the holidays are fast approaching, and with the onset of holiday work parties and huge family gatherings comes our primal tendencies to binge and celebrate on overdrive.

we get it - it's cold outside, the sun makes a pathetic appearance for months on end, and the last thing you want to do is stay on top of your acne-safe lifestyle. it's tempting to stay out 'til dawn, partying in the club and bingeing at the corner pizzeria, but this might not help you on your journey to clear skin.

the unfortunate truth is that sugary drinks, sporadic sleep and inflammatory substances like alcohol and sweet holiday foods can all contribute to acne by activating the body's stress response. even though you may not feel stressed out mentally or physically, your body is working hard to combat the stressors of the holiday season, and sometimes it will let you know by producing a map of inflamed acne across your face. we want to help you prepare for and adapt to the stress and stressors of the holidays, so here are our tried and true tips for making it through this party season with clear skin:

maintain your skin regimen.

try your best to keep your morning and evening skincare habits afloat, even after a hard night of hard liquor. sleeping in makeup that has been caked onto your face for hours can be damaging to the health of your skin, as the ingredients in makeup can irritate pores and contribute to inflammation. plus, we can't underestimate the importance of washing away the polluting particles that lodge themselves into our skin throughout a day of city-living.

nightly cleansing is extra important if you are a smoker or if you are consistently exposed to second-hand smoke, damp and stuffy bar air, or if you interact on an intimate level with people who use cloggy products. if you have a more complex regimen that involves multiple serums, don't worry about the extra steps - just be sure to cleanse, tone and moisturize in the morning and before bed.

we love taping a step-by-step regimen card to the bathroom mirror so we don't have a chance to forget this important nightly ritual. if you really can't bring yourself to wash your face, at the very least, wet a makeup-removing sponge with some water and cleanser and wipe off the day's dust. i must admit that even i have been guilty of saturating a toner pad with mandelic toner, moisturizing and calling it a night on occasion.

stay away from excess sugar.

this can be a tough one throughout the holidays, when sweet spiced lattes beckon on every city corner and when the work fridge is packed with pumpkin pies and festive snacks. if you know you can't make it through december without the tastes of the season, try making your own versions of classic holiday desserts, like a paleo pumpkin pie with low-glycemic coconut sugar instead of refined white sugar, or an apple pie that features an almond-flour crust for an added protein-boost.

substitute ghee for butter in this recipe for chocolate-covered chestnuts and you'll be invited back to holiday parties for years to come. rainbow grocery and whole foods usually offer a plethora of low-glycemic holiday sweets to choose from. bring these tasty treats to work or parties so you have something that you know is acne-safe to munch on. we wouldn't want you to feel left out of the holiday fun!

try your best to moderate your sugar intake, but if it's not always possible, don't stress - just remember to have a good time. opt for dark chocolate and fruit, and if you truly can't resist the temptation of your uncle's famous homemade pumpkin pie, have just a bite or two to satisfy that craving.

as for alcohol, choose clear liquor with no added sugar - just a twist of lime or some bitters and sparkling water will do the trick! check out this site for a comprehensive guide to the sugar content in wines and steer towards the dry side. and don't worry, dairy-free egg nog can totally be on the menu.

eat a well-balanced meal before or with drinks and skip the late-night mcdonald's binge.

in order to decrease the likelihood that you will face a punishing hangover after a wild night out, eat a good-sized meal with protein and healthy fats like avocado, olive oil and fish beforehand. eating before drinking will also help you steer clear of late-night fast food choices (it's never fun standing in line at the pizzeria at 2am anyway). if you do end up craving a midnight snack, gnaw on some jerky or an avocado to balance out the blood sugar rush that accompanies a night of drinking.

some late night san francisco street food snack options include tamales, tacos without cheese or sour cream, street dogs on mission (hot dogs wrapped in bacon - yikes!) or crepes without dairy. and of course, if you are really craving some pizza, try a cheese-less slice.

hydrate.

we can't emphasize this one enough. drink plenty of water through the winter season. sometimes we can forget to drink enough water when it's cold outside because our bodies don't register dehydration in the same way that they do when they're faced with a sweltering heat and harsh sun. this may mean that your body doesn't offer the same thirst signals that it might during the peak of summer, so remember to always fill up your water bottle and sip from it all day long. and drink extra water if you know you'll be consuming dehydrating alcoholic beverages - have 'water bumpers' between drinks by alternating alcohol with water all night. 

and for some, perhaps planning ahead: think about the hangover you'll likely feel the next day - maybe that is enough of a deterrent from doing so many bacardi 151 shots?

get your beauty sleep.

getting a good night's sleep has not only been linked to more stable blood sugar levels throughout the day, but also with the ability to make better food choices, which is extra crucial this time of year. it makes sense - if you make it through the night with only five hours of sleep, you're likely to wake up tired, reaching for that sugary coffee drink just to function at work. pair that with a fluffy pastry and you're setting up yourself up for another afternoon crash. so try to prioritize this precious rest time and aim for a solid eight hours of sleep each night.

remember: you don't have to go to ALL of the parties your invited to. you can always say no. if you do tend to your every social obligation, cut some of them short or party alcohol-free. allow a couple nights a week for your body to rest so that you don't end up with a nasty cold that puts you out for days.

icing

if you haven't already jumped on the icing bandwagon for clear skin, get on it! icing is a great way to decrease the redness and inflammation that sometimes accompany hormonal and stress-related acne. if done in conjunction with your regimen, icing also creatures micro-fissures in your skin that allow potent product like mandelic toner to penetrate more deeply. so if you don't already have an ice pop, come by the shop and pick one up! then, head home, cleanse your face, pop in home alone and start icing your face for 20-30 minutes. be sure to move the ice constantly in order to avoid ice burn and follow it up with toner and moisturizer. it's an easy and relaxing way to heal current acne and to prevent new acne from forming. icing is both a great way to relax before hitting the sack after a night of drinking AND a perfect pick-me-up on a hungover morning.

prepare for a long night out.

if you know you'll be spending the night at a friend's house, pack your travel kit of skinSALVATION face products and a clean pillow case. don't sabotage your clear skin journey by settling for your pal's bacteria-filled linens. bringing your own pillow case also ensures that your skin won't be exposed to any residue from her cloggy products. similarly, you won't have to scrub with her coconut oil-infused bath and body bar if you think ahead and pack a travel bag of your acne-safe face products.

take a minute to slow down.

the holidays can be stressful as we rush around town in a frenzy, seeking perfect gifts for our loved ones while making holiday feasts for friends, hosting parties and still attempting to keep up with work deadlines. it's a lot to handle. so take a minute to slow it on down everyday and either meditate or acknowledge a few aspects of your life for which you are thankful. this is the season for giving but we often get so caught up in giving to others that we forget to take time out for ourselves.

next time you need a few minutes for an epsom salt bath or a few sun salutations, don't feel guilty. instead, recognize that you are making positive choices for yourself and for the people around you by allowing your holiday stress to melt away. we love the meditation app, simple habit, which has a ton of great 1-5 minute meditations that can be done anywhere - in a cab on the way to an event, on bart before walking to the office, or on your morning walk with the family pup.

at the end of the season, try out a liver cleanse.

this can be especially important if you went a little overboard with the drinks, sweets, cigarettes and other goodies that random person offered you in the bathroom line at the bar. our livers work overtime during the holidays to process all of the added substances we feed our bodies, so it's good to give our star quarterbacks a break every now and then.

this is why january is such a popular month for cleanses and whole30s and detoxes. when you feel like your body has had enough of the drugs and alcohol, try nourishing it with liver-supporting herbs like dandelion and burdock roots, nettle and milk thistle. consuming these herbs as teas alongside a diet free of processed foods can help give your liver a much-deserved break. we love sipping on detox teas all through the cold winter months.

when our livers are functioning properly, they become the front line of defense against acne, as they flush toxins and excess hormones like estrogen from our bodies. if the liver is overwhelmed, the skin becomes the next organ to take on the responsibility of flushing out these nasty little invaders. so, the less mess we put into our bodies, the more energy our livers devote to helping us maintain clear skin.

one of my favorite clean green soups to make involves simply steaming a ton of green vegetables (kale, broccoli, spinach, zucchini) and blending them with the water from steaming (where all the nutrients are). add half an avocado for creaminess, a bunch of cilantro, dill or parsley, and a hearty squeeze of lemon, and you've got yourself nutrient-dense detox powerhouse. i love this soup on cold mornings with a poached egg and some sauerkraut.

you can also down some chlorophyll (not to be confused with chlorella, which is not acne-safe), to boost your daily dose of beauty greens. check out these tips to get started on a gentle post-holiday liver cleanse for clear skin.

so what's the bottom line? the holiday season is a time for celebrating with friends and for indulging, so have fun and don't beat yourself up if you stray a bit from the acne-safe lifestyle. do your best and celebrate small victories, like the dairy-free pumpkin pie you brought to your holiday work party, where nobody knew the difference.

what are some of your favorite ways to celebrate the holidays acne-safe?