By Linda Chaé

It’s a busy time of the year around my house. . .preparing for holiday parties, sending out our holiday greetings and planning holiday meals for family and friends. In fact, it’s a very stressful time and that creates more stress on our bodies. . .and it frequently shows up in the form of blemishes, redness, and dry, flakey skin. JUST when we want our complexion to be flawless!

Coping with the anxieties and stress of an intense schedule means planning for the support our skin will need in order to remain healthy and glowing. This really begins with our personal habits – from proper sleep to enough hydration. Even choosing to eat light meals and avoiding extra cups of coffee will ultimately show up in our complexion.

Remember that exfoliation clears away the dirt, grime and pollution at the end of the day. The frequency of exfoliation depends upon your skin type, but it is safe to assume that you should exfoliate a minimum of 1-2 times per week. The oilier and more prone you are to blemishes, the more frequent and specialized your exfoliation regime should be. Using a fabulous salt scrub after a refreshing shower, followed by brushing it off with a body brush can also leave your skin tingling and moisturized in the process.

Cleansing the skin morning and night does a wonderful job of keeping your face and neck clean and refreshed. Follow this step with a toner like the orange blossom hydrolate Neroli Mist or our OxyPlus™ Mist. Refreshing and calming, these toners are a perfect setting for your favorite moisturizer. Remember. . .use VitalEyes™ gel with Malakite on the delicate skin around your eyes and NuAge™ Serum or our seasonal serum on your face and neck to tighten and tone as it treats fine lines, sagging skin and evens skin tones. These serums can be layered with CoQ10 for skin that is a bit dryer, or try the equisite Silver Glacier Lotion or the new safe4u™ SPF-15 Sunscreen. safe4u is so rich and moist, it is more like an elegant, high end serum than just a sunscreen. Use it as your day cream. . . especially if you are planning a day outdoors. And don’t forget to use your sunscreen during the winter because the heaters in our autos and homes conspire to dry our skin.

These steps will go a long way to assuring you have an elegant, smooth complexion to match your holiday spirit as you plunge into this busy time of year. Take time for you and you will be well rewarded.