Taking care of your skin During Party Season
With over two decades of experience, our columnist, Katie Hughes-Dawkins is a highly respected figure in the aesthetic industry, known for her technical expertise and strategic leadership. From her beginnings as a dental nurse and aesthetic practitioner, running a chain of skin clinics, to becoming a dynamic sales leader, Katie has consistently driven business growth and elevated brand profiles on a global scale. Leveraging her extensive industry knowledge and global connections, she helps brands and clinics achieve remarkable success. A sought-after industry contributor, Katie brings her deep understanding of skin health, clinic operations, and the latest aesthetic industry trends to the forefront.
Now the festive season is in full swing, and our social calendars fill with Christmas parties, work events, and gatherings with loved ones, it can be easy to forget about our skins needs. Whilst it’s a time for celebration, indulgence, and glam makeup, it’s also the time when our skin can be at its most vulnerable. The stress of rushing around for gifts, late nights, and the temptation to crash into bed without cleansing can wreak havoc on your skin barrier. Another factor to consider is the increased central heating and lack of fresh air due to the winter weather. The worst thing you can do at this time of year is skipping your nighttime skincare routine, especially leaving makeup on, which can lead to dull, congested, and irritated skin, just when you want to look your best.
The Problem Behind Sleeping in your Makeup
When you sleep, your skin goes into repair mode, working hard whilst you rest to regenerate and renew cells. Leaving makeup on overnight creates a barrier that traps dirt, oil, and environmental pollutants on your skin. This clogs pores, leading to breakouts, blackheads, and dullness. Even worse, it prevents your skin from properly absorbing the nourishing ingredients in your skincare products. It can also lead to dryness and irritation.
Additionally, makeup can trap free radicals from pollution on your skin, which can accelerate premature aging. Over time, this can break down collagen and elastin, leading to fine lines and a loss of elasticity.For this reason you can see that sleeping in your makeup isn’t just a one-night offense, it can have long-term consequences.
Why Your Skin Might be More at Risk During Party Season
The Christmas season can be a recipe for stressing out our skin if we don’t take due care. The late nights, festive drinks, sugary treats, and heavier makeup application, your skin is constantly battling external aggressors. Alcohol and indulgent foods can dehydrate your skin and disrupt its natural balance, while stress and lack of sleep can weaken its protective barrier, making it more prone to irritation and redness.
When you add the extra layers of foundation, glittery eyeshadow, and long-wear lipstick that are staples of party season, your skin is working overtime to keep itself healthy. Without proper cleansing, these factors combine to dull your complexion and make breakouts more likely.
The Importance of Cleansing for Healthy, Glowing Skin
A thorough cleanse at the end of the day is the most important part of any skincare routine. It is best to start with a gentle cream cleanser to remove make up or a cleansing balm to break down stubborn products. Oil cleansers are also good for removing stubborn make up. My personal favourite is iS Clinical’s Cream Cleanser, which is gentle enough to remove eye makeup up, but powerful enough to dissolve layers of foundation and powder. Removed with a clean face cloth or muslin, I then follow with a second cleanse which contains gentle exfoliating ingredients or a balancing cleanser to ensure every trace of makeup, dirt, and oil is gone. This double-cleansing method not only keeps your skin clear but also preps it for the active ingredients in serums and moisturisers to work more effectively overnight.
Ramping Up Your Skincare Routine at Christmas
To combat the added stresses of the season, consider adding feeding and restorative products to your regime, particularly your nighttime routine. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid to hydrate and niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier.
I enjoy layering my products in the evening, because this is when I know my skin will get the most out of the ingredients I apply. My favourite layering technique is to use a potent serum, a powerful vitamin A (retinol) and then sandwich it all in with a rich anti ageing moisturiser. My favourite of the moment is Youth Intensive Crème by iS Clinical. Expensive, but so worth it!
During the day, using antioxidants like vitamin C to fight free radicals is a must! And of course, our year round spf application.
I advise exfoliating gently once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells and keep your complexion glowing. When exfoliating, take care not to over exfoliate, particularly with mechanical exfoliators which have granular beads to slough off dead skin, as opposed to the more gentle chemical exfoliation which can use things like fruit enzymes or sugar extract to create the same effect.
What else do experts recommend
Personally I love nothing more than my evening skincare routine. I see it as my time to wash away the day and wind down before going to sleep.
Another game-changing tip I advise is using a high quality sleep mask. I was recently gifted a Drowsy sleep mask which has completely transformed my eye area (and my sleep). The beautiful silk mask ensures all of my eye products stay put and also stops me waking with sleep lines. It has honestly been one of the best things I’ve added to my routine.
In addition to my skincare and eye mask, I drink either a large glass of water or a nighttime tea before bed. This makes sure I’m hydrated throughout the night and provides that additional hydration for my skin.
Prioritising your skincare routine and treating your skin with a little extra TLC during the holidays means you will be rewarded with a healthy, radiant complexion that carries you through the festivities and into the new year.
And remember, when you go to reach for those dreaded face wipes or fall into bed without removing your make up, just think, great skin doesn’t just happen, it’s a result of consistent effort and self-care.
