The Skincare Mistakes Everyone Makes in December

Dear Skin,

December is basically a minefield for your skin.

You've got holiday parties where you want to look good, so you start messing with your routine. You're traveling, sleeping less, eating differently, stressed about gifts and family dynamics. The air is dry. Your skin is already mad at you. And then you make it worse by doing all the things that seem like they should help but actually don't.

I've done every single one of these, by the way. Some of them multiple times. Some of them last December.

Here are the mistakes pretty much everyone makes in December, and what to do instead.

Mistake #1: Over-Exfoliating Before Events

The logic seems sound: you have a party on Saturday, so you exfoliate on Friday to get rid of dead skin and look glowing and fresh. Maybe you even exfoliate a couple times during the week leading up to it.

This is how you end up with red, irritated, flaky skin on the day of the party.

When you exfoliate too much or too aggressively, you damage your skin barrier. Your skin gets sensitive, reactive, and actually produces more dead skin cells to try to protect itself. So you end up with the opposite of what you wanted.

This goes for both physical exfoliants (scrubs) and chemical exfoliants (AHAs, BHAs, retinoids). If you're using a retinoid three times a week and then you add in a glycolic acid peel and a physical scrub because you have an event coming up, your skin is going to revolt.

What to do instead: Stick to your normal exfoliation routine. If you don't currently exfoliate, don't start the week before a big event. If you want to look extra glowing, book a professional facial at least two weeks before your event, not the day before. Your skin doesn't need crisis intervention and it needs consistency.

Mistake #2: Trying New Products Right Before Important Events

December is when brands launch their fancy holiday sets and limited edition products. Everything is packaged beautifully. Everything promises miracles. And you think, "I have this work party next week, perfect time to try that new serum everyone's talking about."

No. Bad idea.

New products can cause reactions. Even good products that work for most people can cause reactions in your skin specifically. Maybe you're allergic to an ingredient. Maybe it doesn't play well with something else you're using. Maybe your skin just doesn't like it.

If you try a new product and break out three days before an event, you're now in damage control mode instead of glowing skin mode.

What to do instead: Don't try new skincare products in December unless you have at least three weeks before any event you care about. If you get a fancy holiday skincare set as a gift, save it for January. I know the packaging is beautiful and you want to use it immediately. But your skin will thank you for waiting. If you really want to do something special before an event, use a hydrating sheet mask the night before. Those are safe, hard to mess up, and they'll give you a temporary glow without the risk of a bad reaction.

Mistake #3: Skipping Sunscreen Because It's Cold

The sun doesn't go away in December. UV rays don't take a winter vacation. But somehow, a lot of people stop wearing sunscreen once the temperature drops.

Maybe it's because you're not at the beach. Maybe you're wearing more clothes and it feels like you're more protected. Maybe you just forget because sunscreen feels like a summer thing.

But UV damage happens year-round. UVA rays (the ones that cause aging and can contribute to skin cancer) penetrate clouds and glass. They're there in winter. They're there when it's overcast. They're there when you're sitting inside near a window.

And if you're skiing or spending time in the snow, UV exposure is actually worse because snow reflects up to 80% of UV rays. You're getting hit from above and below.

What to do instead: Wear sunscreen every day. I don't care if it's December. I don't care if it's cloudy. Sunscreen is not negotiable. If you hate the feeling of sunscreen in winter, switch to a lighter formula or a moisturizer with SPF built in. But wear something.

Mistake #4: Cranking Up the Heat and Destroying Your Skin Barrier

It's cold outside. You turn up the heat inside. Your apartment becomes very warm and very dry. The air has no humidity. And your skin starts to freak out.

Dry indoor heat strips moisture from your skin. Your skin barrier gets compromised. You end up with tight, flaky, sometimes itchy skin that's more prone to irritation and breakouts.

And then you probably make it worse by taking really hot showers, which feel amazing but also strip your skin even more.

What to do instead: Get a humidifier. This is the best thing you can do for your skin in winter. It adds moisture back into the air, which means your skin doesn't dry out as fast. Put one in your bedroom and run it at night. If you can't get a humidifier, turn down the heat a bit. And take warm showers instead of hot ones. I know hot showers feel incredible when it's freezing outside, but they're terrible for your skin.

Mistake #5: Abandoning Your Routine Because You're Traveling

December means travel for a lot of people. You're going to see family, taking a vacation, visiting friends. And when you travel, your skincare routine tends to fall apart.

Maybe you forget products. Maybe you don't want to check a bag. Maybe you're staying with family and feel weird doing a full routine. Maybe you're just exhausted and skip steps.

But your skin doesn't care that you're traveling. In fact, your skin is probably more stressed when you're traveling. Different climate, different water, airplane air, less sleep, more stress.

What to do instead: Bring your core products in travel sizes. You don't need your entire routine, but bring the basics: cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen. If you use a treatment product your skin actually needs, bring that too. If you're flying, bring a hydrating mist or small moisturizer in your carry-on and use it during the flight. Airplane air is incredibly dry. And don't skip your routine just because you're in someone else's house. You can do a simple version in five minutes.

The Bottom Line

December doesn't have to destroy your skin. But you do have to be intentional about not making it worse.

Stick to your routine even when things get chaotic. Don't try new products right before events. Don't over-exfoliate. Wear your sunscreen. Use a humidifier. Be gentle with your skin instead of aggressive.

Your skin is dealing with a lot in December. It deals with stress, dry air, temperature changes, less sleep, and travel. The last thing it needs is you making things harder by trying too hard to make it perfect.

Keep things simple, keep things consistent, and save the experiments for January when you don't have a calendar full of events where you want to look good.

Cheers,
The Relterra Team