The festive season is here, which means most of us have some downtime to spend celebrating with friends and family. While this time might be restorative for you, there are some common holiday habits that can compromise your complexion. Here are five of them and what you can do to make sure your complexion is merry and bright.
1. Staying up late
With all the year-end dos to attend and not having to get up early for work the next morning, many of us stay up later than usual over the holidays. This not only disrupts our sleep schedule, but can show on your face, resulting in tired eyes and a dull complexion. Use a soothing under-eye mask to treat under-eye bags and dark circles and a tinted moisturiser with radiance-boosting ingredients.
2. Crashing in make-up
Admit it – we’ve ALL done this at least once. This can be more common over the holidays when our social calendars become busier and we get home later. But this bad habit can clog pores, leading to breakouts in the short term and causing fine lines in the long term. Even if you’re too tired for your full face-washing routine, at least remove your make-up before going to bed.
3. Too much overindulgence
One of the highlights of the holidays is all the delicious festive food we get to enjoy. Not only that, but the drinks seem to keep on flowing. All this overindulgence can be bad for our waistlines as well as our complexions. Too much fatty food and sugary desserts can lead to collagen damage and acne, while alcohol consumption is linked to flare-ups of conditions such as psoriasis and rosacea.
4. Not staying hydrated
In South Africa, we are #blessed to have our festive season fall in the middle of summer. Because the weather is hot, we should be more vigilant about keeping our bodies hydrated – which can be hard to do when there is wine or cocktails on offer! Give your skin a moisture boost from the outside by using a hydrating gel-cream and giving it the occasional spritz with a face mist.
5. Skimping on SPF
It’s not enough to apply sunscreen once a day in the morning, especially if you are going to be doing more chilling and socialising outdoors. In fact, you should be re-applying it every two hours or after swimming and significant sweating. If you don’t, you are at an elevated risk of developing anything from sun spots to skin cancer. Don’t only focus on your face, but all of your exposed skin.
