Park’s Holiday Skin Survival Guide
Seasonal tips and tricks from your favourite skin clinic on Ossington!
Holiday party season is here, which means a lack of sleep, a little bit of stress, and a few (or more than a few) festive cocktails. At Park, we know what that means for your skin so we’ve prepared a holiday survival guide to keep your skin happy, healthy and glowing… no matter how many parties you have to go to!
THE MORE YOU KNOW:
One of the best ways to survive the holiday season is by being informed. So, let’s start with how alcohol affects our skin and spoiler alert: it really doesn’t do us any favours.
Alcohol's impact on our body is quite multifaceted. Not only does it interfere with the antidiuretic hormone, which helps the body retain fluids, but it also increases how much your body flushes out liquids. This causes major dehydration, which can make your skin appear less plump and make any fine lines more visible. Alcohol can also amplify inflammation, which can cause acne or rosacea flare ups. And finally, if you’ve ever wondered why your eyes look puffy and red after a night of drinking, you can thank alcohol’s tendency to dilate our blood vessels.
Alright now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about what’s really important: tips to keep your skin merry and bright after one too many rum and eggnogs.
THE PREGAME:
The key is hydration, hydration, hydration. Are you really surprised?
Keeping yourself hydrated before a big holiday party is the best way to prevent dehydration and to improve your skin’s overall health. A good rule of thumb is to drink between 72 and 104 ounces of water daily. An easy trick to make this happen? Carry a water bottle with you so that you can easily sip, refill and track your intake.
Another great way to set you (and your skin) up for success this holiday season is by keeping your gut health strong. Trust us, this is not the time of year where you want to skip your pre/probiotics as they can help fight unexpected breakouts and post-party bloating.
Now, depending on how much time you have before the party, it never hurts to schedule a facial if you can fit it in! At Park, our 60-minute facials combine medical grade technology with serum infusions to purify your skin, eliminate dead cells, and create a more hydrated look and feel that lasts. In a rush? Our mini facial can have you in and out in just 30 minutes, talk about a holiday miracle!
THE PARTY:
Once you’re at the holiday party, don’t think we’re giving up on our water just yet! Staying hydrated while you’re drinking is just as important as the prep you did throughout the day. A good tip is to alternate your drinks with water because who really needs three espresso martinis in a row, right… right?
Another great way to give your skin a boost throughout the night is by keeping a hydrating mist handy. We adore the SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Essence Mist because not only does it smell incredible but it’s a powerful way to lock in moisture and reduce redness anywhere, anytime, even over makeup!
Our final words of advice for the party: be on the lookout for bites that have antioxidant potential like berries, bell peppers, nuts and seeds. These can help clear out any excess toxins while sipping and let’s be honest… we’ll need all the help we can get.
THE AFTER PARTY:
It can be so tempting to flop into bed after a party but if there’s one thing you take away from this, please let it be to remove your makeup before going to sleep! Makeup removal is key when it comes to helping your skin to breathe, restore, and renew itself overnight.
Once your makeup is off, use a gentle cleanser like SkinCeuticals Simply Clean followed by a high-quality exfoliant like the Zo Exfoliating Polish to remove any excess buildup that you might have from heavy makeup and sweat.
Finally, treat your skin to a nourishing moisturizer that won’t leave behind any greasy residue. We love the SkinCeuticals Daily Moisture for this. And a little extra skincare does go a long way so if you find yourself struggling with dryness and redness this season, we’d also suggest finishing off your skincare with a calming gel like the SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel.
THE RECOVERY:
Once the party is over, it takes about 3 days for your system to rid itself of the toxins it absorbed from alcohol. It might be tempting to reach for unlimited amounts of coffee during this recovery period but try swapping it out for beverages that are rich in nutrients and minerals like a bone broth or a green juice.
And after putting your skin through the holidays, we always recommend an effective at-home treatment like The Phyto Corrective Masque from SkinCeuticals. This mask contains botanical extracts and a calming dipeptide that nourishes the skin while also soothing temporary skin reactivity from alcohol or lack of sleep.
So this holiday season, we hope that you eat well, drink up, and keep these tips in mind so that you can enjoy your time with friends and family! And on behalf of the entire team at Park, we wish you a joyful, restful, and happy holiday. See you in the new year!
