If You're Stressed Out About the Holidays, Do These 5 Things Immediately

The holidays can be a joyous time for the most festive of us. But for the rest of us, they can feel as precarious as simultaneously perching on a step ladder, hanging mistletoe, and realizing the oven timer for our vegan soufflés went off twenty minutes ago.

No matter how predictable this time of year should be, the responsibility of party prepping, family members calling, and endless gift-wrapping can creep up on us faster than Grandma’s over-salted gravy. (No offense, Grandma.) 

Whether you’re a diehard sleigh-bell ringer or a ho-ho-hold that thought while I jump off the frosted rooftop type of holidayer, Kinder Beauty has got your back (and your front) when it comes to staying cool as a cucumber under the heat of the seasonal party lights.

Here's how to de-stress, just in time for Santa. 

1. Invest in a good facial oil (and apply generously).
While we may be seeing less of each other during this (additionally) stressful time in our history, online and socially distanced meetups are still a much-needed part of our lives—especially during the holidays. That means makeup application and removal can be in overdrive, resulting in tired skin. Take a moment to pre-cleanse and unwind with a soothing face massage. Practicing this at home is more important than ever, given how much we’re missing our favorite facialists these days. We love products like Delia Organics Dew Drop Serum with avocado oil and bergamot, and UpCircle Face Serum with coffee oil. Drop a dollop in your palm, warm it between your hands, and massage your skin from the collarbone, to the neck, and up into the jawline and face using gentle, upward, circular motions.

2. Drop a (bath) bomb.
The holiday rush might look a little different this year, but even if you are shopping entirely online, internet purchasing fatigue is real. Soak your carpel tunnel syndrome and tension headache away with the best fizz outside of your champagne flute. We love the plethora of scent explosions from The Kind Poppy's handmade bath bombs, especially in the custom Kinder Beauty Dreamsicle scent.

3. Light a match.
While you’re soaking your cares away in that tub, burn a wood wick candle for an extra layer of calm. We’ve been in love with the vegan-friendly candles by Wireback Candle Co., especially in scents Spa Day and Cactus Flower + Jade.

4. Divulge a decadent secret.
It’s not exactly breaking news that staying away from less-than-healthy foods can be a nightmare this time of year, which does nothing to alleviate mental strain. But what if one of your most coveted treats was actually a glow-up goddess waiting to lift you into a higher beauty realm? We’re talking chocolate as a beauty food, and it’s the sweet secret that we’ve become increasingly willing to spill. Cocoa is a tiny but powerful bean, and it’s full of antioxidants on full display in Moksha chocolates, which also contain high-quality CBD. Experience flavors such as white matcha, white raspberry, and various percentages of pure dark chocolate.

5. When in doubt, dance it out.
If you can’t get to your go-to club during this unprecedented year, who says you have to forgo a stress-busting dance-off? Push back the couch and coffee table, bust out your most trusted playlist, and stomp every spark of that seasonal anxiety into the ground. And just because you’re doing it at home this year doesn’t mean you should sacrifice that smoldering hairdo and bold red lip. Part of stress-relief is feeling good about yourself. Get your groove on with some of our most coveted lip colors from cruelty-free brands like Habit Cosmetics and Au Naturale Cosmetics. We found out not too long ago that these luscious sticks also act as balmy treatments for chapped, tired winter lips, relieving the stress of your festive pout while you turn that frown upside-down.

Natalya Anderson is a writer, award-winning poet and former ballet dancer from Toronto.