The Christmas holidays are just around the corner, which usually means days on end indulging in roasted feasts, bottomless booze, and probably not much working out. It's the perfect time to let loose and give yourself a breather, especially after the year we've all been through!

Unfortunately, however, all that holiday fun and cheer comes with a price: it can wreak havoc on your skin including nasty breakouts and flare-ups, unwanted puffiness, dark under eye circles and dehydrated skin.  

But everyone is entitled to a little (or a lot of!) indulgence, so here are 4 easy hacks to help you keep up the holiday spirit and keep your skin healthy and glowing throughout the season. 

"Balance alcohol with your water intake to flush out toxins and restore your hydration levels"

1. For Every Glass of Booze, Drink a Glass of Water. 

Plus drink plenty of H20 before and after a drinking sesh! This one may be a little hard to keep track of, especially when you're too busy having fun (and where's the fun in sticking to rules?!). But you can become easily dehydrated when drinking alcohol, which can dry out your skin, lead to extreme breakouts, and of course, contribute to ripping hangovers the next day.

Try getting into the habit of balancing out your alcohol consumption with your water intake, as this will flush out toxins, restore your hydration levels, and reduce any negative impacts on your skin. And don't forget to always rehydrate before falling asleep – you'll thank yourself in the morning! 

2. Be Mindful of Portion Sizes and Heavy, Oily Dishes

It's easy to get carried away with second, third and fourth helpings of Christmas dinners and all-day brunches, or endlessly snacking on tasty treats throughout the day.

But balance is key when it comes to holiday foods: don't restrict yourself but don't overfill your plate, and ask yourself it's truly necessary to dive in for thirds. Plus, balance out your meals by eating a portion of fresh fruit, veg or lean protein for every portion of oily, heavy or sugary food.

3. Reach for Antioxidant-rich Foods

Antioxidants can help reduce inflammation, repair your skin and neutralise free-radical damage caused by things like pollution, smoking and alcohol consumption. You can get your daily dose of antioxidants by consuming foods superfoods rich in vitamins such as nuts, fish, sweet potato, citrus fruits and dark chocolate (at least 70%!). 

4. Don't Skip Your Skincare Routine, Especially at Night!

Of course we can't leave this one out! But it's easy for routines to go amiss and to skip your night time skincare during the holidays, especially after a glass (or four) of your chosen poison. But to counter-act all the oxidative stress (booze, late nights, oily foods) your skin is subjected to, it's important to stick to your skincare routine as much as possible.

At the very least, cleanse your skin, pat in a serum and finish with night cream. These three essentials will go a long way to help your skin regenerate properly and repair itself while you get some shut eye. Carving out just a few minutes for your skin each night and morning will help keep your skin healthy and glowing throughout the holidays. 

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