Late nights, alcohol, heat and air-conditioning all take their toll on skin and hair. Here’s how to keep yours looking gorgeous.

Beat the beauty challenges that come with the festive season and be the belle of the ball at this year’s Christmas do with these five simple steps.

Buff up

Use an all-natural body scrub with a mitt and start at your feet, working your way up your body with small circular movements. Always sweep towards the heart, but avoid the delicate breast area. A long-handled natural bristle body brush will help you when exfoliating your back.

When choosing a facial exfoliant, take into account the particle size and product texture. You will need to choose something small and fine to prevent micro-tears and skin irritation. Ensure it’s also free from artificial micro-beads used in many conventional face scrubs.

We like: Upcircle Body and Face Scrubs, which are made using premium Arabica coffee grounds sourced from cafes. These vegan beauty products are perfect for buffing away dead skin cells on the legs, arms, body and face.

Get an all-over glow

Confidence is key at any Christmas party, and there’s nothing like a natural golden tan to give you this in spades. Here’s a great trick to get that gorgeous all-over sheen. First, layer on a body moisturiser that contains rich natural butters and oils, like shea nut butter and jojoba oil, this will sit a little longer on the skin than a lotion. Natural butters and oils are also rich in hydrating fatty acids to restore summer-parched skin, but won’t clog pores like a petrochemical-based product might. Next, dust with a natural shimmering mineral-based bronzer – this will give your skin a brightening, light-reflective look. Use a tinted moisturiser to even out skin tone. Lastly, after you have applied your make-up, use a natural mineral highlighter on your brow and cheek bones or any area where the light naturally hits your face – this really accentuates your features.

We like: Weleda Beauty Balm Tinted Day Cream, to add a hint of colour.

Detox and deep-cleanse

Boost your skin’s health with a mask to draw out impurities, remove dead skin cells and stimulate micro-circulation. Look for ingredients like natural clay and ginkgo biloba, which have skin-brightening effects and help to tighten and tone skin.

We like: The Jojoba Company Botanical Hydrating Face Mask, infused with antioxidant green tea, plumping marine collagen and silk amino acids.

Nurture and nourish

A high-quality serum is a must-have for any pre-party routine. Unlike a regular moisturiser, a serum is lightweight and designed to sink straight into your skin, leaving a breathable finish that is great under make-up. Plus, a serum contains a higher level of active ingredients, which breathes new life into skin much faster. Look for natural ingredients like pomegranate and calendula, which have potent nutritive, moisturising and penetrative qualities that help to improve skin health at cellular level and create a radiant, dewy appearance.

We like: Juniper Vitamin C Serum, it brightens the complexion and assists in regenerating tired, lifeless and ageing skin. It provides the skin with a nutrient dense night serum to repair and regenerate whilst you sleep.

Rehab your hair

With increased humidity and excess washing from all those days at the beach, hair can become frizzy and out of control, dry on the ends, oily at the roots. Avoid harsh sulphate-based shampoos and opt for gentle natural products. Coconut oil and argan oil are both great for conditioning hair, helping to moisturise, repair and seal down the hair shaft, which gets rid of those flyaway strands. Gently massage a small amount of either oil through your hair and wrap in a warm towel; after 15 minutes, shampoo and condition as usual. And if you are on go all the time, and your hair looks greasy then here’s a tip you will love – use a dry shampoo for an instant hair refresh!

We like: Black Chicken Remedies Dry Shampoo, gives you fresh healthy hair, boosting volume and texture. Convenient, toxin-free and won’t strip the natural oils from your hair.

Summer bummer!

Uh oh, the late nights and overindulgence of the party season can have the unwanted effect of causing a pimple breakout – the last thing you need when you want to look your best. Tea tree oil has proven antibacterial and healing properties, and it is a time-honoured treatment for acne and blemishes.

We like: Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Blemish Stick, a quick and convenient way to dry out blemishes, and their Medicated Gel to penetrate into skin and dissolve blackheads and whiteheads before they start.