4 Ways to Protect Your Skin This Holiday Season

Between late nights, festive cocktails, and sugar-filled treats, the holiday season can be fun, but it’s not always friendly to your skin. If you’ve ever noticed more breakouts, dullness, or dryness this time of year, you’re not alone. The combination of environmental stressors, dietary indulgences, and disrupted routines can throw your skin’s balance out of whack.

The good news? With a few mindful tweaks, you can keep your skin healthy and glowing right through the festivities. Here are some of my top naturopathic strategies to protect your skin this holiday season.

1. Hydrate From the Inside Out

Cold weather + indoor heating = moisture loss. Boost your hydration from the inside by increasing your water intake and sipping on skin-supportive teas like dandelion, green tea, and nettle. These not only help keep your skin hydrated, but they also provide antioxidants and gentle detox support, which can reduce inflammation and support hormonal balance.

On the outside, switch to a richer moisturizer or add a hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture. Apply while your skin is still slightly damp to trap water in the skin and prevent trans-epidermal water loss.

2. Protect Your Skin Barrier

Your skin barrier is your first line of defense against dryness, irritation, and environmental stressors, and the holidays can be especially tough on it. Harsh winds, hot showers, and frequent makeup use can strip away protective oils.

To keep your barrier strong:

Choose a gentle, cream-based cleanser instead of a foaming one.
Avoid over-exfoliating. 1–2 times per week is plenty.
Add a nourishing facial oil or barrier repair cream if your skin feels tight or flaky.

Think of your skin barrier like a winter coat: when it’s intact, it keeps the good stuff in (hydration) and the bad stuff out (irritants and pollutants).

3. Support Your Skin from Within

The holiday season often means extra sugar, alcohol, and stress, all of which can trigger inflammation and dull your skin’s glow. Try to balance indulgences with nutrient-dense foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc. These nutrients help repair skin damage, calm inflammation, and support collagen production.

Some simple swaps:

Add a side of roasted carrots, squash, or sweet potatoes for vitamin A.
Snack on a handful of pumpkin seeds for zinc.
Include fatty fish like salmon or mackerel once or twice a week for omega-3s.

4. Manage Holiday Stress

Holidays can be joyful but they can also be busy, overwhelming, and stressful. When stress hormones rise, skin inflammation often follows, showing up as breakouts, redness, or flare-ups of conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

Try building in small moments of calm during the season:

Step outside for a quiet walk
Listen to calming music or a short meditation
Set aside 10 minutes with a cup of tea and no screens
Say “no” to one thing on your calendar that doesn’t truly bring you joy

Your skin reflects what’s happening both inside and out and the holidays can challenge it on both fronts. By making small, intentional changes, you can move through the season feeling balanced. If flare-ups are still happening despite your best efforts, it’s worth checking in with a Naturopathic Doctor to see if underlying factors like hormones, gut health, or inflammation are contributing.

Want personalized skin support this winter?
Book a free 15-minute consult to create a customized plan for your skin type, lifestyle, and health goals.