By Dr Barbara Kubicka
With the party season looming, suddenly sequins are in vogue again. Crystal jewellery is everywhere and all things start to glitter – from lip gloss to nail varnish and high heeled shoes – all conspiring to put us in the party mood! Yet it is also a time of year when the coughs and colds start, nights close in earlier and earlier and the succession of late nights starts to take their toll. So while your dress might sparkle, your skin can tell a very different story.
Do not despair, as there are a series of measures that can be taken to improve your skin and get it glowing, radiant and healthy – in tip-top shape for the party season.
A Healthy You is the First Step to Healthy-Looking Skin
The most important message is that if you are not in good health yourself, it will show in your skin. Quite simply, your skin can never look healthy if you aren’t. So taking sensible, healthy measures is the first step to having that elusive glow for party time.
- Consider a flu jab to minimise the risk of contracting flu. Some people qualify for a flu immunisation on the NHS, but otherwise these can be arranged privately at many pharmacies or GPs around London
- Eat well – plenty of fruit and veg will ensure a good intake of vitamins, which is very helpful to fending off coughs and colds. It also reduces your appetite for chocolate or fatty snacks, helping to keep the body fitter and in good shape
- Hydrate – drinking water instead of tea or coffee will help to keep the body going and is vital to the functioning of the organs. In addition, well-hydrated skin always looks fresher and more ‘glowy’ – a doctor or beautician can often tell by your skin that you are thirsty!
- Keep active – exercising regularly boosts the metabolism, aids immunity, tones muscles, helps to avoid winter weight gain and has a series of long-term health benefits. Plan a lunchtime walk of 20 minutes a day and you will feel the difference
- Rest well – when we are tired, we are far more susceptible to catching illnesses. Never underestimate the misery of a cold… Getting enough sleep and rest is a vital part of fighting off illness, so ensure that you don’t burn the candle at both ends by scheduling in rest days and early nights
Professional Treatments for Glowing Party Skin
Party time is a time to make the very most of your appearance, to glow from top to toe with radiant health. The latest professional treatments give an array of options from plumping up lips and rejuvenating the skin to toning the body so that your dress clings in all the right places and none of the wrong ones!
Choosing the right treatment is a very individual matter, but here are our “Top 5” recommended pre-party treatments to give a flavour of what is available using the latest skincare technology:
- Lip fillers– one of the most popular cosmetic treatments, for gently plumping and shaping the lips for a fuller look. The trout pout is a thing of the past, the look today is soft yet sensual
- Aqualyx fat reduction injections – for use on the face or body, these injections can break down fatty deposits for a smoother, leaner profile. Not a substitute for exercise (unfortunately!) but think of it as trouble-shooting for issues such as a double chin or stubborn tummy area. For larger areas, consider laser liposuction.
- Chemical peels – using organic fruit acids to intensively yet gently exfoliate the surface of the skin, stripping away tired, dead skin cells to reveal fresh new skin beneath. This also stimulates the skin’s own renewal processes
- Pain-Free Mesotherapy – Mesotherapy treatments which work to nourish or hydrate the skin from within using a series of tiny injections into the skin’s mid-layer.
- IPL Laser Treatment – multi-purpose treatment using state of the art technology. Specially tuned light waves penetrate the skin to boost collagen stimulation, tackle broken capillaries and reduce pigmentation problems to name but a few. Results are clearer, tighter and younger-looking skin
However, the last piece of advice is to book early, as November and December are a busy time for popular skin treatment clinics; and although it’s never too late to perk up the skin ready for a big occasion, some treatments do need to be planned in advance.
Last but not least, we hope that you enjoy the party season this year and hope our advice helps you to glow and sparkle!
For more information visit www.clinicbe.com or call 0207 125 0521.
