Party season skincare survival guide: How to deal with common problems
The festive season is a perfect storm for skin issues.
At a time when you want to look your best, a variety of internal and external factors can, if you're not careful, cause complexion chaos.
"During party season skin can become quite parched because of winter weather, drinking alcohol, eating unhealthy food," says head of beauty Yung Nguyen.
"And if you're wearing heavier make-up than usual when going to parties your pores can get more clogged up."
While it's wonderful to celebrate with friends and family, all those jolly holiday gatherings in a short space of time can take their toll, especially if you're having more late nights than usual.
"When the weather is colder, sometimes people don't drink as much water as they should because they want hot drinks," says barber and men's grooming expert Hayley Kemm. "That can lead to puffiness or dry skin."
But with just a few tweaks you can tailor your winter skincare routine, Yung says: "By following our advice and the products we recommend you'll be fresh and ready for the party!"
Here, the salon's resident skincare experts talk through some key party season skin concerns and what to do about them…
Dry skin
To prevent your complexion from becoming dehydrated and flaky in winter, it's best to follow a simple but effective daily skincare routine.
"I recommend SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser for wintertime because it doesn't strip the moisture from the skin," Yung says, followed by SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Serum in the morning and, "a thicker moisturiser than you would use in summer, such as Eminence Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream or Decree Peptide Emollient Veil Moisturiser, to protect the skin barrier."
Just because the weather is dreary doesn't mean you can skip the sunscreen, Hayley says: "You should wear SPF every day all year round, because it's just not about the sun. UV rays can still cause skin ageing even when it's cloudy."
In the evening, after cleansing, switch up your serum for one with more penetrating active ingredients.
"When you're asleep your skin repairs itself, so when you use the right ingredients, like antioxidants, they will get to work overnight," Yung explains.
"SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator is a bi-fuctional serum that resurfaces the skin. It also helps with hydration thanks to hyaluronic acid and kombucha, which is a fermented tea. You could also opt for the SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 renewing serum that helps to support cell turnover and brighten the skin or Eminence Citrus and Potent Kale C&E."
Once a week, or when you're getting ready for a festive social event, add a nourishing face mask into your routine, Hayley recommends: "Apply the mask then set a time for 10 or 15 minutes, depending on the mask instructions - you don't want to leave it on too long."
If your complexion is prone to redness or dryness during winter, opt for the SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque, whereas if you want to prevent or treat blemishes the SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque is your best bet.
If you prefer a sheet mask, try the Decree SOS Revitalising Face Mask, Hayley says: "This is a great one for pre-party skin. It's a rose-infused treatment mask with lots of hydrating actives to boost luminosity and hydration, and reduce redness."
Blemishes and breakouts
As well as your skincare routine, what you consume at Christmas can impact your complexion too.
"Food is a big factor during party season because people will be indulging in rich, processed or fatty foods," Yung says. "This can cause acne breakouts, and a lot of people get spots if they eat too much sugary food or drinks."
Thorough cleansing morning and evening is key for preventing and treating spots.
"If you wake up with a breakout, start by using the SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Cleansing Gel, which targets spots," says Hayley. "And make sure to remove your make-up properly at night so that it doesn't clog your pores up."
If you've been wearing make-up, Yung recommends double cleansing at night to ensure you've removed every last trace.
"This helps to deep cleanse the skin better," she says. "You simply take one or two pumps of SkinCeuticals Soothing Cleanser and massage it onto your face, rinse, then do it a second time."
Follow with SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense treatment, which contains high-strength salicylic acid, a chemical exfoliant that prevents spots by clearing dead skin cells out of pores.
For thorough physical exfoliation, Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant Exfoliating Powder, when mixed with water, sloughs away dead skin cells to leave a brighter complexion.
Sleep-deprived skin
As well as bringing an influx of festive invites, the end of the year can be a busy period at work for many, meaning you're burning the candle at both ends.
"With a lack of sleep you might see an increase in fine lines and dark circles under your eyes," Yung says.
She recommends SkinCeuticals cult classic C E Ferulic serum to counteract the effects of late nights: "Used daily after cleansing, it helps to brighten the skin, reduce fine lines and firm the skin. And for your eyes, A.G.E Advanced eye cream helps to tackle dark circles and puffiness. Just dab it gently around the eyes."
Eminence Marine Flower Peptide Eye Cream is also excellent for targeting fine lines and wrinkles with its blend of plant peptides and algae extracts.
To hydrate from the inside, Yung's beauty secret is drinking lots of warm water with lemon, and she's got a brilliant trick for perking up a tired complexion: "Add a few drops of SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 serum to your foundation to make it more dewy. I do that sometimes."
Dry lips
"We all get dry lips in winter because of the dehydrating cold weather, and if you lick your lips it can cause them to crack," Hayley says. "Oway does a really good Lip & Beard Salve so that's a double whammy for guys."
If your pout is looking parched and rough, slough off dead skin cells with SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub.
"When you exfoliate your skin you can exfoliate your lips as well with a scrub," Yung says.
"Only do this once a week though because if you overdo it it can be very drying. Then apply SkinCeuticals AOX Lip Complex which contains antioxidants and vitamin E."
SOS skincare
Freezing weather, indulgent food, festive tipples and a lack of sleep can be detrimental for your skin during party season, causing dryness, breakouts, dark circles and finelines. But by maintaining a consistent skincare routine you can prevent major problems.
Cleanse thoroughly, apply an effective serum and hydrate with a winter-proof moisturiser to keep your complexion looking party-ready - and don't forget your sunscreen.
Want to get glam for a big Christmas bash? Book a hair-up appointment or festive manicure at Paul Edmonds London.
