Go Ahead and Have a Christmas Break Glow-Down

The holiday season is notorious for being a busy time. Getting dressed up and going to parties are part of it, along with being 110% “on” at work the entire time. Because it can get intense, taking the opportunity to rest during the Christmas break is essential – and this rest entails just being your au naturel self while you enjoy your well-deserved vacay. Yup, a glow-down can do you some good. Here’s why.

A “glow-down” is often used as a derogatory term describing the phenomenon of losing one’s attractiveness. It’s the opposite of a glow-up and was seen as an undesirable thing to experience – until people realized that beauty, like everything else, has its ebbs and flows. You can’t always be at the top of your game. Your impeccable eyebrows grow out, as will your perfect balayage. Pimples come and go, and your skin can be as unpredictable as the weather.

Giving into a so-called glow-down this Christmas season doesn’t mean letting yourself go. And it’s certainly not permanent. Think of it as the more appearance-oriented version of “wintering,” or the act of staying in place to self-care and repair. You allow yourself to recharge and just be in during the holidays so you can rejoin the world nourished and renewed.

Women experience the unique pressure to be on top of everything – their careers, households, and appearances. Allowing any aspect of your life to “fail” by society’s standards means you’re not doing things right. That you’re somehow lacking. To add to that, a 2018 study showed that, despite beauty standards, women who put high effort into looking good are seen as less moral and likely to engage in immoral behaviors. The game is rigged, and you can’t win.

These pressures heighten for everyone during the holidays, when deadlines are tight, traffic is at a standstill, and parties are unavoidable. Financial and emotional stressors can also sneak up on you, threatening to tip you over the edge. A recent study on Christmas stress found that women struggle more with mental health than men around this time, which isn’t surprising since most of the preparations and responsibilities rest on the former.

The pressure to be always “on” is so prevalent and perennial that you may not even notice it. To you, all these expectations are just things on your to-do list. And while that makes you badass, it also makes you hella tired. This is why it’s high time you take the Christmas break as an opportunity to, essentially, do nothing.

This is your chance to live out your sloth dreams. Bea potato. Go makeup-free and let your hair down. Laze around the house in your pajamas, read trashy novels, and eat the best junk food money can buy – you deserve it! That said, it’s easy to crossover into bed-rotting territory, never to return. To avoid this, make sure the following glow-down measures are in place.

A glow-down is not a meltdown. You’re not wasting away on weeks-old sheets. The goal is to live as simply as possible, focusing on giving yourself the necessary things to recover from all the stress. This doesn’t include abandoning your adult responsibilities like paying the bills or cleaning your home. To keep your mind and body healthy, set aside an hour every day to tidy up. Change your sheets once a week. Change your pillowcases and towels every three days. Little things go a long way.

Similarly, don’t neglect your personal hygiene. Maintain your basic skincare routine and wash your hair at reasonable intervals. When your locks and scalp begin to feel too greasy, shampoo with Dove Botanical Silicone Free Shampoo for Fresh Hair Clarify. It’s made with 100% botanical oils to deep-cleanse and nourish your tresses.

Make your skincare routine a moment of precious self-care with POND'S Orange Nectar Jelly Cleanser. It has a hardworking formula that not only loosens dirt and sebum but also brightens and hydrates your skin.

Finally, maintain your oral care routine with closeup Gel Toothpaste with Antibacterial Zinc Red Hot. It removes bacteria and leaves breath fresh with regular use.

To really enjoy your dolce far niente phase, feed your mind with content and information that will help you grow. Researchers at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress levels by 58% – a benefit you can enjoy in less than six minutes! Coming in second and third place are listening to music (61%) and walking (42%). Be sure to add them to your daily Christmas break routine, too!

Finally, remember that this Christmas break is for you. A glow-down is not something you do for revenge, or to guilt-trip another person. It’s a way to not yield to beauty standards, society’s pressures, and arbitrary obligations, even just for a little while. It’s a period of rest, so do it for yourself in a way that feels best.