December means a diary packed with nights out but all that socialising can take its toll on your skin, so if your morning-after face is telling tales about the night before here’s why, and, crucially, how to fix your festive skin—frustrations . . .
RUDOLPH REDNESS
The combination of hot weather and wind can damage the skin barrier, making it prone to soreness and redness at this time of year.
Add in a few drinks and you’re really asking for trouble.
“If you get skin conditions such as rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis, alcohol can cause these to flare,” says consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne.
“But even if you usually have healthy skin, alcohol is a vasodilator (it causes blood vessels to get bigger) which can lead to redness.”
The fix: Dr Craythorne advises her rosacea patients to keep small ice packs in the freezer (like those used in lunchboxes) and apply them to the back of the neck to help cool a flare and reduce redness.
For immediate camouflage, look for a green-tinted concealer that will neutralise the red like Stila One Step Correct or INNOXA Cover & Correct Cream Concealer Face Palette 1 Kit.
BAUBLE BREAKOUT
If you find a sugar binge or a few nights out eating deep-fried canapes gives you pimples, you’re far from alone.
“One study has shown a correlation between eating fried foods — which may contribute to blocking some structures in the skin — and acne flares,’ says Dr Craythorne.
“However, it’s more likely that late nights mean you haven’t been as rigorous as usual with your skincare regime. Not cleansing as thoroughly as you normally do can contribute to dull and spotty skin.”
The fix: Mecca has a range of pre & probiotic moisturisers with healthy bacteria designed to support your skin’s microbiome and help stave off spots.
If pimples do breakthrough, there’s NIP+FAB Salicylic Fix Spot Patches 30 Pack tiny stickers that help draw the gunk out of any blemishes and accelerate healing.
Or try The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2 per cent Solution 30 mL.
SNOWMAN FACE
If you’ve woken up with a pasty, puffy face, you can thank any number of things — too much salt causes water retention (all those chips and nuts you scoffed), to the lack of sleep and one too many eggnogs.
“Alcohol can cause inflammation,” explains Dr Craythorne. “And when the skin is inflamed, the lymphatic channels which are responsible for clearing waste products also get inflamed and blocked, and don’t clear the fluids in the same way.”
The fix: Lymphatic facial massage or lymphatic drainage is your friend. It’s a manual technique that helps to clear the blocked lymph channels and you can do it while applying your morning moisturiser.
You basically work from the middle of the face outwards, from the bridge of the nose along the eyebrows, from the inner corner of the eyes to the outer, from the middle of the forehead to the outer edges. YouTube is packed with videos demonstrating exactly how to do it.
“For someone who is prone to puffiness, I recommend keeping ice globes (glass or metal bulbs filled with frozen liquid) in the freezer and using them for massage. The combination of cold and massage can help to bring down puffiness,” says Dr Craythorne.
CRINKLED SKIN
It’s no coincidence you think you look older the morning after a big night out, with skin like creased wrapping paper.
“Alcohol dehydrates the body,” says Dr Craythorne. “And when skin is dehydrated, it will look more lined and wrinkled.”
The fix: Start by rehydrating with lots of water. You may also want to think about trying hydrolysed collagen in a capsule or a drink.
“I’ve not seen evidence that consuming collagen will put collagen into your skin but it does hydrate it,” says Dr Craythorne.
Also upgrade your moisturiser. Layer a hyaluronic acid serum under your moisturiser, or swap a moisturising lotion for a more heavyweight cream.
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