A+ Tips to Help Keep Skin Fresh and Clear for the Holidays

Sponsor Content Created With Almay

We’ve been down this road before. The holidays sneak up on us, our calendars begin to fill up, and before we know it, we’re schmoozing at parties every night, eating all sorts of sweets, downing fancy drinks, and leaving ourselves hardly any time to catch our breath—let alone take care of our skin. It’s a surefire recipe for disaster. But surprisingly, our bad behavior isn't the only thing causing flare-ups this time of year.

“A lot of it has to do with stress,” explains dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. “Rushing to finish everything before the office closes, coordinating family dinners, arranging travel—all of this has your cortisol levels reaching new heights, on top of seasonal weather changes that already have your skin on edge.” And with that wisdom, we knew we needed an arsenal of tricks (and products) to combat all the terrible things that can happen to our skin over the holidays.

To avoid ill-timed breakouts, we sought out advice from dermatologists, makeup artists, and nutritionists. To start, clean out any old makeup and swap in new picks, like our favorites from Almay.

Clean Your Makeup Brushes Weekly 

Stop Touching Your Face

Whether you’re flying or driving, take note of where you’re putting your hands (and face). “When you touch different surfaces and then touch your face, you spread bacteria, and this leads to breakouts,” says Lolis. So be cautious: Avoid resting your face directly on an airplane seat. Clean trays and armrests with an anti-bacterial towelette, and wash your hands after touching public surfaces, Engelman advises.

Cover Your Bases (Lightly)

Keep a Stash of Healthy Travel Snacks

When you’re especially busy, Amy Shapiro, CDN, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, suggests keeping a “travel bag” of healthy items on hand. This will aid you in making more mindful eating decisions on the go (instead of going straight for the gingerbread cookies). Some of her go-to items include apple cider vinegar shots, single packets of nut butter, oatmeal, nuts, and chia shots. Whenever you can, try and eliminate sugar and salt—this will help keep your skin looking bright and clear.

Drink Water All Day (Every Day)

Even When You’re Tired, Remove Makeup

Tell us: When you’re stressed out, how do you keep your skin looking fresh? Shop more good-for-you picks from Almay.

Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.

Group Executive Director, Branded Content and Beauty

Caitie Schlisserman is an L.A.-based executive director with over a decade of branded content and editorial experience. She joined Who What Wear in 2014 as the first branded content editor and has worked her way up to overseeing a team of talented branded content editors and the beauty department of the media revenue team. Before Who What Wear, Caitie helped launch FabFitFun's first subscription box and worked at a beauty startup where she assisted in successfully launching the editorial department.