The Ultimate Holiday Skin Prep Timeline:
Look and Feel Your Best for the
Festive Season
The holiday season is all about celebrating, connecting, and of course, capturing those picture-perfect moments. Whether it’s the family photo, a big holiday party, or just wanting to feel your absolute best, glowing, radiant skin can help you shine. Proper planning ensures you get the most out of your treatments, so we’ve put together the ultimate timeline to help you achieve holiday-ready skin with minimal side effects and maximum results.
4-6 Weeks Before the Holidays: Start with the Foundation
Botox/Dysport
- What It’s For: Botox and Dysport help smooth dynamic wrinkles, like crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead lines. These neuromodulators relax overactive muscles, softening fine lines and giving you a refreshed, youthful look.
- Timing: Results take 7-14 days to fully set in, so booking this treatment early allows time for tweaks if necessary. Any minor bruising from injections will resolve within a few days.
Filler Treatments
- What It’s For: Dermal fillers restore lost volume, enhance facial contours, and add plumpness to areas like cheeks and lips. They're also perfect for reducing the appearance of deep wrinkles or folds.
- Timing: Plan fillers 4-6 weeks before events. Initial swelling and potential bruising subside within 1-2 weeks, and results settle beautifully over the following month, leaving you with a naturally enhanced appearance.
Microneedling
- What It’s For: Microneedling stimulates collagen production, improves skin texture, and reduces the appearance of scars and fine lines. This treatment can also enhance the absorption of topical serums for radiant skin.
- Timing: A series of 3 sessions spaced 4 weeks apart is ideal for best results. If you’re starting now, you can fit in at least one or two treatments to see visible improvements.
2-4 Weeks Before the Holidays: Glow and Refresh
Facials
- What It’s For: Custom facials and treatments like Glo2 Facials deeply cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate skin, leaving you with an immediate, luminous glow. Facials can also target specific skin concerns, like dullness or congestion.
- Timing: Schedule your facial about 1-2 weeks before your big event to allow your skin to recover and to prevent any potential breakouts from post-facial purging.
Chemical Peels (if desired)
- What It’s For: Chemical peels gently exfoliate the top layer of skin, addressing fine lines, discoloration, and dullness.
- Timing: A light or medium peel should be done 2-4 weeks in advance to ensure all redness and peeling has resolved.
2 Weeks Before the Holidays: Finishing Touches
LED Light Therapy
- What It’s For: LED light therapy is a relaxing, non-invasive treatment that reduces redness, stimulates collagen, and provides an overall calming effect. Blue light targets acne-causing bacteria, red light promotes healing and anti-aging, and near-infrared light soothes inflammation and supports skin repair.
- Timing: This treatment can be done as often as weekly or as a standalone treatment closer to your event for a stress-relieving glow boost. It’s also a great add-on to facials or microneedling for enhanced results.
Final Neuromodulator Adjustments
- What It’s For: If you want to fine-tune your Botox or Dysport treatment (for example, if one side of your face moves more than the other), now is the time to address it.
- Timing: Quick touch-ups have minimal downtime and ensure everything is balanced before the festivities.
1 Week Before the Holidays: Glow Up
BioRePeel or ZO Stimulator Peel + Dermaplane
- What It’s For: These no-downtime peels gently exfoliate and brighten the skin, reducing fine lines and uneven tone for a glowing complexion. Pairing them with dermaplaning removes dead skin cells and peach fuzz, leaving your skin ultra-smooth and makeup-ready. This combo provides an instant polish and radiance, making it the perfect pre-event treatment.
Another Facial or LED Therapy
- What It’s For: A gentle hydrating facial or LED therapy session this close to your big event can provide a stress-relieving escape while adding that final polish to your skin.
- Timing: These treatments have zero downtime, so you can enjoy the benefits immediately.
Day-of or Night-Before Glow
- LED Light Therapy: One final session can calm redness and give your skin a beautiful, dewy finish.
- Hydrating Masks: Use a high-quality sheet mask or leave-on treatment to ensure your skin is plump and hydrated.
Tips for Maximizing Timing on a Busy Schedule
- Stack your treatments: you can add on Botox/Dysport to most treatments in a same day appointment spot.
- Combine your LED sessions with a facial for the ultimate result and relaxation appointment.
- Combine Botox/Dysport + Filler sessions to minimize downtime recovery and maximize your time.
Tips to Keep Your Glow All Season
- Hydrate: Drink plenty of water to keep your skin and body hydrated.
- Stick to Your Skincare Routine: Use medical-grade skincare products, including antioxidants, moisturizers, and SPF.
- Avoid New Treatments Too Close to the Holidays: Keep last-minute changes to a minimum to avoid any unexpected reactions.
By planning your treatments on this timeline, you’ll feel confident, radiant, and ready to take on all the holiday fun with glowing, stress-free skin. Cheers to a stunning season!
Reviewed and edited by: Meleah Johnston, FNP-C, MSN, RN-BSN, Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Meleah Johnston
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