During the holidays you must make some changes to your skincare routine (Photo: Courtesy)

During the holiday season, your skin may suffer as a result of late night parties, travel, sea, sand, and sun.

You might realise that what you believed would be a beautiful complexion soon transforms into a slew of skin breakouts, dark spots, and wrinkles just when you need it to look its best. To preserve beautiful, flawless skin, you will need to make a few changes to your typical skincare routine.

To minimise the amount of harm, you will need to pay extra attention to your nutrition before, during, and after the holidays. A healthy diet and plenty of water are always beneficial to your skin. Do not give in to the temptation of overindulging in food and drink during the holidays. That will only harm your skin.

In addition, you do not want your holiday to be marred by hangovers, so keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum. To avoid worsening skin breakouts, you should also restrict the amount of sugar in your diet.

Aside from diet, you will need to follow these holiday beauty tips:

Do not forget your exfoliator

You may need to exfoliate your skin once or twice if you are going on a long vacation. It is therefore a good idea to bring an exfoliating scrub with you to get rid of the dead skin cells that make your skin look dull and lifeless.

Scrubs including Jojoba, Vitamins E and C, and fruit enzymes can help you get that healthy, glowing appearance. Avoid scrubs that contain harsh substances like alpha-hydroxyl and painful cleansing agents like apricot or nutshells, as they might irritate your skin.

 No matter what you do never forget to cleanse (Photo: Courtesy)

Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse

Your pores will be clogged by make-up and debris as you travel and hang out with your loved ones. Even if you are spending the holiday’s holed up in your home, do not forget to cleanse. A cleanser will remove any debris that may clog your skin pores to avoid flaky, itchy, and dull skin.

Check for emollients and other moisturising components in your cleanser. The most emollient ingredients to go for include petrolatum, beeswax, olive oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil. These ingredients will trap water molecules into your skin to keep it moist all day long.

If you have sensitive skin, you should use gentler cleansers. Ingredients such as aloe vera, vitamin E, cucumber, and almond oil will soothe your skin to prevent breakouts and irritation. If you have oily skin, look for cleansers that are oil-free.

Use an alcohol-free toner

Toners, also known as tonics or astringents, are used to remove dead skin cells, soap residue, and oil. Read the label on your toner to make sure its alcohol free – toners that contain alcohol can be very drying. When your toner dries out your skin, that might also lead to irritation and pimples.

If you have dry skin, go for toner ingredients such as glycerine or hyaluronic acid, since they can provide hydration. For oily skin, go for a toner with salicylic acid, witch hazel, and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), which help remove the excess shine.

 Always apply sunscreen before hitting the beach (Photo: Courtesy)

Sunscreen is key

When you are on vacation, you are more likely to spend time outside, exposing your skin to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.

This necessitates the use of sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) to provide additional protection from dangerous radiation.

It is also a good idea to buy a sunscreen with five-star UVA filters to gain extra protection from the sun’s rays, which, although not being visible, inflict cell damage.

However, you do not have to buy sunscreen with more than SPF 50. Studies have found that sunscreens with an SPF greater than 50 provide only a small increase in UV protection. To get the greatest results, use sunscreen 30 minutes before heading out.

Moisturiser comes first

Allowing your skin to become dry during the holidays is not a good idea. This is the time your skin will need the most TLC, so give it plenty of moisture.

Apply an excellent moisturiser to your face before applying any make-up to keep that youthful and glowing appearance.

Even on cloudy days when you do not wear sunscreen, use a high-quality SPF-infused moisturiser under your make-up to protect your skin. A tinted moisturiser can give your complexion a pop of colour. Use oil-free moisturisers to avoid acne.