3 Simple Skin Mistakes To Avoid This Winter l By Amy Frith, A Skin Expert at BASE SKNCARE

3 Skin Mistakes To Avoid This Christmas

Dec 11, 2022 • BASE SKNCARE

Christmas is notoriously described as the most wonderful time of the year and for many reasons, it absolutely is! However, the run up to the big day can often be fuelled by overwhelm and stress that can wreak havoc with our skin.

So tonight, I wanted share the top 3 ways we unknowingly aggravate our complexions during the festive season, and how you can correct it all faster than Santa flies around the world on Christmas Eve! Let’s get glowing…

Make sure you are your first priority

Day to day life is now busier than ever, so throwing extra social dates, shopping lists and present buying into the calendar can sometimes feel like a tad too much to handle.

When these feelings of overwhelm arise in the body, it triggers production of the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol is often described as our bodies built in alarm system and causes all the symptoms we associate with ‘fight or flight’ mode. This means you may experience increased blood pressure, heart rate, digestive issues and to top it all off, those sore, red spots that pop up the day before the Christmas party. This is because cortisol also spikes the oil production in our skin too.

To resolve all these symptoms quickly, the best gift you can give yourself this year is a big dose of self-care. It doesn’t have to be in the form of elaborate candle-lit baths or hours of meditation, I’m talking about building tiny habits into your daily routines that will totally de-stress the season. For example, you could practice saying ‘no’ more often to things that aren’t going to serve you, pausing to take 3 deep breathes when it all feels a bit too much or simply asking for help when it’s required.

If any pesky breakouts have already made themselves at home though, don’t you worry. Simply dab them with an extra drop of the Exfoliating Cell Renewal Serum and the AHAs in the formula will have them on their way in no time.

A simple trick to do the day before

I think it goes without saying that one of the best things about Christmas is all the delicious treats. The food gets richer and more decadent, and the drinks get stronger and poured more frequently. Whilst in moderation I truly believe this is excellent for the soul, prolonged overindulgence can end up written all over our faces.

For example, sugar, dairy produce, processed foods and of course, alcohol, all increase inflammation in the body. So, if you struggle with any form of sensitivity such as breakouts, rosacea, eczema or psoriasis, it’s not uncommon to see a flareup over the festive season.

Now, I’m not going to suggest for a second that you ditch all the deliciousness this December, however a bit of balance works wonders. So, if you know you’ve got a big night out coming up, nourish and hydrate your body the day before and stock the fridge full of goodness for the morning after. You will be all set for a speedy recovery!

You could also add in a probiotic to boost the good bacteria in your gut and if you're really struggling, add an extra half a pump of Super Serum into your routine before and after those big nights. It’s 3in1 rejuvenating powers will instantly restore skin harmony and hydration.

Whatever you do, don't skip this step

With all the festive celebrations filling our diaries, it’s inevitable that you’ll be getting home a little later than usual. And I completely get it, at that late hour all you want to do is kick your shoes off and crawl into bed regardless of the full face of makeup…But I promise you, if you can give yourself just a couple of minutes to do your skincare routine and stick with the incredible habits you’ve built this year, you’ll wake up looking a whole lot fresher than you might feel!

This is why my one rule after a night out is to prioritise double cleansing. The chances are you’ll be heading to the bathroom anyway, so just perch on the edge of the bath and get this step done whilst you’re in there. Sleeping in makeup not only clogs our pores and leads to blemishes, it also traps pollution in our skin which accelerates skin ageing at a rapid rate. Thankfully, your Hot Cloth Cleanser can prevent all this damage in mere moments by effortlessly removing bacteria, dirt and impurities.

As for the rest of your Proactive Age Kit routine, my top tip is to move the products from your dressing table to your bedside table before you go out. This means once you’re done in the bathroom, you can plonk yourself in bed and apply your serums and moisturiser whilst you’re all tucked up.

These tiny tweaks allow you to maintain the brilliant habits that have transformed your skin and keep your complexion merry and bright, all the way into 2023 🥰

So, do your best to relax and embrace this festive season with peace, balance, and a large helping of self-care. You and your skin truly deserve it 💖

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead,

Amy x

Amy x

Amy is a qualified skin expert and founder of BASE. When she’s not writing about skincare, you’ll find her applying it, developing it or daydreaming about it instead!