Holiday Overindulgence And Your Skin

‘Tis the season for living in excess…

Over-shopping...over-spending, stressful crowds, rushing around, last minute craziness.

Over-eating… chocolates, sweet treats, cookies, eggnog, cheeses, rich sauces.

Over-partying… cocktails, late nights, hangovers.

Overload… pushing yourself to the max. And your body and skin will pay the price.

This time of year, it’s all too common to fall into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season which includes all of the above and more.

Most of us are running around tired, stressed, eating poorly, and having a little too much fun at parties.

You may think this seasonal trend may not play too much of a role on your skin. But it does.

Consuming too much alcohol will leave your skin dehydrated and dry.      

Consuming too much food or sweets that are rich in fat or sugar can lead to breakouts.

Not getting enough sleep can lead to under-eye dark circles and bags.

Here are some simple things to try this season to save your skin from ‘holiday hurting’:

--Keep hydrated. Make sure you drink at least 8 full glasses of water a day.

--Keep moisturized.  After any late-night parties, make sure that you wash and exfoliate your skin, removing all makeup. Then use a good moisturizer to replenish and rehydrate your skin.

--Keep calm. Take time during the rush of the holidays for yourself.  Find some quiet time to read a good book. Do yoga.  Take long walks. Listen to relaxing music. Try and decompress your mind, body and spirit. Stress affects you internally and externally, and can cause breakouts. This includes getting a good night’s sleep of at least 8 hours.

--Keep healthy. Just because it’s the holidays, maintain a healthy diet, including fresh veggies, fruits and proteins. Enjoy everything in moderation. It is okay to indulge in some of the sweet treats that make this time of year so tasty, but instead of 5 pieces of chocolate, have 3. Instead of 3 cookies, have 1. Try to do your ‘cheating’ early enough in the day so you have time to burn off the calories before you go to bed. Too many sweets will cause pimples and add those extra holiday pounds. So, cutting back is key.

You can enjoy the holiday season and rebound into the New Year with healthy, glowing skin… as long as you remember some simple ‘keeps’.

[Editor’s note: To help remove dry, dead skin and bring fresh skin cells to the surface, exfoliation is key.  Scarology’s natural fruit acid exfoliator is a perfect way to unleash your best skin and have that youthful glow!