Okay. I know. It seems a bit early to hear that word. Gulp. Holidays. Hard to believe that autumn is here and Halloween is just weeks away and the holiday season will begin. Delicious food, fun time with friends and family, travel and parties - don’t forget the presents!
It’s a time of fun and celebration, but can also come with stress as we try to fit more activities into already full schedules. What none of us want to see is the effects of that stress on our skin, and in the photos.
Never fear! Starting now to take extra care of your skin can keep that vibrant glow through every party, event, vacation, and photograph.
The first step to keeping skin beautiful is to get it to a good starting point. While we do not have drastic autumn weather and humidity changes in Honolulu that affect your skin and your skin care routine the way they do on the mainland, it still takes time for our skin to heal, treatments to work, and vitamins to work, so the beginning of fall is a good time to get started.
First, let’s take an honest look at what you’re putting on your skin every day. Start with these questions:
- Are my products working or am I just following habit with what I am using?
- What are my main skin care concerns? Aging? Hyperpigmentation? Sensitivity? Acne? Rosacea?
- Do the products I’m using address my personal concerns?
- Am I remembering to do the “extras” beyond cleansing, toning and moisturizing every day? When was the last time I took extra care of my skin with a mask or treatment?
- Do I feel good about where my skin is at?
Once you have answered these questions, particularly identifying what your main concerns are, the next step is to say, 1) “YAY!! My skin looks awesome and my skin care is working!” or 2) “Umm… I think I need to re-evaluate my skin care routine because my skin is not where I want it to be” or 3) “I am mostly happy with my skin, but I have a few things that I want to address.”
Whether you are in Group One, Two, or Three, once you have your starting point, it’s time to talk to an esthetician and get a professional’s help choosing products and pampering your skin with a treatment that is personalized for your skin. We talk to many clients who are trying to recover from choosing the wrong products for their skin, in addition to sun damage, acne, and aging concerns. This is one of the reasons we offer a 30 minute free consultation to our new clients, to go over what has worked, what hasn’t, and explore a skin history and set some goals.
Group One
Yes, even Group One may want to schedule some extra TLC for their skin during the holidays. The stress of the holidays can disrupt even the most beautiful skin, if you’re not proactive! You may be happy with your skin, but you know your body’s reaction to stress, climate changes during travel, yummy foods we indulge in. A few things to consider. Here are some tips.
- Schedule a periodic facial to make sure that your skin is remaining properly protected and hydrated. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! (And, hey, a little bit of pampering during the holidays is always a welcome treat!)
- Identify what has disrupted your skin in the past – stress, food, lack of hydration – and get proactive about circumventing their disruptions this year.
- Find out what climate changes you will be faced with if you plan to travel. We often joke about Las Vegas being another Hawaiian Island – if it is, it’s certainly the driest! Preparing ahead of time that you need to amp up your serum and moisturizer or your destination includes parties where you plan to wear heavier makeup and therefore deeper cleansing than normal can keep your skin glowing through the entire holiday season! Don’t forget to pick up the Serum Infusion Mask to keep skin hydrated on the plane!
Group Two
Don’t despair! There is time and there is always hope for beautiful skin. This is an important time to call for help, rather than using the trial and error method. So many products make claims of glorious results, but those claims are not true for every user. At Pure Skin by Maggie, we firmly believe that each client’s skin is unique, with unique needs and a unique treatment plan. Your skin does not belong in a box!
- Identify what your concerns are with your skin. Bring those to your esthetician and create a plan together to achieve the results you desire. A combination of facials and treatments along with products that support those goals at home will bring you closer to your ideal skin much faster than you expect.
- Know your body! Our skin is an integral part of our body’s detoxifying process. And sometimes, it’s the part that gives us the neon blinking signs that something is wrong. Listen to what it is trying to say. We have seen clients listen to their body and discover that they had a hormone imbalance causing their skin issues or a simple food allergy. What we put in our bodies is just as important as what we put on them. A few dietary and lifestyle adjustments along with healing supplements like our Pure Skin Capsules can bring you that much closer to glowing skin.
- Think through your holiday plans. What can you be pro-active about? If you are traveling, knowing where you are going and how it can affect your skin. If you’re autumn explorations help you identify a food or lifestyle concern, how can you adapt your plans to ensure that you stay healthy?
Group Three
Congratulations! Your skin care routine is working, it just needs some fine tuning. This is the perfect time to call in some help and take your skin that step or two farther.
- Schedule some “you” time – if you don’t make the time, life will take over. Talk to your esthetician about your skin dreams and make them a priority, both at the spa and at home. Now is the time to do this, because while they may seem minor now, time, weather, and environment are not our friends.
- Recognize factors that have prevented you hitting your skin goals and counteract them. We speak to many clients who express that the hardest thing is finding the time to take care of their body, including their skin. Others express a lack of knowledge or the right products. Whatever it is, if you are aware, they cannot hold you back!
- Plan ahead for your holidays! Travel, parties, being busy. Fine tuning doesn’t necessarily mean perfect skin overnight. Work with your esthetician to stay on track.
For all of our clients, we know that stress is just part of life, particularly this coming holiday season. Take care of yourself!
- Eat good food
- Drink plenty of water
- Plan time to rest
- Make time to exercise
- Practice saying “No” when needed
And above all, enjoy this festive time with family and friends! We wish you a glowing, beautiful holiday season!
