The countdown to the holiday season is on!  Festive gatherings, holiday parties, and New Year's Eve celebrations—we want to help you greet the holidays and new year with confidence and radiance. Put your best face forward this holiday season with tips to help you achieve a glowing, luminous complexion. 

Read on for quick-and-easy tips to help you achieve that coveted holiday glow. Whether you've been diligently preparing for the festivities or find yourself in need of some last-minute skin-saving tips, we've got you covered. From building a solid skin care foundation to exploring professional treatments and even things you can do at home, we'll equip you with everything you need to ensure your skin is at its most luminous.

After all, there's no better time than now to start the countdown to a more radiant you! With the right skin care practices, you'll be ready to shine this festive season. 

Get Glowing

Healthy skin is happy skin, and happy skin glows! Your skin care routine at home and the products you use support your skin's daily health and vitality. Consistency is crucial. Maintain a consistent skin care routine that includes cleansing (morning and night), gentle exfoliation, lots of hydration and protection from the elements. 

Cleanse, always: One of the most overlooked steps in an otherwise fantastic skin care routine is cleansing. Cleansing morning and night with a cleanser suited to your skin type ensures your skin is fresh and ready to receive the products you're about to apply. Don't think you need to cleanse before bed? Going to bed with the remnants of the day on your face (oil, make-up, sunscreen, pollutants, etc.) can impair your skin's essential repair functions at night. (Reminder: make-up remover wipes are not a substitute for a cleanser!)
Exfoliate, gently: Regular exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells to reveal a fresh, radiant complexion. Choose a gentle exfoliant that doesn't irritate your skin. Save abrasive scrubs for your feet, not your face! Look for ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids, fruit enzymes or rice enzymes, or if you're prone to breakouts, salicylic acid.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Ample hydration is the key to smooth, supple skin. With the shift in weather, considering switching to a richer moisturizer, or supplementing your current moisturizer with a hydrating serum.
Bright eyes: The delicate area around your eyes requires unique care. Eye creams are specially formulated to address concerns like puffiness, dark circles and fine lines. Look for ingredients that help to brighten and decongest (e.g., caffeine, peptides and amino acids, Vitamins C and E).
Lash love: Nothing says glamour like long, dramatic lashes, but forget the falsies. Latisse® enhances your natural lashes in just weeks. This prescription-strength eyelash enhancer is easy to apply, approved by Health Canada, and clinically proven to deliver longer, thicker, darker, more abundant lashes with continued use.
Pucker up: The last thing you want to be thinking about under the mistletoe is chapped lips, so invest in a high-quality lip balm to keep your pout soft and plump. Lip exfoliants help to buff away rough, flaky skin. Lipstick wears better on soft, supple lips!

Glow From Within

To ensure your best glow, take a holistic approach to self-care and skin care this holiday season.  Remember that healthy skin is a reflection of your overall well-being, so prioritize self-care, both inside and out. 

• Beauty sleep is real: Getting enough sleep is crucial for skin health. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep to allow your body to repair and rejuvenate your skin. A well-rested complexion always looks more radiant.

• Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Sweet treats and rich foods abound during the holidays and this can impact your skin. Make sure to balance holiday goodies with a well-rounded diet including fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Foods high in antioxidants, like berries and green tea, can help protect your skin from oxidative stress and enhance glow. 

• Not without my water: Make sure you're drinking plenty of water to keep your skin and body well-hydrated from the inside out. Combat the dehydrating effects of caffeine or alcohol by drinking extra water. If plain water feels monotonous, fizz it up or infuse it with slices of citrus fruits, cucumber, or mint for a refreshing twist. Herbal teas and coconut water are also excellent hydrating alternatives. Set hydration reminders on your phone or carry water with you. 
  

Glow-boosting Treatments

For those looking for a glow boost, these treatment quick-picks can enhance your skin's appearance leading up to big event, with minimal or no downtime! We'll never tell...

Baby Botox: Invoke a rejuvenated, refreshed, more youthful you in a quick, no-downtime appointment. Neuromodulator treatments (like Botox® or Xeomin®) offer you a fast-track to smoother, more youthful skin and a naturally refreshed appearance.  See our recent blog post here.  Laser Genesis: Prepare to unlock your skin's true radiance and confidently take center stage. Laser Genesis treatments promote vibrancy, revitalization and rejuvenation with quick, gentle treatments and zero downtime.  Dermal Fillers: Experience subtle transformation with instant gratification. With minimal downtime, you can subtly and naturally enhance your appearance, and no one needs to know.

To schedule your treatment or to discuss which option is right for you, contact us below to book a consultation. 

Glow SOS!

It happens! Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a pimple appears suddenly, or you wake up with puffy eyes – panic mode engaged. Don't worry; we've got your back with these emergency skin care tips to tackle those last-minute skin care concerns.

• Battle the blemish: When a surprise pimple decides to make an appearance right before a special event, time is of the essence. Start by applying a targeted spot treatment with ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to reduce inflammation and promote healing. For emergency zit-zapping treatment, consider using a hydrocolloid patch. Resist the temptation to pick or squeeze! This can make the situation worse and cause long-term trauma to the skin.

• Rapid eye rescue: Combat puffiness by placing a cooling eye mask, cool washcloth, or chilled cucumber slices over your eyes for a de-puffing effect. Consider using an eye cream or gel containing ingredients that decongest and promote circulation, like caffeine or aloe vera. For extra cooling effect, keep your eye cream in the fridge.
• Flush it out: Don't underestimate the power of hydration when it comes to your skin. Drink plenty of water and add a hydrating serum to replenish moisture in your skin. Flush out toxins and dehydrators like caffeine and alcohol and combat salty foods
• Keep a cool head: The holidays can often be a stressful time, and stress can impact your skin. Finding ways to manage stress not only supports your mental wellbeing but also your physical health, including your skin!

Our Top Picks to Get Glowing

There's no time like the present to get glowing. See below for our top picks to reveal your best skin. 

Remember: add new products into your routine gradually, and give your skin time to adjust. Don't introduce a new product the night before a big event!

SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser: Two steps in one, this mild exfoliating cleanser combines AHAs and BHA, plus round jojoba spheres to gently buff away dead skin cells. Reveal your best skin with every cleanse.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator:  Keep skin supple, smooth and supported with a proprietary blend of 5 forms of hyaluronic acid, a unique peptide complex and stem cell extracts for immediate and cumulative results.
SkinMedica Lumivive System: For truly radiant skin, this daytime + nighttime system recharges and repairs skin overnight, while defending skin during the day. These potent serums amplify your skin care routine and take radiance to the next level.
Latisse®: Leave the drama to your lashes. Backed by rigorous clinical testing and approved by Health Canada, Latisse® is both safe and effective, providing a trusted option to enhance your natural lashes.  Enjoy the benefits of lush lashes without the hassle of falsies or extensions.
SkinMedica Brightening Essentials Kit:  This best-selling trio brightens, refreshes and recharges for the ultimate glow. Combines a travel-size AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser (see above) with two target treatments for eyes. The potent but lightweight eye cream combines brightening and smoothing ingredients to re-energize and rejuvenate the eye area. The included Instant Bright Eye Masks provide cooling hydration for an instant refresh.