The Holidays are officially in full swing and though that usually brings feelings of joy and good times spent with friends and loved ones, it can also bring with it a lot of unnecessary stress. Unfortunately, stress can negatively affect the optimal function of your entire body, but in particular it does a number on the health and appearance of your skin. Stress within the body increases your body’s production of cortisol, which in turn tells your skin to produce more oil and can potentially lead to clogged pores and breakouts. But it isn’t just overactive sebaceous glands you need to worry about over the Holidays. Stress can affect your thoughts and feelings, your behavior and can even elevate your risk for chronic health conditions. But not to worry! Here are a few tips that you can implement this Holiday Season to save your skin and reduce stress. Read on to find out more!

Relax!

It seems almost too simple to be true, right? But taking a step back and making sure you set aside time for yourself is one of the best things you can do to avoid undue stress during the Holidays. What with the shopping, the cooking, the decorating and more, it’s all too easy to drop your own needs in favor of getting everything done. But now more than ever is when you need to make sure you’re taking time for yourself and your well-being. Take time to meditate, to go for a quick walk around the block, sit back and read that book you’ve been meaning to finish - anything that allows you to take some time to reset, stop thinking about your endless to-do list and allows you to take some deep breaths. Bonus, when you step away from something and allow yourself the time to mentally reset, you’ll be able to come back to it with a fresh approach and usually with more productivity as well.

Take it Easy with the Alcohol        

The Holiday Season usually means the cocktails are flowing! And while alcohol can certainly loosen you up and maybe make some uncomfortable family get-togethers a little more bearable, it isn’t doing your skin any favors. Alcohol contributes to dehydration in your entire body, including your skin. When skin isn’t adequately hydrated it can appear dull and lifeless but also dry and itchy. Not a good look! If you are going to partake in a few holiday spirits, your best bet is to drink a full glass of water in between cocktails and, when it doubt, the clearer the alcohol, the better. Plus, while we’re on the subject of glowing, hydrated skin, make sure you’re committed to wearing YELLE Awakeningmoisturizer every day to face the winter cold and winds.

Don’t Overspend

A very common stressor over the holidays stems from our finances - namely, the cost of presents, decorations, food, drinks, and parties, etc. The Holiday Season can be an expensive time. Lessen these stressful burdens by creating and sticking to a holiday budget. You can enjoy yourself and your loved ones without putting yourself in debt. Remember this season is about joy and love, and you’ll be just as satisfied not spending quite as much money.

Don’t Chase Perfection

It's easy to get caught up in the picture-perfect version of the Holiday Season that we see in movies (the entire months of November and December, every night on TV), or the perfect holidays we think our friends and coworkers are having. I’m talking about the kind of holidays with no-drama, everyone invited, all the food cooked to perfection, etc. But perfect rarely exists in real life. It’s important, in order to avoid extra stress on your body (and skin) this season, to keep in mind that life is imperfect, and to detach yourself from any unrealistic expectations.

The Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, not stressed-through, and you’ll find that you enjoy the time so much more when you are able to go through the time stress-free and with beautiful, radiant skin!

If you’re a busy mom, admit it, you already know…… this time of year is not for the faint at heart. The endless hours of online browsing and clicking, searching for that hard to find gift, the one that is going to be lost within moments of it being opened on Christmas Day. The trips to the mall praying to find a decent parking spot, remembering the cookie tray for what seems to be yet another classroom party, and ALL the extra activities that accompany the season. While running around you can’t help to think after seeing your disheveled self in some random mirror “It sure would be nice to actually look like I have some sense.” Well fret no more our quick three step routine for the perfect holiday face is the solution. Our no fail holiday look will have busy moms looking good and ready to celebrate the season in no time. Keep reading to get started.

Blissful Bare Skin

Skip the foundation and start your holiday look with a badass facial beat that serves up a healthy glow. Cleanse the skin with YELLE Milk and Honey cleanser, followed by our peptide serum, and moisturizer. This is the ultimate quick prep for the skin. It removes dirt and oil and leaves the skin with a healthy natural glow.  

Enthralling Eyes Without Eyeshadow

Don’t worry this is not the part where we go through a series of steps on how to use some crazy eyeshadow palette. Step two is all about playing up your beautiful eyes. Start by applying our awakening eye cream to the undereye area then apply either a quick banded lash or your favorite mascara. The secret to the perfect mascara is finding one with a wand that gives the appearance of more length. Usually, a wand with long bristles and taped corners helps achieve this look. If you are comfortable with wearing lashes add them here for your quick and easy holiday look. These days you don’t even need a lot of skills to apply lashes. There are ones with magnets that attach to each other along the lash line to make application super easy.

*Pro Tip- Before applying ADREAM eye cream, use a cotton swab and apply 2-3 layers of Awakening Toner beneath the eyesand allow it to rest on the undereye area. After 2-3 minutes apply ADREAM eye cream. The toner will help brighten the eyes and provide additional glow factor.

Mistletoe Luscious Lips

Round out your holiday look with a red lip. Find your shade andtake your look to instant glow. A red lip paired with glowing skin can be achieved in less than 10 minutes. *Remember after you apply your red lip check your teeth to make sure you don’t have a stain. We notice with some red lipsticks particularly gloss to matte types they stain the teeth So do a quick check of the teeth after you apply your red lippie. If red is just not your color,choose your favorite lip color, one that never fails and always works just in case your kids BFF’s parents want to snap a few pictures with you.

You can’t go wrong with this holiday look. Thanks to the beautiful skin our YELLE skincare system provides your work is cut in half because you will be confident enough to rock a bare face and skip the foundation. Get started by selecting the YELLE Essential kit at check out to create the perfect look.

So, you got the basics down about your skin i.e. the different skin types, the basic steps in a skin care routine etc., but do you understand your skin beyond the basics? The skin is the largest organ in the body and functions in its own unique way. Each one of us has a unique skin type, with different characteristics. Keep reading to learn more about your skin beyond the basics.

Understanding Your Skin/Review

There are four basic skin types: Dry Skin is accompanied by a rough dull complexion, small pores, and may have dry patches on the skins surface. Oily skin is characterized by increased sebum production, acne may or may not be present, and a shiny complexion. Combination skin has an oily t-zone which is usually confined to the forehead, above the mouth, chin, and nose. The cheeks of individuals with combination skin may be dry.  Normal skin types have a balanced oil to water ratio. There skin is neither too oily nor too dry.

Beyond the Basics

You Cannot Change Your Skin Type

You cannot change your skin type it is determined by genetics,but you can manage it. One of the ways to manage your skin type is to use products specifically formulated for your skin type and skin condition. The YELLE skincare collection is formulated for all skin types, it has been formulated with just the right amount of ingredients to perform on multiple skin types. The use of skin specific serums can address skin conditions.

The Signs of Aging in Skin of Color

Hyperpigmentation, uneven tone, and textural changes resulting from sun and environmental damage are all signs of aging in skin of color. To manage these changes it is useful to engage in preventative care. Daily usage of eye cream and peptides like the ones in our Peptide Boosting Serum help address the signs of aging. Applying sun protection every day is also helpful. In addition to your eyes don’t forget your hands and neck. These forgotten areas need attention to. For a more concentrated treatment of these areas apply YELLE Peptide Boosting Serum to your hands and neck followed by a light layer of our ADREAM eye cream, and then additional layer of Awakening Moisturizer.

Understanding Sudden Changes

You may have never had acne your whole entire life and then out of what appears to be nowhere major breakouts start to occur. For others the skin seems to have a mind of its own and what use to work no longer works. Hormones and changes in the skin are not uncommon as women mature. If you suddenly begin to see changes in how your skin functions and behaves you may need to speak with a medical professional to assess hormonal levels or it might mean that you need to expand on your skin care routine. It is easy to fall into predictable routines with your skin however as your skin changes your routine might have to as well.

Get a hold of your skin and try one of the YELLE Beautycomplete skin care systems. The solution for beautiful skin is in daily preventative care. We cannot wait to help you achieve your skin care goals. Take our skin type quiz to find out which skin essentials kit is right for you.

Introducing Your Ultimate Skin Fit Workout

(It’s time to get physical with your skin)

You exercise your thighs, a few arm curls to tighten up the arms, and a push up here and sit up there to really make your work out count. Your body is bound to look good, but what about the sags and wrinkles that age the face? Will a little facial exercise helpto beat the sag and bulge of time and gravities magnetic forces? Since our face does have muscles one might reason that you can fight wrinkles, premature aging, and make the skin look livelier with a few facial exercises. All of us are leaning towards maintaining a youthful, healthy glow and looking for ways to boost our natural beauty, keep reading this week article to learn more about facial muscles and our take on if facial workouts really make a difference for the skin.

Facial Muscles

Your face has forty-three facial muscles all working together to support your smile, frowns and just about every facial expression you can think of.  As time progresses these muscles are slowly breaking down courtesy of biological factors and environmental stress. Stimulating the muscles on your face on a daily basis can help strengthen facial muscles and lift and tone the face making it difficult for wrinkles to form. Results of facial exercises are visible and encouraging. In one particular study women who regularly practiced certain facial exercises looked about 3 years younger than their current age.

Do Facial Exercise Really Work?

We can’t find any harm with facial exercises at most they will get the blood circulating and provide possible stress relief benefits to the skin. Facial exercise won’t take off weight gain in the face or address inflammation the best solution in those cases is to modify your diet and exercise or see a health care professional to assess underlying causes.

Types of Facial Exercises

Facial yoga is a specific type of facial exercise involving stretching and strengthening facial muscles. Most facial exercises involve placing the hands on the face and performing various manipulations to the skin. When performing these facial manipulations it is important not to stretch the skin too much as overly stretching can cause adverse reactions.  One specific manipulation involves placing the hands inward on the forehead, and with the finger, start swiping to the outside, as if you are stretching your skin. Another for the cheeks involves pressing the fingers on the cheeks and holding them tight while compressing the face. These “exercises” can be performed daily for at least 10 minutes a day. While exercising the face, use the YELLE Peptide Boosting Serum along with the Awakening Daily Moisturizer that is rich in Vitamin C to massage into the skin. It will really provide a strong base for your facial exercises. It can also be used as a night cream to help boost anti-aging capabilities.

Stimulate your facial muscles by trying out a few facial exercises this week. Use our Peptide Boosting serum, along with the Awakening Moisturizer to optimize results.

November is National Healthy Skin Month

November is National Healthy Skin Month, here are a few reminders of best practices to keep your skin looking and feeling its best.

Hydrate

You already know that diet and exercise play an integral role in the appearance and texture of your skin, but beyond eating your veggies and nailing your workouts drinking plenty of water is crucial to the health and appearance of your skin.  Staying hydrated is a basic skin care habit as well as a key habit for your overall health.

Wash your face before bed, and use the right serum for a skin specific experience

Pay attention to these two parts. If you wear makeup every day you you should be washing your face every night with the YELLE Awakening Cleanser, yet some of you out of tiredness or laziness opt out of your nighttime obligation. Not washing you face before hitting the sheets can actually age your skin. Between makeup, sweat, and the general dirt and grime that collects on your skin during the day, there’s a lot that needs to be washed off your skin before bed. Not washing can result in clogged pores breakouts, and also premature aging. Once you’ve made nighttime cleansing a habit, its also important to use the correct serum for your skin. There are at least three different serums within the YELLE collection to address your specific skin care need. Pick the one that is most appropriate for your skin type and give it 6-8 weeks to fully address your skins needs.

Make your skincare routine simple and easy

We have made it super easy for you at YELLE. You don’t need a mile-long list of products to achieve beautiful skin.  Too many products can be harsh on the skin, resulting in more breakout and clogged pores. For best adherence as well as best results, make your skincare routine as easy to follow as possible. Our YELLE Essential Kit is a wonderful place to begin your skincare journey.

Go to bed

A good night’s sleep is important for the health of your skin because your cells regenerate and repair themselves during this time. Disrupting your sleep affects your complexion. Getting your beauty sleep of 6-8 hrs. per night of uninterrupted rest is important. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day to really cement this as a healthy skin habit.

Add a little Green Tea

Add a little green tea to your morning routine. The tannins and antioxidants present in green tea have an anti inflammatory effect on the skin-reducing puffiness and the appearance of dark circles. To experience the benefits, soak two cotton rounds in cooked green tea, let them sit over your eyes for a few minutes in the morning. Follow with an application of the YELLE Awakening Eye Cream. Not only will you reap the benefits of refreshed eyes, you’ll also have a few minutes to be calm and still during what might be a hectic morning.

Celebrate National Healthy Skin Month by ordering your YELLE skincare system. Take the quiz to find out which system is right for your skin.