Holiday Stress-Busters Help You Look and Feel Your Best

The holidays are certainly a joyous time of year. But face it: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s can also be some of the more stressful moments on the calendar. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), those surveyed in a holiday-stress study list lack of money (61 percent), the pressures of gift giving (42 percent), lack of time (34 percent) and credit card debt (23 percent) as top causes of holiday stress.

It is commonly known that stress can affect both physical and mental health . but it can also wreak havoc on one’s appearance. Stress-induced headaches can contribute to wrinkling around the brow line and eyes from scrunching the face in pain. Additionally, it can cause a person to over- or under-eat, resulting in weight gain and other cosmetic factors like dull hair, which can put a damper on your holiday party circuit look. Since the hair is a woman’s greatest natural accessory, JOICO’S it-list of healthy and efficacious products is the remedy for all her holiday hair woes.

In order to feel and look recharged this holiday season - and year-round, for that matter - JOICO, the experts in healthy hair products and techniques, and Damien Carney, JOICO’S International Artistic Director, offer these solutions to help beat stress.

• Schedule time for yourself. Your calendar is probably filled with appointment reminders and to-do lists. Find a time each month where you can simply pencil in a day for recharging. This may entail visiting a spa for a massage or facial, a morning when you get to sleep in, or a day when you can simply catch up on relaxation time in front of the television. If you treat this as an “appointment” like any other, you’ll make it a priority within your busy schedule.

• Less can be more. You may strive to do everything bigger and better come the holidays (e.g. gourmet meals, home-baked desserts, the best light display on the block), but one of the gains to this super-sized mentality may be added stress. Pick a few projects and do them well, realizing you can’t accomplish everything. Few people will notice you substituted store-bought biscuits for the homemade variety, guaranteed.

• Rethink your hairstyle. Now can be the perfect time to reassess your hairstyle and figure out what is working - or not working - for you. Do you spend hours in the bathroom each morning trying to tame a wild mane of hair? Perhaps you’re fed up with limited style options. Set up an appointment with your stylist to discuss a look that can shave precious minutes off of your beauty routine. Also, take a few moments to repair hair to improve its appearance, which could be all you need to recharge lifeless locks. K-PAK Intense Hydrator, from JOICO is a decadently rich, creamy hydrator clinically proven to restore moisture and strength to even the most desperate heads of hair. It can help combat the damage caused by styling appliances, relaxers, perms and coloring. Easy, beautiful hair can definitely minimize stress levels.

• Scale back your beauty regimen. Who said you have to leave the house each day looking like you’re made up for the red carpet? Save those time-consuming makeup tricks for special occasions. On normal days when you’re gift shopping or heading to work, keep makeup simple and streamlined. With good foundation to even out skin tone, a dash of color on the cheekbones, some shimmer under the brow and in the crease of your eyes to wake them up, a little mascara, and a touch of lip gloss, you can look fresh in 5 minutes or less. Purchase products that also have dual purposes, like JOICO’S K-PAK Protect & Shine Serum. This all-in-one tool takes frizz out of your curls, adds shine to long, straight layers and protects the hair cuticle with it’s power-packed amino acid complex.

• Get physical. Exercise can do wonders for mood and appearance. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. This gets the blood pumping, fueling the entire body with energy. Your skin will glow and your hair can be revived. Plus, exercise will help burn off any extra calories from those holiday parties.

• Have a financial plan. Since a majority of holiday stress is money-related, go into the holiday season with a strict budget in mind. If need be, consult with a financial planner or someone else whom you trust. With a clear plan in mind, you’ll know what you can afford and shopping excursions can be less fretful. Plus, you won’t be faced with enormous credit card bills come January.

By stress-busting prior and during the holidays, you can improve the way you look and feel, and subsequently enjoy these festive times that much more. For more information on hair-care tips, products and information from the experts at JOICO, visit http://www.joico.com or call 1-800-80-JOICO.