While Christmas is a time to relax and indulge, if you’re like us, come January you’ll wish your skin wasn’t quite so tired and dry.
A mixture of late nights, naughty food and Crimbo cocktails can leave our faces looking wan and distressed – so once the celebrations are over, we just want to get back to our best, pronto.
Need some help giving that gorgeous face of yours a New Year refresh? We’ve got you covered:
1. Drink water, loads of water
Sure, it might seem obvious, but one of the most important way to refresh post-Christmas skin is to up your H2O intake. Our skin is 64 per cent water, so we need to make sure we’re feeding it with moisture from the inside. This will reduce puffiness caused by salty foods and alcohol, and will help hydrate dry, flaky skin. And if you find it hard to drink water, pop in some mint, lemon and cucumber or alternate with caffeine-free herbal tea.
2. Sleep (as much as possible)
It’s called beauty sleep for a reason, so get your glow on by going to bed early and getting at least eight hours of quality shuteye, if possible. When you sleep, your skin stimulates growth hormones which initiate cell and tissue repair – so to make the most of this skin ‘renewal’, turning off the light early and bunking down is a must.
3. Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse
It’s incredible how many of us either miss this step or don’t do it properly, but cleansing is hugely important, preventing excessive oil production, allowing oxygen to reach your skin so it can repair at night, and ensuring a clean base so anti-aging products can get to work. The big guns are needed after Christmas, so we’re loving Irish skincare mavens Pestle & Mortar. Their Erase and Renew Double Cleansing System is packed with natural ingredients free from parabens, silicones and sulphates, helping tired, dull skin get back on track.
4. Moisturise day and night
A good moisturiser is an essential part of your post-Christmas beauty booty – so during the day opt for a lighter cream with SPF (always SPF, even in winter!) and a richer cream or oil for night-time, preferably with retinol. This wonder ingredient has been scientifically-proven to stimulate collagen and increase skin cell turnover.
5. Cut down on sugar and salt
Again, it might seem obvious, but too much sugar and salt can wreak havoc on our skin. Salt retains water, leading to puffiness – particularly around the eyes – while too much sugar can actually break down collagen, leading to dry skin and lines.
For more info on Pestle & Mortar’s Erase and Renew Double Cleansing System, as well as their super slick range of vegan skincare products (the gorgeous Superstar Retinol Night Oil is top of our wish list!) pop over to www.doublecleanse.com.
