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5 Essential Tips to Destress Holiday Skin
It's no secret that the holidays can be a stressful time – stress and the holidays often seem inseparable. While the winter season can be a magical period of togetherness, connection, and community, it is also a time when we're confronted with feelings of overstimulation, overindulgence, and commercialism. If you find that you're becoming overwhelmed as the holidays approach, it may be time to take a step back and create some much-needed space to fill your own cup so that you can be more present with your loved ones throughout the season.
Holiday stress is no joke. In fact, eight out of ten people in the United States admit to feeling increased stress and anxiety due to the expectations and social events around the winter holidays, according to a study by Sleepopolis. Stress affects all of the body's systems negatively. Stress hormones can impact your muscles, breathing, heart, gut, hormones, and skin. Increased stress can cause everything from acne breakouts to irritation and redness.
In addition to the effects of holiday stress, skin can become irritated from the changing temperatures and exposure to drier, colder climates. Whether you're spending most of your time indoors or not, you may find that your skin becomes dry, flaky, and irritated this time of year. Combined with the overindulgence in rich foods, sweets, and alcohol that you may enjoy at holiday parties, this can lead to some uncomfortable skin concerns.
One of the best ways to destress during the busy time of year is to indulge in self-care rituals and give yourself a little extra self-love. Nourishing your body, mind, and spirit will help you avoid the negative impacts of stress and help keep your skin glowing all season long here at LAB.OTANICA, we believe in balance - allow yourself to indulge a little extra while creating plenty of healthy habits to keep your skin and body nourished and healthy.
To help you support your skin this season, we've rounded up a list of our favorite skincare tips and products full of plant magic to help you move through the holiday season with glowing skin and a sense of relaxation and ease.
Nourish Yourself with Healthy Botanical Skincare to Reduce Holiday Stress
Throughout our daily lives, we're bombarded with chemicals and synthetic ingredients that can negatively impact our entire bodies, so when it comes to skincare, it's best to stick to plant-powered ingredients.
"In some Native languages, the term for plants translates to ‘those who take care of us.’" - Robin Wall Kimmerer inBraiding Sweetgrass
When you connect with the magical world of plants, you'll soon realize that they contain all the ingredients necessary to nourish our bodies and care for our skin. You can target various skincare concerns with the simple power of high-quality herbal ingredients. Choose to support your body and work in harmony with nature by opting for products that are good for you, animals, and the earth.
LAB.OTANICA uses only the highest quality natural ingredients derived from plant allies from Costa Rica and around the world. Creator, beauty vixen, and herbalist Meleesa Luna blends her ancestral knowledge from her traditional herbalist roots with a lifetime of working in the beauty industry to create nourishing plant-based skincare formulas that work wonders for everything from acne to aging. As you consider your skincare products this winter and reduce your holiday stress, choose ingredients that will care for your entire body, nourishing your skin from the inside out.
Keep Skin Hydrated
In many parts of the world, the holidays coincide with the year's coldest months. The changing climate and harsh outdoor conditions can leave skin feeling parched, flaky, and tight, and indoor conditions aren't much better as home furnaces can further dry out your skin. It's essential to keep skin hydrated during the winter, even more so than usual. Ensure you drink plenty of water and tea, and indulge your skin with rich, moisturizing, botanical skincare products.
At LAB.OTANICA, our winter facial moisturizers of choice, are our cult-favorite Alchemic Brightening Facial Oil and our B-Magic Skin Regeneration Cream. Alchemic is the perfect multi-tasking natural skincare product as it is also rich in Vitamin C - one of the most crucial ingredients to keep skin glowing in the winter and reduce the symptoms of holiday stress.
B-Magic Skin Regeneration Cream is the perfect rich moisturizer to combat dry, flaky skin. It also serves to help heal chapped lips and chafing from the winter cold. It is a "magic" skin regeneration cream that boosts hydration and locks in moisture. Sweet Almond Oil and Calendula flowers calm dry, cracked, and irritated skin, and beeswax creates a protective layer on the skin to reduce inflammation. It is known to have antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties, but it can also soothe cuts, burns, and even bug bites. The dreamy aroma blend includes lavender, rosemary, and rose geranium.
For the body, we recommend taking the time to indulge in a relaxing self-massage or trade massages with a loved one using our iconic Ceremonial Luxury Body Oil.This non-greasy, absorbable elixir deeply moisturizes with plant-based omegas, biotin, and antioxidants. Natural oils like avocado, babasu, and marula deeply moisturize the skin.
Indulge In Juicy Movement Everyday
Ensuring that you get enough exercise throughout the holiday season is a great tip for your skin and the rest of your body. We know that stress can cause uncomfortable skin care problems like acne, dryness, itchiness, and redness, and exercise helps to reduce stress and increase "happy hormones" in the body, like Serotonin, which functions as a mood stabilizer. Furthermore, working out improves the blood flow to the skin, which in turn helps slow skin cell aging.
Even during the busy holidays, try to find ways to move your body every single day. You don't have to commit to a lengthy workout if it doesn't fit into your schedule, as rushing around during the holidays can lead to even more stress. Consider practicing yoga at home before bed, going for a walk outside after meals, or dancing around the house to your favorite playlist. Get creative regarding movement, and know that your skin (and the rest of your body) will thank you for it!
Cleanse Yourself with a Simple Herbal Tea Ritual
There's no shame in indulging in some extra sweet treats during the holidays – sharing tasty recipes is part of what makes the season so magical. Even so, your body might not be used to all of the rich food and sugars, which can lead to stressed skin and breakouts. If your skin is stressed out, consider relaxing with a simple detoxifying tea recipe.
This simple detoxifying tea for radiant skin can help your body shed toxins, increase antioxidants, and boost the immune system.
Ingredients:
- 6 c water
- 1 chunk fresh ginger {approximately 5-6" in length}
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 6 fresh lemons
Add the ingredients to boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep the simmer for about 10 minutes, then strain the mixture. You can enjoy it hot or store it in a glass container in the fridge for a refreshing, cool beverage all season long.
Utilize Aromatherapy to Relax Your Body and Mind
Aromatherapy is one of the best ways to help reduce stress, especially when you're constantly busy during the holiday season. A simple ritual like lighting a scented candle can be just the thing to help relax your body and mind.
LAB. OTANICA's Trust the Journey Candle can infuse your space with relaxing scents and good energy. Use this candle every day to set an intention to keep you balanced during the festivities all winter long.
Hold this candle close, take a deep breath, and let it go. Let the first word that comes to mind be your intention. Write it down in the back, light it up, and let it shine.
Each time you carve out a few moments in your day for self-care and self-love, you'll be able to relieve some of the stressful feelings and emotions that come up during the holiday season so that you can be that much more present and intentional when you spend time with your loved ones. Join the LAB.OTANICA community to learn more about plant magic, botanical skincare, and rituals to help you look and feel your best every day. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for more skin care tips. We love hearing from you, so please reach out with any questions!
Support the planet, small businesses, and female entrepreneurship when you give a friend or loved one the gift of glowing skin this holiday season by shopping LAB.OTANICA!
May your season be full of magic, laughter, and beauty. Pura Vida!
