Get Clear, Glowing Skin by The Holidays

The holiday season is filled with wonderful things like friends, family, joy, and gratitude...but I think we can all agree that it's also filled with some feelings of overwhelm and stress, which can spell disaster for the skin. 

Clear, beautiful skin during the holiday season is absolutely attainable with a few tips, tricks, and getting the timing right. Keep reading so your skin will be  ready and glowing for all of those holiday photos you're going to be in this year! 

Understanding Breakouts 

I always tell my clients that it takes 90 days to clear the skin, and the timeframe I share isn't arbitrary. 

Acne takes up to 90 days to form, and it all starts with the pores. 

Each pore contains an oil gland and a sweat gland. These glands release oil (or sebum) in order to lubricate the skin, and release sweat in order to help us regulate our body temperature. Pores have a self-cleaning process that they do. 

The lining of our pores is made up of skin cells, and, like the skin on our bodies, they shed dead skin cells daily. A normal functioning pore will shed one layer of dead skin cells each day, and then the skin's self cleaning process takes over. 

This is what happens in pores that are functioning normally and correctly, and the skin stays breakout and blemish-free. 

Acne is caused by genetically defective pores. When you're acne-prone, you received a gene that was passed down that causes your pores to malfunction. Instead of shedding one layer of dead skin cells a day, pores with this "acne gene" will shed multiple layers of dead skin cells every day. The dead skin cells then pile up and are so heavy that the oil and sweat are not able to flush out of your pores, ultimately causing acne. 

You can read all about that process, and what causes acne here. 

There are also many factors that can exacerbate acne-prone skin. 

One reason of the many reasons is the ingredients in products that you have used. There are two reasons why an ingredient might wreak havoc on your skin: Comedogenic Ingredients and/or Acnegenic Ingredients. 

You can click here to read a more in depth article I wrote on about them, but I'll also give a quick summary here. 

In short, Comedogenic ingredients create clogs in the pores. This sets forth an entire (invisible to the naked eye) process that eventually will turn into a breakout. If you use a Comedogenic ingredient today, you can expect a breakout to occur in a week or even a month later.

Comedogenic ingredients are the reason that most people feel they are in a never ending cycle of their skin clearing up, then breaking out, over and over again. 

it takes my products 90 days to clear the skin. If you used a Comedogenic ingredient the day before you started your custom skincare routine, you'll likely see that breakout occur in the course of your skincare routine, weeks later. If you use Comedogenic ingredients while using my skincare products, it will affect your results.

Acnegenic ingredients, on the other hand, have a more instant effect on the skin. You'll likely see a breakout that day or the next day using an Acnegenic ingredient. 

Emme Tip: Make sure your makeup and other facial products do not contain Comedogenic or Acnegenic ingredients by reviewing my Pore Clogging Ingredients List. It may also be helpful to review my Acne Safe Makeup List. 

How to Get Clear, Glowing Skin by the Holidays 

1. Start Your Skincare Routine 90 Days Before

First and foremost, start with my free consultation. if you want clear and glowing skin by the holidays, it's essential that you start with the consult. That way, we can get you dialed into a routine customized entirely for you.

2. Focus on Moisture

Snowy landscapes and hot cocoa by the fire - winter is a dreamy time of year...but it's also dry. The cold, dry winter air can quickly dry out our skin, so it's important that we are on our moisturizer-game throughout. Make sure you're using your humectants (like our Skin Quencher Gel), followed by a rich Moisturizer (like our HydraLuxe Cream) as directed by your customized skincare routine. 

3. Exfoliate

In the winter months, a little extra exfoliating can really help your glow (heck, it can year round). Our Skin Smoothing Polish is gentle enough to use daily, after cleansing your face. You can do this any time of the year, but adding it as a daily part of your skincare routine, particularly during the dry winter months, can help you keep your glow going for all of those holiday selfies. As part of your daily routine, Skin Smoothing Polish gently buffs away dead skin, revealing radiant, bright, glowing skin underneath!

4. Use a Weekly Face Mask

Using a nourishing face mask, weekly, will reap lots of benefits for your skin. In the winter, you want to opt for a mask depending on your skin's needs. If you are wanting an instant glow, our Pumpkin Enzyme Mask is a great option. If you're noticing clogged pores, our Sulfur Refining Mask will help. If your skin is dry, try the Cucumber Cooling Mask. If you're face mask savvy or want to try something new in your skincare routine, I recommend reading my blog post on multi-masking! 

5. Hydrate! 

Hydration is important in general, but it truly is a fountain of youth when it comes to the skin, especially in dry seasons and climates. Not only is winter dry, but there tend to be a lot more get-togethers, social outings, and parties - which means you may also be consuming more caffeine and alcohol. A dehydrated body shows up on the face, right on your skin. Make sure you remember to hydrate every day. Try to drink your body weight in ounces (example: 130lbs = 130oz of water). 

6. De-Stress

It isn't a myth that stress can impacts the skin! Keep your skin happy, healthy, and glowing by taking time to de-stress during the holiday season. The hustle and bustle of the holidays is so much fun, but the traffic, social activities, and business of the season can leave us all a little more stressed than usual. 

Take the time to do things that feel relaxing to you. That doesn't mean it's yoga or mediation (though it is, for some). Running may be relaxing to you, or having a movie night with your partner. Remember to take some you time - for your skincare, but then for your overall wellbeing. 

What questions do you have? I'm here to answer them. Reach out to me at any time at emme@emmediane.com. 

xo, Emme