No matter how you put it, the holiday season is synonymous with the healthy glow of hydrated skin. Rosy cheeks, and red lips would be nothing without a happy complexion to back them up! But when it comes to skin, the holiday season can sometimes bring us a little more than great tidings of joy. The combination of winter weather, and a buffet of amazing treats can quickly cause dry skin, chapped lips, and last but not least... breakouts. We've all been there, when Grandma wants a family picture, and all you're thinking about is that angry blemish on the corner of our nose.

So what are the ways to conquer these troublesome yuletide disturbers (Grandma not included)? Well, I have some suggestions for you - hydration, hydration, and exfoliation! In order to really hydrate the skin, you need to be exfoliating at least two times a week. By removing the build up of dead skin cells you'll be allowing moisture to penetrate, and produce that healthy 'under-the-mistletoe' blush that we're all after.

Tips for glowing skin in under one Christmas-movie-length of time: Begin by coating the skin with an even layer of the aha mask, making sure to avoid the area around the eyes. While you're watching Miracle on 34th Street, alpha-hydroxy acids from apples and grapes will gently exfoliating for 20 to 30 minutes to reveal your glow.

When the 20 to 30 minutes are up, pause the movie, rinse your skin with water, tone, and apply the hydradew mask. The hydradew mask contains glycosaminoglycanes (from vegetable skins) that hydrate between dead skin cells to replace the moisture barrier depleted by cold weather. by the time Natalie Wood is running up the hill towards the house that Santa gave her, you'd want to have rinsed off the hydradew mask, toned and moisturized with your favourite moisturizer.

By the time the credits roll, you're destined to be rocking a Natalie-inspired skoah glow-ah. For those extra pesky little blemishes try spot treating them with the kick it kream before you go to bed, or your next holiday party - this will help with swelling, redness and in no time banish the blemish.

Happy Holidays!

For extra tips, feel free to contact any of our locations, we'd be happy to help your skin through this holiday season!

Carla McCutchin - skin care coach