Skin feeling a bit worse for wear during the holidays? Here’s a few tips to help you stay on track for 2019.

Drink water!

One of the best things you can do for your skin is to drink water, as it keeps the skin cells hydrated, improving the complexion and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.

Drinking at least 8 glasses per day also aids in the body’s ability to flush toxins from the body. After a few too many holiday drinks your kidneys can have difficulty flushing out alcohol from your body, which means harmful toxins linger, affecting skin health. Drinking water aids the kidneys ability to regulate water levels, and helps return your body to a healthy and functioning level. 

Further reading: Gel water

Invest in a multi-vitamin

With all the delicious holiday food going around, sometimes fruit and veges take a back seat to the Christmas ham. There are range of essential vitamins and minerals that are great for skin health found naturally in fruit and veges. If you find you haven’t been eating quite like you should be, invest in a good multi-vitamin to make sure your skin is getting the essential nutrients it needs.

Take your makeup off at the end of the night

At the end of a big day or long night taking off makeup might seem like a bit of a chore. But leaving it on overnight can have negative affects on your skin. Sleeping in makeup can clog your pores and traps any harmful bacteria or toxins that may be on your skin. This can lead to damaged and dull skin, or even a breakout of acne.

Dr. J. Matthew Knight of FAAD Knight Dermatology Institute notes that, "Makeup can trap environmental pollutants and free-radicals that can damage skin cells, including collagen, leading to premature skin aging."

Be sure to take the time at the end of the night to remove all your makeup, even if you’re not completely sober.

Keep stress to a minimum

The holiday period should be one of joy, but sometimes it can get a bit stressful making sure everything is going to plan. When you’re stressed your body begins to produce more hormones like cortisol. Unfortunately for your skin, cortisol tells skin glands to produce more oil—this leaves you prone to acne, breakouts and can aggravate underlying skin issues.

If you feel like things are getting a bit much, give yourself a break and decompress. Your skin will thank you for it.

Try to stay away from alcohol

This one is easier said than done! But alcohol can be one of the most damaging factors to skin health. Excessive alcohol intake can lead to dehydration, which leaves your skin looking dry, puffy and more prone to breakouts. When you’re dehydrated, fine lines and wrinkles become more visible due to the lack of water in your skin cells. Most alcoholic beverages contain a high amount of carbs and sugar as well, which can trigger acne and other skin issues.

Although alcohol isn't great for your skin, it can be a bit hard to avoid over the holiday season. So make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, and try to avoid any cocktails that are excessively high in sugar.