How to get flawless skin and hair this festive season

From strict timelines to simple active-ingredient rules, top experts share how to prep your skin, hair and body without triggering disastersThe festive season brings a packed calendar of card parties, family gatherings and late-night celebrations. While it is tempting to try out a brand-new, multi-step glass-skin routine or a dramatic hair transformation right before the main events, experts warn that last-minute experimentation could be a recipe for disaster.Achieving a luminous, head-to-toe glow requires a strategic, simplified and well-timed approach. Three leading dermatologists and cosmetologists break down the absolute essentials for skin, hair and body care to ensure you look your radiant best without the drama.Skin: Keep it simpleThe commonest mistake is overloading the skin with new products, which is why Dr Ritika Shanmugam, founder, chief dermatologist and director of Skin Hair Aesthetics, strongly advises against changing your routine right before a major event. “A lot of people try new facial creams and routines just before an event or the festive season, but this might adversely affect your skin as the skin takes time to understand something new and accept it,” Dr Shanmugam cautions. “Trying a new routine or facial can make your skin react adversely.”To prevent these disasters, you must focus on core skincare habits by sticking to the basics of a gentle cleanser, a good moisturiser to keep the skin hydrated and a sunscreen to protect against UV rays, while avoiding new trends or layering multiple actives. Furthermore, late nights and heavy make-up demand strict hygiene.“Never forget to remove the make-up with a good water-based make-up remover, cleanse your skin and layer it up with a moisturiser before going to bed,” advises Dr Shanmugam. Finally, consistency is the key; you must keep your hands off breakouts since squeezing a pimple can leave behind a permanent mark. You should always plan specialised facials or new actives at least two to four months.Hair: Healthy scalp firstGorgeous festive hair does not start at the salon chair on the day of the party; it starts months in advance with scalp health because hair cycles last about 120 days. Dr Manisha Mareddy, dermatologist and founder of Shlok Dermatology and Wellness Clinic, highlights that it is ideally a great start if you plan months ahead. “If you have hair fall, start at least three months ahead. Get your vitamins checked, start your serums, your medication—everything so that you’re right on time,” she says.Dr Mareddy emphasises that any great hair starts with a healthy scalp, meaning you must address deeper concerns, such as pattern balding, regardless of events and fix any itching or dandruff two to three weeks before you begin regular heat styling, leaving your hair open or using dry shampoo, which only absorbs oil but does not treat dandruff.During the festive week itself, Dr Mareddy advises stopping aggressive chemical treatments two to three weeks prior, using good heat protectants to make styling as less damaging as possible, avoiding aggressive brushing that causes breakage and washing your hair according to your hairstyle rather than your calendar.She shares a clever hack. “Let’s say you’re planning a sleek bun; you don’t need to wash your hair the day you want to do this hairstyle,” she says. This helps limit heat exposure and styling damage.Lastly, be gentle with your hair by avoiding heavy oiling (if you have an active, oily scalp), refusing to sleep in painful, tight updos, pins or extensions that cause traction and shedding, and ensuring you apply a deeply conditioning effect once all the heavy celebrations are done.Body care: Exfoliation, hydration and internal nutritionLooking after the skin below your neck is just as crucial as your facial routine. Dr Trishna Gupte, clinical cosmetologist and founder of Cosmo-Square Clinic, emphasises on targeting texturised body skin well before you dress up. “People who do not exfoliate regularly, people who have palms and keratosis pilaris or dark marks on the body can use a simple skincare routine. These days we have a lot of AHA, BHA related serums and moisturisers,” she shares, adding: “They can start using them now. It will reduce the keratosis pilaris or the chicken skin and reduce pigmentation.”To elevate your full-body radiance, she suggests incorporating gentle mechanical exfoliation such as coffee scrubs, taking regular body massages to improve blood supply, luminosity and hydration, or opting for clinical chemical peels and deep-hydration treatments if you are traveling extensively.For a highly effective home remedy, Dr Gupte recommends to take curd, some besan, a little bit of haldi and apply it on the body—just scrub and wash it off and you’ll have a hydrated, glowing skin. “Curd has lactic acid, which gently exfoliates, while turmeric and besan act as an anti-inflammatory,” she adds.Finally, Dr Gupte stresses that true beauty is an inside job, advising individuals to take regular hair and body supplements to improve immunity, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to boost overall body function, drink coconut water regularly to improve hair texture and treat extensive hair fall or texture issues with consistent clinic therapies and nourishing home hair spas.Golden rule of festive beautyThe unanimous verdict from the experts is clear: consistency beats crisis control. The secret to looking flawless throughout the celebrations is a minimal, time-tested routine. Leave the intensive clinical peels, new active serums and experimental hair treatments for the off-season. By protecting your skin barrier, prioritising scalp health and maintaining your internal nutrition weeks in advance, you can step into the celebrations with effortless, long-lasting radiance.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- Ends