Facial Oil, a sophisticated mix of 11 essential oils including jasmine, almond and argan. For a supercharged effect we recommend Arcaya Active’s ampoules, each contain highly concentrated ingredients tailored to your skin’s needs, whatever they are. For an instantaneous glow simply pat onto clean skin until all the nutrients is fully absorbed.
Image: Arcaya Actives
Take care of your tresses
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During winter our hair can become brittle and dry, but with these simple steps your hair will spring back to life in no time at all.
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Firstly, avoid over washing your hair. Shampooed hair means less moisture, and less moisture means brittle, dry locks, none of which we want during party season. Use dry shampoo where possible and if you find your hair needs more than two shampoos a week, wash it under warm water and condition only. Trust us, H2O has more cleansing power than you think.
Treat your hair regularly with Balmain Paris Revitalizing Hair Mask, not only will the fatty acids and Vitamin F help strengthen your hair, it will help bring your dry tresses back to life too.
Post-party face routine
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Skimping on cleansing can age your skin up to a decade leaving your skin dry, irritated and prone to break outs. But the last thing you want to do after a Christmas party is wash your face, and while it’s easier to give it a miss, you’ll find that leaving your make up on can come with some unwanted skin conditions. The better alternative to tepid water? Face wipes.
We recommend keeping Lauren Napier Facial Wipes by your bedside as a last minute cleanse just before bed. If you find facial wipes too harsh for your skin, keep a bottle of micellar water and cotton pads on your bed-side table so you can do the cleansing in bed, eyes shut.
Take a herbal supplement
Image: Pukka Herbs
While we may not be eating our best during the festive season, supplementing our diet with clean natural supplements can help boost your immunity and your energy levels. A clean supplement such as Pukka Herbs’ Clean Greens can help keep your body’s defenses ready and strong. Its 11 nutrient dense plant foods are high in antioxidants helping to alkalize the body, oxygenate, mineralize and detoxify the body. A must during party season.
Sip on water
Instagram: @dropbottle
It’s easy to forget how much water you’re drinking, especially when we’re occupied. However, it’s during these times that our body is in need of the most hydration. Christmas dinners high in salt and sugary bubbly are all culprits for dehydration. A great way to remind yourself to drink more is by making sure you keep a bottle of water with you at all times. You can also download an app tracker (we recommend Waterlogged) to make sure you’re hitting your target of at least eight glasses of water each day and more.
As well as sipping on lots of H2O it’s also wise to invest in some cleansing tablets like The Organic Pharmacy’s ‘Hangover Pills’. The homeopathic remedy contains a cocktail of natural ingredients that help perk you up and make you feel as good as new. Suck on one before you go out and one after you get back home. The milk thistle tincture will help reduce inflammation in the body reducing the chances of the Christmas bloating or dreaded IBS.
Get your beauty sleep
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It’s important that any sleep you do get (however little) is as well rested as possible. Contrary to popular belief, a night cap won’t help you get a better night’s sleep, in fact you may miss out on Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, skipping out the vital cycles that keep us feeling refreshed and energized come sunrise. Try Slip Silk Eye Mask to sooth your body back into sleep while avoiding any disturbances during the night.
Do you have any beauty tips to add? Tweet us @elite_traveler!
