Holiday Beauty Prep

Thanksgiving is next week, and that means Christmas is just around the corner! With the addition of school programs, get-togethers, meals out, and holiday visits, you want to look and feel your best all season long, but your beauty routine can sometimes take a backseat. Here are our holiday beauty prep tips for keeping your beautiful glow from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve, from basic self care to when you should deep condition and cut your hair to look your best at your events.

All Season Long:

1. Prepare your body for the extra food and drinks: The holiday season means extra rich food, eating more than we normally do, and adding festive drinks and cocktails into the mix. Make sure to help your body (and skin) stay healthy by drinking extra water to stay hydrated, not skipping workouts, sipping on green or herbal teas to help with detoxification, and making sure to take medications and supplements to keep your immune system healthy. Your body (and skin) will reward you for the extra effort.

2. Get your beauty rest: It's easy to pack too many activities into this short season, but it can really take a toll on the body. If you've gotten to bed late one too many nights and are seeing dark circles, set some healthy boundaries for yourself and your family. Say no when you need to, take a nap, and stick to a regular bedtime schedule. Besides, lack of sleep also increases cortisol, creates dull skin, increases inflammation in the body, and accelerates aging due to weakened collagen production. Just a few more reasons for getting some good shut eye.

3. Keep up with your skincare and beauty routines: Now is not the time to skip your skincare! Make sure you continue cleansing, treating, and moisturizing your face so as not to add extra stress to your skin. Make sure to exfoliate 2-3 times per week to remove dead skin cells and keep your skin glowing. Treat and condition your hair as you normally would, too.

Pre-Party Prep:

1. 10-14 days before: About 10-14 days before your party or the big family gathering is when you'll want to get your hair cut and colored. It's also smart to schedule appointments like facials, waxing, and tanning this far out. If you want to whiten your teeth, you should start at least two weeks ahead for optimal results.

2. 2-7 days before: Book your manicure and pedicure appointments to allow time for the polish to settle and any minor issues to be addressed. Put a hair mask on your hair for deep conditioning and shine.

3. The night before: This is the time to shave if you need to, exfoliate your skin, give your face a little love with a moisturizing mask, exfoliate your lips and pop an extra-moisturizing lip butter on overnight, and relax.

The day of:

Ideally, you'll have laid good groundwork for beautiful, glowing skin and hair in the days and weeks before!

1. Protect your hair: Planning to heat style? Make sure you add a heat protectant to those strands before you start. You'll be rewarded with shiny, happy hair.

2. Prep your skin: Make sure to follow your normal skincare routine--now is not the time to throw anything different in the mix. Don't forget your SPF, and take the time to put on a blurring primer (see our makeup myths here) so your makeup looks great through the whole event.

3. Get ready! Once the foundation is laid, put on your favorite music and enjoy the process of getting ready for your event.

Need a holiday hair, manicure, waxing, facial, or makeup service? Salon Patrice has you covered! Give us a call at (815) 223-8643 or view our list of services.