December Glow Checklist: 7 Must-Have Tips for Radiant Skin This Festive Season

Happy New Month, Glow Girl!

The season of late sunsets, early candlelight, and back-to-back festivities has officially arrived. And while December brings dazzling outfits and glamorous selfies, it also brings sudden shifts in weather, full social calendars, long-haul travel, and end-of-year stress that can quietly dim your skin’s natural radiance.

Wherever you are in the world, your skin may be working overtime right now. But glowing doesn’t need to be complicated. This December Glow Checklist will help you stay hydrated, refreshed, confident, and truly luminous all month long.

Let’s get into it.

Keep your skin glowing with the right products this party season.

1. Hydrate Like Your Skin’s Thirsty for It

November temperatures in the UK can pull moisture from the skin faster than you realise, especially with indoor heating in constant use. Kenya’s humid evenings might create a completely different environment, but humidity doesn’t always equal hydration. Skin can still be dehydrated, even when it’s warm outside.

Drink water consistently throughout the day. Treat your hydrators like the foundation of your glow, not just an add-on. A simple serum or essence applied to slightly damp skin can work wonders.

Glow Tip: If your skin looks tired before an event, rinse your hands under cool water and gently press them onto your face. It’s refreshing, soothing, and surprisingly effective.

2. Double Cleanse to Banish Party Grime

December often means makeup, SPF, commuting, late dinners, laughter, and rain-soaked umbrellas. At the end of it all, your skin deserves more than a rushed 5-second scrub.

Start with a cleansing oil to dissolve makeup and sunscreen, then follow with a gentle gel or foaming cleanser to remove sweat and impurities. This not only prevents congestion but also helps your skincare absorb far better afterwards.

Relatable: That exact moment when you finally get home from a family dinner, ready to melt into the sofa but also keen to remove the day from your face… that’s when double cleansing becomes self-care.

3. Exfoliate Gently to Reveal Radiance

Dead skin buildup peaks during festive months thanks to the weather, unpredictability, and late nights. Exfoliation is your secret weapon for radiance, but harsh scrubs can do more harm than good, especially when your skin is easily reactive to hormones or temperature shifts.

Use a gentle chemical exfoliant once or twice a week, or opt for a soft washcloth if you're craving something simple and gentle on the skin.

Glow Tip: If it stings, step back. If it feels smooth and soft, you’re doing it right.

4. Amp Up Your Nighttime Routine

Your skin does its best work while you sleep. December is the perfect time to focus on repair, replenishment, and moisture.

Choose 2–3 actives max, layered: hydrate, moisturise, seal if needed. Antioxidants like niacinamide and vitamin C are excellent for brightening a fatigued complexion, but always balance them with soothing elements for resilience.

Glow Tip: Glow doesn’t come from having 10 steps. It comes from choosing the right few and doing them repeatedly, kindly.

5. Protect Your Skin from Seasonal Stressors

UK winter may be darker, colder, and wetter, but UV rays still reach your skin. In Kenya, the sun sets around 6:30 PM like clockwork, but daytime rays remain strong, especially near open water, where reflection intensifies exposure.

SPF isn’t seasonal, it’s foundational.

Glow Tip: Apply sunscreen as the final step of your morning skincare. Let it be the curtain that closes the routine every single day.

6. Nourish Your Skin from the Inside Out

The festive season comes with indulgence, joy, late-night conversations, rich meals, and spontaneous desserts. Enjoy it all, but also balance it with nutrition that lifts your skin, supports your barrier, and helps it glow naturally in photos.

Antioxidants, healthy fats, colourful fruits, and anything water-rich are perfect for both comfort and radiance.

Glow Tip: When you can’t manage a full meal, manage colour. A five-minute smoothie still lands, especially one with chia or honey swirled in.

7. Manage Stress to Keep Your Glow

December has an emotional rhythm of its own: school and work deadlines, travel logistics, social hosting, family dinners, work parties, planning outfits, shopping for gifts, editing content, reorganising shelves, running routines, emotional exhaustion, seasonal chill, rainy evenings, and a constant desire to show up looking your very best.

Glow isn’t just topical. It’s mental.

Glow Tip: If you feel rushed, slow down your hands. If you're tired, soften your pressure. If you're emotionally drained, wash gently and moisturise generously.

Ready to tick your December Glow Checklist?

And there you have it, glow girl! So, as the year races toward the finish line, remember this: glowing is less about doing more and more about doing what matters, gently and consistently. Glow gently, always. 🌸✨