It’s that time of the year again, with the holiday season approaching. For many that means spare time is filled with shopping, events, parties and gatherings with friends and family. A hectic schedule can increase stress and really wreck havoc on our physical appearance. Here are some tips to get through the holiday season without a hitch.
2. Polish the trophy you are: Exfoliation is so important, especially in the wintertime. Two to three days before your big day, you will want to scrub or peel your complexions to make sure that your makeup is sans flakes and camera-ready. I scrub down my entire body. It makes you feel refreshed and renewed and also gets your circulation revved up. This helps prevent water-retention and heavy limbs. Remember, we want to feel light, vibrant and bright. Exfoliation supports all three.
3. Oil up to gleam like a star: Oiling our skin is essential everyday leading up to any important event. Not only should it be done after the above exfoliation to restore moisture after shedding our dead skin, but also it helps our skin retain its natural glow. Dry skin is my personal beauty faux-pas, but it’s hard to escape in good ol’ Canada. So, for extra caution, I like to oil my body, face, lips and scalp. I skip the scalp oiling at least three days before, so I avoid any issue styling my hair. But I always perform oleation on all other parts up to that very morning. I like to dab a bit of extra lip oil on under or over lipstick/lip stain for uber-glossy lips which give you a polished, gleaming finish.
4. Eat light, eat clean:Be careful what you eat before a big event. You don’t want to feel bloated, heavy or any kind of digestive discomfort. I suggest eating light, avoiding fried foods, heavy proteins, and (my biggest challenge) over-eating. Opting for steamed veggies with only a drizzle of raw, natural oils along with moist grains and lean proteins are best. Avoiding dairy is also often a good idea a few days beforehand because milk products are mucous-forming.
5. Finishing touches: Everyone has their own little rituals which make them feel beautiful. One of mine is to get my eye lashes done, and my eye brows groomed. Some clients of mine need to get a mani, pedi or brush their teeth with baking soda. Whatever it is, small details make all the difference, if not to anyone else, to ourselves. I’ll admit that I have to make sure my legs are waxed even if I’m wearing pants or opaque stockings (and yes, this is also a confession that I don’t always have bare, de-haired legs… and no, admitting this does not make any of us less of a put-together woman). It just makes me feel prepared, primped and primed – and somehow more confident, which is really what makes us look our best.
Kristen Ma is the co-owner of Pure + Simple Inc., a group of Holistic Spas with its own line of Natural Skincare and Mineral Make-up. She is an Ayurvedic Practitioner who has studied in Canada, the United States and India. She is also a Certified Esthetician with eight years of practical experience, having worked in Canada as well as Australia. Most recently, Kristen has authored “Beauty: Pure + Simple” which was published by Mc Arthur and Company. Kristen has written on the subject of Holistic Beauty for Vitality Magazine, Blink and Jasmine. She is also a regular contributor to B Magazine, Tonic and Sweat Equity Magazine.