With the holiday season fast approaching, how can you prepare your skin to look glowing and luminous before a big night out? Here are some suggestions and tips to get you on track for gorgeous skin....

Daily routine
The sooner you start this the better your skin will look in general. Determining which skin type you have will determine your routine. The most commonly seen skin categories are: oily, combination, dry.
Most people may not know what their skin type is, so here is an easy test of what category you fall into. Begin by washing your face with a gentle cleanser and then wait one hour without putting anything on your face. After one hour, blot a separate piece of tissue onto each area of your face: chin, centre of cheeks, outside cheeks, centre of forehead, outer forehead and nose.

Water
As clichéd as it may sound, drinking lots of water daily will flush out pollutants and help keep skin hydrated. Beginning with approximately one litre of water is a good start. External factors are also important in keeping skin hydrated.

Exfoliation
There are two types of exfoliation – mechanical and chemical. Chemical exfoliation happens when specific ingredients are applied to the skin, usually glycolic or alpha hydroxy acids (AHA). These ingredients may take a few days before showing a difference, but they give the best long-term effect for luminosity and glowing skin. Moisturisers with glycolic/AHA acids will soften, smoothen, brighten and even out skin. In order for your skin to adjust and show the best effects, begin using these types of ingredients at least a minimum of one month in advance of a big event.
The second type of exfoliation is the mechanical exfoliation. These are methods of mechanically scrubbing skin, usually with grainy scrubs. Scrubs can gently buff the skin and can result in immediate softness by removing flakey skin or the most superficial dead skin. These are great to use before a party or event, to gently soften and smoothen the skin.But be careful, some grainy scrubs have sharp edges that can harm skin, forcing bacteria deeper into your face and causing irritation and breakouts.

Moisturise
Drier and combination skins should use creamy moisturisers, best applied after washing the face while it is still slightly damp. The creamy moisturiser will give the skin a dewy glow. Oilier skin should look for moisturisers that are oil free. One can skip the moisturiser altogether and just use oil absorbing powders. Wait several minutes before applying make-up, to allow moisturiser to absorb. Finally, tinted moisturisers with some shimmer, or colour, will even out skin tone, and help skin look fresh and luminous. Oilier skins should look for oil blotting papers, to absorb shine. If not, tissue paper will also work.
The final piece of advice is, do not do anything new directly before a big event. That is most often when disaster will strike. This can cause irritation, allergy or worse, infection. Give yourself at least two to four weeks to incorporate any new skin care routine. Remember to wash your face before bed every night and to get your beauty rest – seven to eight hours a night. Rest is the best way to look glowing and fresh.