5 Worst Holiday Skincare Sins You Could Possibly Commit

A consistent regimen is key to achieving your best skin. But we aren’t perfect – especially around the holidays when festive get togethers can throw your everyday routine out of whack. Sometimes this means exasperated stress levels, falling asleep in your makeup, or one too many sugar cookies which manifests as dull, inflamed skin with breakouts. But don’t turn into a grinch – we got you covered on skincare mishaps to avoid and how to get your skin back on track if you do! 

You picked a pimple

It’s minutes before you need to be out the door and even though every dermatologist told you not to… you popped a pimple. Popping a pimple bursts the skin barrier pushing bacteria further into your skin, putting pressure on the lining wall of your pore, and triggering an inflammatory immune response leaving you with an angry and raised open sore. 

Instead, try red and blue LED light therapy to calm active pimples and flatten their appearance. Red LED helps to reduce redness and inflammation. Blue LED light kills acne-causing bacteria by causing them to self-implode, targeting existing acne and preventing new blemishes from forming. We like the DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro.

You didn’t wash your face

The party runs late, and you have zero interest in splashing your face with water before climbing into bed. Makeup, sweat, and bacteria mix on your pillowcase and you wake up feeling something brewing under the surface. Cleansing is an important step in the skincare process to ensure you have a healthy protective shield against pathogens and harmful bacteria. 

Thankfully, you can easily remove makeup, dirt, oil, and debris without even needing water. Melting balms breakdown stubborn makeup and oils without stripping your skin of its natural and healthy moisturizing oils. The gentle Hyaluronic Marine Meltaway Cleanser removes impurities for a clean, fresh face while leaving the skin feeling soothed and hydrated all without needing to be rinsed away. Simply wipe away without risk of dryness or irritation. 

You took a hot shower

It’s freezing outside so you turn on the shower to a hot, steamy temperature. While water is a natural cleanser that washes away impurities and dirt, hot water strips skin of its natural moisturizing oils, drying skin out. Without moisture, our skin cells cannot function properly resulting in dry, lackluster skin. 

Switch the dial to warm. Take advantage of the moments after your shower to boost your skin’s moisture content. Applying a moisturizer or Alpha Beta® Exfoliating Body Treatment immediately after a shower on damp skin will help drive H2O deeper into the skin. The steam will soften the skin and improve hydration simultaneously. 

You didn’t drink enough water

You had a blast at your company office party, which means a few too many glasses of eggnog and all the holiday cookies. The combination of too much alcohol, sugar, and less water can cause dehydration resulting in your non-vital organs, like your skin, to becoming less of a priority for the important repair and recovery processes. Add a night of disrupted sleep to the mix, and your skin can go from glowy to dull overnight. 

Let this be your friendly public service reminder to drink H2O. Between hot apple cider and eggnog, make sure you include water in your holiday beverage rotation. Water is crucial for our body to function, and it has great benefits for your skin too. Water helps keep your skin hydrated from the inside out by delivering vital nutrients and removing wastes and toxins. Add the Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel to the mix to remove dead, dull skin cells lurking on the surface and reveal healthy, young-looking skin. The 2nd step in this 2-step peel delivers calming and soothing ingredients to repair and stimulate collagen production. Think of a refreshing cocktail, but double shot!

You put away your SPF 

It’s your annual family ski trip and you forgot your SPF. A day on the slopes with no protection means your face is giving more Santa’s suit than winter ice queen. On top of a sunburn, you know UVA and UVB rays break down your skin’s collagen structure, the key to vibrant, healthy skin. These rays are a threat to healthy skin every day – no matter rain, snow, or sunshine.

All-physical broad-spectrum sunscreen protects our skin from these harmful UVA and UVB rays by creating a shield, preventing damage from occurring in the first place. For optimal results, combine All-Physical Lightweight Wrinkle Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 PA+++ with daily topical vitamin C to visibly reduce stubborn sun spots, smooth wrinkles, and fortify the moisture barrier. Vitamin C Lactic 15% Vitamin C Firm & Bright Serum is clinically proven to reduce hyperpigmentation and visibly improve skin firmness. Keep SPF and vitamin C front and center as you head into the new year!

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