5 Skincare Tips for a Holiday Glow-Up

“Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight.” You might recognize this lyric from the enchanting tune known simply as “The Christmas Song.” It captures the universal experience of that magical wonder unique to the winter holidays, that sentiment that can make anyone feel like a child again.

You can find that glow anywhere, from the burning wicks of the menorah to the reflection of lights in Christmas tree ornaments. Even your skin can get a newfound glow if you treat it right. These skincare tips can help you get that shine before your next party or gathering. Consider them our gifts to you this holiday season. 

Go Easy on the Sugar

From gingerbread houses to candy canes to sugarplum fairies, sweets are intrinsically tied to the holidays. Why shouldn’t they be? This is the time to live a little and make merry. Even people with strict diets may find it hard to say no to a mug of hot chocolate. 

We wouldn’t dare tell you to lay off the sugar this season. With that said, we do wish to warn that among other issues, too much of it can cause problems for the skin. It can lead to an increase in insulin, which causes inflammation, which kills collagen. Worse, glycation – the bonding between sugar molecules and proteins – contributes to wrinkles.

The process is gradual, to be sure, but you don’t want to wait until it’s too late. If you won’t completely cut back on sweets this holiday season, at least cut down. Even this slight change in your diet can affect your appearance in surprising ways. 

Avoid Excessive Alcohol

First sugar, now alcohol. We swear that we’re not trying to ruin your holiday parties. Still, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that both are not the best for your health, especially in excess. But what does overdrinking do to the dermis besides flush your cheeks?

In the short term, not much more. Alcohol causes dehydration, which can chap your lips and exacerbate dry skin. In the long run, the damage can get worse and pre-existing skin conditions become more difficult to treat. Then there’s jaundice, a visible byproduct of alcohol’s effects on the liver.

As with sugar, we don’t mean to scare you away from alcohol completely. One glass of New Year champagne or a single mug of spiked eggnog should be fine. We’re just saying that taking things in moderation is better for your skin and your health. Maybe save the drinks for special occasions, like, for example, holidays.

Stay Hydrated After Moisturizing

The goal of moisturizer is to lock moisture within the dermis. This product protects dry skin from agitation and creates a smoother, clearer appearance. Of course, the effort may mean little if there is not much moisture to begin with. Moreover, applying a layer will not stop you from breaking a sweat.

As you run around stores in search of gifts and dance the night away at get-togethers, you risk drying yourself out. That can happen even with moisturizer. Preventing this from happening is as simple as remembering to drink water. Just one cup every few hours can be enough to hydrate you and keep you going.

This advice is just good for you in general, but it matters for skincare. Replenishing your body’s own supply will refresh the cells in your dermis. They maintain oil production at a healthy level, giving you a nice glow. However much water you already drink each day, add a little more.

Cleanse First

People usually try to look their best before heading to a holiday get-together, even when the dress code is “ugly sweater.” Washing one’s face is standard, especially before going through a skincare routine. It’s enough to get the crust out of your eyes and remove other loose debris.

However, there’s a difference between cleaning and cleansing. The former is good enough to get by. The latter is part of proper skincare. Just splashing water on your face won’t take off all the excess oils, dead cells, and other stuff that accumulates each night. That requires something with more power than the bathroom sink.

We advise picking up a high-quality face cleanser. It should be the first step in your skincare routine. Otherwise, the various layers of moisturizer and lotion and make-up will bury dust and debris, pressing it onto your skin. This type of product helps you start on the right note.

Stick with Organic

Recommending high-quality skincare products is easy enough, but what does “high-quality” even mean? The answer can be subjective, with one person’s secret weapon being another person’s ineffective dud. For something a little more objective, look no further than the list of ingredients on the back.

Here’s a simple formula: the more organic materials in the product, the better it will be for your body. We’re talking about things you can find in nature, such as green tea extract. Better still are the ones that naturally occur in the body, such as hyaluronic acid. Visible aging often happens because the body stops producing the latter type of ingredient over time. Replenishing that supply with skincare products can reinvigorate you.

In short, dermatologists would urge using products consisting solely of organic ingredients if possible. Here at NADIA Skincare, we make that not just possible, but accessible. Our store features a variety of skincare products made with NAD+ and other all-natural ingredients. See what our formulas can do for you and your aging loved ones this holiday season.