The festive season is one of the most anticipated and awaited seasons. It is the perfect time to uplift your spirits and bond with your family to feel and look your best. Just like we prep up our homes and our wardrobe for the festive season, our skin too needs to be ready to flaunt that beautiful glow.

For this, you need to look at an internal and external clean up for some amazing results. Amrita Alexander, the founder of Auravedic, shares her expert inputs on how you can put in some good stuff in your body and on your skin that will reflect on your face.

Hydrate: It is no secret that water is the fountain of youth. Drinking your 8 glasses of water daily will ensure your body throws out skin dulling toxins and doesn’t keep accumulating them. Avoiding caffeinated drinks, alcohol and sugary drinks that add to the fluid collection is a great aid to reduce that puffy feeling.

Nourish: Filling up your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables will not only nourish your body but bring out a beautiful sheen to your complexion. Go for the greens, reds and orange coloured natural foods and enhance your skin health.

Repair: Adequate and restful sleep is the perfect antidote for fresh skin. As we sleep, our body repairs itself by regenerating new cells. A rested body brings with it happy thoughts which bring out a glow that is unmatchable.

Energise: Breathe new life into your skin by exercising regularly. Exercise improves blood circulation and replenishes cells with oxygen making your skin glow.

Once you start on this journey of self-care, it is also time to prep your skin externally for the big day. The festive season is going to be a time of excessive food and drinks without any rest. To bear this onslaught, it is important to change your regular skincare routine to a more specific one. Invest in some good skincare products to help protect, heal and repair your skin while giving you the glow you most desire.

Look for products that are free of toxins, parabens and sulphates.

Face Oils: Face oils are the latest trend in skincare. They are a one-stop solution to cleanse, hydrate, nourish tone and moisturise. Opt for natural oils that are light to use and help seal in all the goodness. Kumkumadi and Nalpamaradi Oils are a few favourites that show proven results in bringing out the skin’s natural glow.

Face Masks: Face masks have been a beauty ritual adopted since ancient times to refine the texture of the skin and draw out impurities. We have seen our mothers and grandmothers make concoctions and pastes in their kitchens with turmeric, gram flour, sandalwood and rose petals for their skincare. Today, we are spoilt for choice where beauty masks are concerned which contain most of these natural ingredients.

Skin Polishes: The merits of exfoliating cannot be underestimated. Healthy skin is one that has clean pores, no dead skin and one that is smooth. Natural jojoba beads, grape seed, pomegranate, sandalwood and saffron, are some of the popular ingredients that help you polish away your dead skin and reveal fresh new ones.

Serums: Serums are formulated to give your skin targeted treatments. Due to their concentrated nature, they work faster in resolving skin issues. Choose a serum as per your skin concern to get it ready for the festive season.

Moisturisers: Just like we need water to hydrate our bodies, our skin needs hydration to look supple and smooth. Combine your moisturiser with a face oil to get the maximum benefit of nourishment and hydration. Opt for non-comedogenic creams that are naturally derived which won’t block your pores.

Finally, keep your state of mind happy and stress-free because inner beauty is the first step to bring out your external beauty. Prep your body and skin for the much-awaited time of the year.