Light Up Your Life

Christmas. There’s so much to love about it – all the celebrations and spending time with loved ones, though this time of year is bound me make me feel sluggish.

Tucked up indoors with the central heating cranked up zaps my willpower and enthusiasm when it comes to working out. Not to mention my cravings for starchy food kicks in. All in all, my Christmas spirit starts to feel a bit sloth-like.

And so, as the days get shorter and colder, it’s important to invest in self-care. My latest beauty buddy is LED treatment, or light emitting diode, as it’s also known. This is the perfect perk-me-up for your skin, not to mention it’s a great tool for mood-boosting, too.

For someone who’s always banging on about how bad light exposure is for your skin, this may well seem like a strange investment. However, there are also plenty of positives, as this treatment involves controlled amounts of beneficial, complexion-boosting light. Red, blue and near-infrared are proven to help optimise skin function, leading to a luminous, younger-looking glow.

So what are the benefits of LED therapy? Well firstly, the treatment is super fast. It only takes twenty minutes, and so is perfect for people with a hectic festive schedule. Secondly, it works for all skin types, as well as a range of complaints. Light exposure is not only proven to rejuvenate our faces, but it also boosts our happy hormones and Vitamin D production, too. When there’s no sunlight around, this effect is a saviour.

For those of us suffering with skin complaints, this treatment can help calm of whole host of conditions, such irritation, blemishes and pigmentation. In short, there’s almost nothing LED therapy can’t do for our skin.

So what can you expect from this treatment? Once your face has been cleansed by a therapist, you pop on a pair of googles, sit back and relax. It’s so relaxing that I almost always nod off. Once the twenty minutes is up, the treatment is finished with serums and SPFs. And while a course is recommended, I find you really do get results after just one go. My complexion is instantly younger-looking and dewy – the perfect beauty boost to help my skin combat the cold.

(£70 for 30 minutes, available at sarahchapman.net)

Winter-skin-saving tips:

1. Catch some zzzs

Keep a window open and your room well-ventilated. Not only will your skin thank you for this, but it’s also proven to help you sleep better. Pull on some PJs and snuggle up under the covers.

2. Burn Bright

Candles are my winter craving, and Neom has a range called Happy, which I love. Combining white neroli, mimosa and lemon, their scent is an instant mood-booster. I even keep them burning in the daytime, too. (Happiness, 3 wick scented candle, available at neomorganics.com for £45)

3. Spoil Your Skin

I adore Sunday Riley’s Good Gene Treatment, packed full of liquorice to even out skin tone. Use it as a mask at night, or even under your make-up, and its lemongrass properties help to perk up blood flow and improve damaged skin. (£85 for 30ml, available at spacenk.com)