My Holiday Skin Prep: Making Up for a Sinful Skin Summer
The holiday season is coming, and if you are anything like me , I love feeling fancy , fresh and festive. So many parties , so many reasons to get dressed up and look and feel great.
I’m going to let you in on a little confession: I was lazy with my skin this summer. Yes, even I fall off the skincare wagon sometimes!
Normally, I’m pretty diligent about keeping up with my micro-needling treatments throughout the summer to help manage my melasma, sun damage, and overall skin quality. But this year? Between sunshine, summer fun, and a little too much neglect, my usual skin maintenance took a back seat.
So naturally, when fall rolled around, I knew I had some catching up to do.
And let me tell you, I did not come to play!
Here's my personal holiday skin prep plan, what I'm doing, when I'm doing it, and why timing is everything when it comes to looking fresh, lifted, and glowing for the holiday party season.
Step 1: Fall Resurfacing — Go Big or Go Home!
My treatment stack: BBL + HALO + Morpheus8 =Glow Getter Tight
After my sinful skin summer, I decided to stack BIG TIME with my fall resurfacing.
I combined three of my favourite skin-rejuvenating technologies to tackle pigmentation, sun damage, texture, and skin laxity in one serious skin reset.
BBL (BroadBand Light): My go-to for targeting visible sun damage, pigmentation, redness, and those little reminders of too much summer sunshine.
HALO Laser: I love HALO for improving skin texture, fine lines, pores, and overall skin quality. It's one of my favourites for that beautiful, fresh-skin look. Talk about the equivalent of doing ^= micro needling sessions in 1!
Morpheus8 : The perfect addition when I want to focus on skin firmness, collagen stimulation, and that tighter, smoother appearance.
The best part? By strategically combining these treatments, I was able to tackle multiple skin concerns within one planned recovery period.
My social downtime was still approximately 4–5 days.
Now, that doesn't mean my skin was completely healed in five days, but I was comfortable getting back to my usual social routine. Recovery is different for everyone, especially when combining more intensive treatments.
Was it a little extra? Absolutely.
Was it worth it to make up for my summer skincare sins? For me, 100%.
My skin is already looking fabulous, and we're just getting started.
Step 2: A Little Tox for That Fresh, Rested Look
Timing: Early to Mid-November
Next up on my holiday beauty calendar is my tox!
My personal favourite is Nuceiva. I love the way it looks on me — fresh, smooth, and most importantly, incredibly natural. I'm not looking to freeze every expression on my face. I still want to look like me, just a little more rested, refreshed, and polished.
Here's where timing becomes important.
Neuromodulators typically take about two weeks to reach their peak effect, but I personally love what I call the beauty period at around one month. By then, everything has had time to settle, and I find the overall look feels a little softer and more effortless. That's why I'm planning my tox for early to mid-November, giving me plenty of time to hit that sweet spot just as holiday parties begin.
Because nobody wants to be waiting for their tox to kick in while they're getting dressed for the party!
Step 3: Bringing Back the Softness With Filler
Timing: Early-Mid-November
Okay, another confession…
It's been TWO YEARS since I've had filler!
And honestly, it's time for a little refresh.
I still have great underlying facial structure, but as we age, our soft tissues naturally lose some of that beautiful plumpness. For me, I'm noticing deeper hollows and transitions in certain areas of my face.
I'm not looking to change my features or add unnecessary volume. I simply want to restore some of the softness that's disappeared over time.
My focus will be on what I like to call the transition zones:
Temples: To soften hollowing and bring back a smoother upper-face contour.
Tear troughs: To address that tired, hollow appearance under the eyes.
Pre-jowl area: To soften the little indentation that can develop along the jawline and chin .
Nasolabial folds: aka the smile lines-To gently soften the transition between the cheeks and lower face.
The goal isn't to look filled.
The goal is to look like I haven't lost volume in the first place.
I love a natural, refreshed face where you can't quite put your finger on what's different — you just know someone looks amazing. And here's a little scheduling tip: tox and filler can often be performed at the same appointment, provided your injector determines it's appropriate.
For my holiday prep, I'll be planning these around the same time in mid-November.
Of course, filler placement is always individualized, particularly in delicate areas such as the temples and under-eyes, and it's important to allow for possible swelling or bruising before an event.
Step 4: The Mini Lip Refresh
While we're talking filler, I'm also due for a little mini lip!
It's been over a year since my last lip treatment, and with the cold winter months approaching, I love the smooth, hydrated-looking finish a little lip filler can give. I'm not looking for bigger lips-ok maybe ever so slightly bigger lips. I just want that soft, plush, healthy-looking lip with a little extra definition and freshness. A tiny refresh can make such a beautiful difference, especially when winter weather starts making everything feel dry. Think hydrated, soft, and kissable — not overdone.
Step 5: My Pre-Party Glow Secret
Timing: End of November — About 7-10 Days Before Our Staff Holiday Party
Even though my skin is already looking fabulous from my laser resurfacing, I always love doing something a little extra right before a big event.
You know that dewy, glassy, almost-filtered look where your skin catches the light beautifully?
That's exactly what I'm going for.
This year, I'm stacking two treatments:
Hydrating Dermal Infusion + Glass Face
And there is a method to my madness!
First: Hydrating Dermal Infusion
I love starting with a hydrating dermal infusion because it gives my skin a really thorough refresh.
It helps remove excess oil, built-up dead skin cells, and pore congestion while infusing hydration back into the skin. For me, this is the perfect preparation before my Glass Face treatment.
I want my pores as clear and happy as possible before micro-needling. While no treatment can guarantee that you won't experience post-treatment breakouts or purging, I find that keeping my skin well-maintained and appropriately prepped makes the overall experience much nicer.
Next: Glass Face
This is where we take that glow to the next level!
I love Glass Face for that smooth, luminous, hydrated-looking finish that makes skin look beautiful even without makeup. It's the kind of glow that makes you want to skip foundation and just add a little concealer, blush, and lip gloss. I'll be planning this combination about 7-10 days before our Skin Worthy staff holiday party, allowing my skin time to recover and settle before the big night.
Treatment timing and suitability always depend on your skin, particularly after more intensive resurfacing, so this is something I plan carefully rather than rushing from one procedure into the next.
My Holiday Skin Prep Beauty Calendar
When | My Beauty Plan |
October | BBL + HALO + Morpheus8 Glow Getter Tight |
Early–Mid November | Nuceiva tox for a fresh, natural look |
Early Mid-November | Facial filler refresh + mini lip |
End of November | Hydrating Dermal Infusion + Glass Face |
Early–Mid December | Holiday party season — let the glow begin! |
The Secret Isn't Doing More — It's Planning Better
If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that beautiful holiday skin doesn't happen the week before your holiday party. It happens with thoughtful planning, strategic treatments, and understanding how long each treatment takes to deliver its best results. Lasers need recovery time. Tox needs time to settle. Filler may need time for swelling to resolve. And those beautiful finishing treatments deserve their own little window before your big event.
I also love that my plan addresses different layers of aging and skin quality.
We're working on pigmentation, texture, firmness, facial volume, expression lines, hydration, and that final beautiful glow.
Not because I want to look different.
But because I want to look like the best, freshest version of myself.
And after my lazy summer? My skin deserves a little extra love!
Let's Get Holiday Ready, Skin Worthy Style!
Whether you're looking for a complete skin reset or just a little pre-party polish, now is the time to start thinking about your holiday beauty calendar.
You absolutely don't need every treatment on my list. This is my personal plan based on my own skin, previous treatments, and aesthetic goals. The best approach is always the one tailored to your skin, your timeline, and your comfort with downtime.
At Skin Worthy, we love creating customized treatment plans that help you look refreshed, confident, and naturally beautiful — never overdone. Because the best holiday accessory isn't a sparkly dress or a fabulous pair of heels. It's beautiful, glowing skin that makes you feel amazing.
Now, bring on the holiday parties!
With love and a little extra glow,
-RN Barb - Skin Worthy
Ready for your own holiday glow-up?
Book your consultation at Skin Worthy, and let's create your perfect holiday skin plan.
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