Tis the season to be jolly! The family comes in town, parties are lined up every weekend, and all is well in your world, but suddenly you start noticing that your skin is not cooperating with you. Aside from keeping up a great winter skin care routine, there are some holiday eating & drinking tips that should not be forgotten in order to keep your skin in glowing, party-ready shape all season long.

 

The Problem: Alcohol

Alcohol is not evil, but too much of it could cause you skin problems. Drinking too much could result in dehydration of the skin and redness or inflammation in severe cases. On top of that, the air is a bit colder as well, so that doesn’t help your skin’s ability to stay moisturized-looking and bright.
The solution: To ensure that your skin stays hydrated and healthy-looking, pair your winter cocktail with a glass of water, and eat water-filled appetizers while you sip- like the vegetable crudités trays. Protect your skin by investing in a weather-proof moisturizing products like Environ’s Hydrating Oil Capsules or their newly formulated Intensive Super Moisturizer +.
 

The Problem: Sweet & Salty Foods

Bloating or water-retention happens when a person doesn’t drink enough water that day. The body goes into water-saving mode. Consuming sweet or salty foods –high in sodium- can also result in dry skin and water-retention. Eating processed or sweet foods also results in the process of glycation, where harmful molecules latch onto proteins in the body, damaging them and shortening their life. The most vulnerable? Elastin and collagen fibers, the ones that keep the skin looking elastic and firm.  A little sugar is okay, especially when it comes from fruit or brown rice, but excessive sugar intake will surely show up on the skin sooner or later.
The solution: Offset these enticing treats by limiting your intake and drinking water throughout the night. A hydrating nighttime regimen will help revive the skin after a night of festivities. Environ’s Cleansers, AVST Moisturizing Toner, one of Environ’s Vitamin A Moisturizers, and Environ’s award-winning C-Quence Eye Gel are sure to do the trick. Topical and ingested vitamins are key to keeping the skin looking great.

 

The Problem: High Glycemic Index Foods & Dairy

Foods that have a high Glycemic index score tend to increase the body’s insulin production fairy quickly. When that happens, glycation occurs (discussed above), and an inflammation response in the body is produced, which attacks elastin and collagen cells. We know that keeping insulin levels steady is important when promoting healthy-looking and healthy-functioning skin. In addition to sweet treats and sugary drinks, starches and white breads tend to increase insulin levels more than others. Dairy has also been seen to promote increased oil production, which potentially leads to more outbreaks and inflammation.
The solution: Foods like vegetables and other antioxidant-rich foods, on the other hand, are great to keeping blood-sugar levels steady and combat wrinkle-causing free radicals as well. We suggest using a gentle exfoliating masque, like Environ’s Revival Masque, a few times a week to keep skin looking bright and exfoliated.

 

The Problem: Make-Up Removal (or lack thereof)

The only thing worse than dehydrating and stressing out the skin by eating and drinking skin-sinful things is not removing your party make-up before you hit the sheets that night.
The solution: After indulging in party festivities, you have the chance to give your skin a much needed breather by cleansing, toning, and moisturizing with Vitamin A after all is said and done. That way, your skin care can do its job overnight, and the next day, you can start all over again! Environ’s Pre-cleanse Oil and AVST Hydrating Exfoliating Masque are perfect for heavy duty make-up removal and après-party detoxification.

 

Moderation Is Key

We are certainly not advising complete abstinence from all the indulgences that the holiday season provides, but only to indulge sparingly. Mindful holiday indulging will help keep both you and your skin’s sanity all season long!