The festive season is here and the party invites are flying in. After missing out on seasonal socialising last year, this Christmas everyone is looking forward to putting their best face forward to enjoy the celebrations. While you can plan your party outfit, book in hair, nails and eye lash appointments, one thing you can’t control or manage is if a pre-party pimple decides to pop up on your face.
I mean, honestly, why do spots rear their ugly head just when we’re wanting to look our best? What are the chances??? Pretty high in fact as the stress, late nights, treat foods and higher alcohol intake in the run up to Christmas can affect your skin and leave you prone to breakouts.
Here at skin:genius we’re used to hearing from our clients how their skin breaks out at the most inopportune times.
Of course, we recommend a regular skincare regime and products packed with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients can help clear and calm the skin.
But you can’t just rely on topical creams and lotions to keep your skin looking fresh and healthy. Your nutrition, sleep pattern and lifestyle choices all have a massive impact on how clear you skin stays.
Here are my five festive face-saving tips.
Sleep more
A good night’s sleep is just the tonic to help your skin repair itself, with old cells being replaced by new ones. If you become sleep-deprived, it can result in spots appearing as well as dark circles under your eyes. Sleep deprivation causes stress, which produces more cortisol and this will aggravate acne and spots. If you can, factor in some early nights in amongst the late parties and remember to switch off your phone or tablet, make sure your room is calm and cool and try breathing techniques or calming music to help you drift off. A spritz of lavender spray on your pillow is also a great way to send you to the land of nod.
Eat a rainbow
We all know to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, but it’s also recommended to eat a range of different colour produce. This is because the colour of the fruit and vegetables reflects their nutritional content. So, the more colours on your plate, the wider range of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you’ll be eating. Two key nutrients you want to look out for to boost your skin are:
• Vitamin C can help heal spots more quickly: find it in most fruits especially citrus fruits, berries and tomatoes
• Beta-carotene will help to calm inflammation in your skin. It is found in foods that are red, yellow and orange, like carrots and bell peppers.
In addition:
• Go nuts! Nuts and seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds are full of essential fatty acids which will help to moisturize your skin from the inside and can stop excess production of sebum (the substance that can block pores and create spots). Aim to eat a handful of Brazil nuts each day too as they are rich in Selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect the skin cells from damage while also maintaining the skin’s elasticity. (Just go easy on the chocolate covered ones that are around at this time of year!!)
• Cut sugar. Bacteria live on the sugar in our blood and the less sugar you have in your system, the fewer spots you are likely to get. Be aware of hidden sugars in shop-bought sauces, ready-meals and tinned foods. Aim to cook from scratch at home and balance out sweet treats by enjoying healthy whole foods whenever possible.
Stay hydrated
• Our bodies are made up of around 70% water!! Drinking plenty of water helps flush out toxins and that’s important because our kidneys and liver can only handle so much toxin removal and, if overloaded, they signal the skin to eliminate toxins which is a primary cause of spots. Aim to drink around six to eight glasses of water every day. Start the day as you mean to go on and drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Have a bottle of water close by so you can sip throughout the day: your skin will thank you for it!
Stress less
When we get stressed, our body releases the hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands. It flows to all parts of the body in a bid to help you cope with the pressures of life. It plays a vital role in helping regulate your blood pressure, blood sugar levels and to keep inflammation down. A little cortisol is good but if you’re continuously under too much pressure or stress, your body can produce too much cortisol which, in turn, can result in more spots, mood swings, high blood pressure, weight gain and tiredness.
Despite the busy festive season, take time out for yourself to be quiet, mindful and relaxed. If sitting still isn’t your thing, then a 15-20 minute walk outdoors will also work wonders!
Respect your skincare routine
Always remove your make-up at night, however late it is. If you don’t, your pores will become blocked and breakouts will appear. Adopt a ‘cleanse, treat, repeat’ routine and look for natural products that will work with you skin, not against it. Seek out antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, gentle and natural products that will treat your skin kindly. Don’t forget to moisturise to keep your skin plumped, hydrated and smooth.
If all else fails and you feel a spot coming on, dab a little SkinGenius Hits The Spot (£13.50/10ml) onto the area to immediately cool and calm your skin. The astringent effect of the Witch Hazel will reduce oil production and tighten your pores while the anti-microbial Calendula and anti-bacterial Oregon Grape will keep any spot-forming bacteria at bay. Calming Red Clover will take out any redness while the smoothing and soothing Mallow will leave your skin smooth and soft – ready to face the festivities with confidence.
www.skin-genius.co.uk