Holiday Season Beauty Tips

Look and feel your best over the festive period

With the end of year upon us, life does seem to get super busy, so try not to neglect your skin. Entering into the colder months, your skin not only has to deal with freezing temperatures outside, but it also has to adjust to central heating indoors too. This can lead to dry skin, so it is important to adjust your beauty regime accordingly.

 

Skincare

-Firstly I recommend adding in a serum for extra hydration, if you are not already doing so. My own Renew Serum is anti-inflammatory and suitable for sensitive, dry skin. Added to a moisturiser or foundation, it will nourish your skin and make it glow.

https://www.drrabiamalik.com/collections/serums/products/dr-rabia-malik-skincare-london-renew

-Another great tip for extra hydration, especially if you are flying a lot, is face masks. I personally love the Cosmedix Rescue+; an excellent overnight mask treatment, supercharged with anti-inflammatories and antioxidants that immediately calm the skin and helps to accelerate the skin healing process.

https://www.drrabiamalik.com/collections/masks/products/cosmedix-rescue-balm-50g-

-Lastly, one thing you really must not rule out, and is often overlooked in winter, is using an SPF. While we may not see much sun these days, it is still imperative to keep applying your SPF. Yes, even in winter you can get sun damage – don’t forget, UVA comes through the clouds and glass.

 

Diet

Great skincare goes a long way, but diet plays a crucial role in the appearance of your skin. The skin is the last organ in the body to receive nutrition, so eating right is essential if you want a glowing complexion. The festive period is particularly difficult for our skin - we are exposed to more sugar and alcohol than any other holiday.

-Start by taking a probiotic to promote good gut health. Digestion involves a lot of stomach acid to break down food, and because of this, less of the good bacteria is likely to survive. Symprove Probiotic Supplement is water-based and packed with live, active bacteria. Because Symprove is water-based, it doesn’t trigger digestion and it also tastes delicious. If you prefer capsules, bio-kult is another good option (available from Boots or online).

https://www.symprove.com

-To avoid dehydration, be aware of how much alcohol you drink. Try alternating one glass of alcohol with a glass of water.

-Juice. Juicing your fruit and vegetables is a quick and easy way to get an instant hit of nutrients to the body. If you don’t have time for juicing in the week, I recommend Huel. Huel is a nutritionally complete food that comes in powder form, it’s vegan, lactose-free, soya-free and GMO-Free. Simply add it to water or a nut based milk and deliver the correct amount of protein, essential fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals the body needs per meal. 

https://uk.huel.com

-Excessive sugar is really hard on the pancreas and should be avoided. But if you have a sweet tooth, opt for a low glycemic snack that is high in protein. This will help with sugar spikes and crashes. I personally like Trek bars and some of the Deliciously Ella Protein Balls - both of which are Vegan and Gluten-Free. These plant-based protein bars have the right amount of sweetness to kick any sugar craving and deliver sustained energy. You can find both products in most supermarkets and health food stores.

 

Exercise

With so few daylight hours, fitting in a regular exercise programme is difficult. But exercise is great for digestion and therefore your skin, too. If you struggle with motivation, try using an App at home or in the gym.

-Aaptiv and Nike Training Club are all great apps to help motivate you, whether you want a hard or gentle work out.

-Yoga is great for the body and mind. Scheduling in 15 minutes of stretching everyday will improve circulation and stiffness. If you want to do yoga at home, Yoga by Adrien on YouTube is really great.

https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

 

Mindfulness

As well as exercise, meditation is also a great form of self care when heading into a new year. It is proven to reduce stress, control anxiety, promote emotional health and enhance self awareness. You can fit in meditation even if you only have short periods of time - as little as 10 minutes a day will still reap the benefits.

-Bliss More is a fantastic book to help ease you into meditation without overthinking it and you can find it online on amazon

-Headspace App - possibly the most popular mediation app on the market, has some super mindfulness exercises and guided meditations.

-Insight Timer App - it’s guided mediation, you can time yourself and they offer mindfulness courses

- Try heading into the New Year with a Daily Greatness Journal, it will inspire and help you stick to eating well, exercising and creating an overall positive mindset.

https://dailygreatness.co.uk/products/dailygreatness-wellness-journal-a-holistic-guide-for-health-wellness-vitality?variant=12159961497675