The holiday season brings a special kind of magic. The twinkle lights, the cozy nights inside, the feeling of giving, celebrating, and preparing for a fresh start. But it also brings cold wind, heaters blasting, stress rising, and skin that suddenly feels dull, tight, or reactive.
At XO Aesthetics, we want you to feel beautiful, confident, and radiant throughout it all. This December, we are celebrating a month of Merrytime Glow, filled with cozy rituals, thoughtful gifting, and skin loving moments that help you shine from the inside out.
Let this blog be your guide to glowing into the holidays and stepping confidently into the new year.
Xo Holiday Beauty Gift Guide
Thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list… and maybe a few for you too.
There is something special about gifting skincare. It is personal, nurturing, and intentional. It says “you deserve to feel confident in your skin.” If you want meaningful gifts that make loved ones feel pampered and seen, here is where to begin.
Start with the ZO Getting Skin Ready trio. The cleanser, Exfoliating Polish, and Complexion Renewal Pads are the foundation of every glowing complexion. They help remove buildup, smooth texture, refine pores, and prep the skin so that every serum and moisturizer that follows can work better. And because they work on almost every skin type, they make the perfect curated gift set for teachers, coworkers, busy moms, or anyone wanting to look more refreshed.
For the skincare lover who seems to “have everything,” elevate their routine with something luxurious and transformational. The ZO Neck Firming Complex lifts and tightens one of the most overlooked areas. The Peptide Refining Serum supports smoother, firmer skin during the winter months when the skin naturally looks tired. And Plated Eye Serum is the type of gift that instantly earns you “favorite person” status. It softens creases, brightens darkness, and gives a refreshed look that is noticeable even on the most hectic mornings.
If you want a gift that lets them choose their own glow, an XO Aesthetics gift card is always a beautiful option. It is an invitation to self care and a promise of confidence.
Get Ready With Me: Christmas Party Skin Prep
Because great makeup starts with great skin.
Holiday gatherings, family photos, girls’ nights, and work parties usually come with one request: “Please let my skin look smooth and fresh tonight.”
Here is the XO method for that perfect, radiant canvas.
Start with ZO Hydrating Cleanser to remove any traces of makeup or oil without stripping your barrier. Follow with Exfoliating Polish to instantly smooth dull texture and reveal brighter skin underneath. The Complexion Renewal Pads refine pores and reduce congestion so makeup applies more evenly.
Daily Power Defense strengthens your barrier and gives your skin an instant “healthy” look. If you are redness prone, Rozatrol calms the flush that cold weather and wine can bring. Growth Factor Serum adds bounce and radiance, while Illuminating AOX Serum gives a soft, glowy finish that pairs beautifully with festive lights.
Tap on Plated Eye Serum for a bright under eye before makeup and finish with Colorescience Flex SPF in Fair. Even in winter, SPF matters for preventing redness and irritation. For event days, Total Eye 3 in 1 smooths and color corrects so your concealer sits flawlessly.
Your skin will look hydrated, even, and truly luminous. It is the kind of glow people comment on all night.
p.s. If you want even more pre-event radiance, schedule a Hydrafacial the week of your party. It is the fastest way to guarantee compliments.
Santa’s Skincare Routine
A merry little moment to imagine Santa’s glow up.
If Santa walked into XO Aesthetics before his big night, here is what we would recommend for his cold weather routine.
His skin would need hydration first. The Hydrating Cleanser would melt away soot and dryness without irritating his rosy cheeks. Rozatrol would help calm the winter wind-induced redness he deals with on every rooftop. For long nights and cold air, HA Immerse Serum would keep his skin bouncy, comfortable, and well hydrated through the entire journey.
Growth Factor Serum would help Santa look lifted and refreshed in all those Christmas Eve selfies. And no routine is complete without bright eyes. Plated Eye Serum would help soften the signs of long nights, heavy bags, and endless cookie sampling. Even Santa needs SPF, so we would send him off with Colorescience to protect his skin from UV exposure during his travels.
Santa would leave XO glowing, hydrated, and holiday ready. You can too.
Winter Skin Savior Routine
Your answer to dry, irritated, winter worn skin.
Cold air outside. Dry heat inside. Holiday stress. Extra sugar. Less water. More makeup. December is a perfect storm for irritation, redness, peeling, and tightness.
This is when barrier support becomes everything.
If your skin feels reactive or flushed, Rozatrol is the winter rescue serum that helps bring calmness back. It reduces the appearance of redness and helps balance sensitive or compromised skin, especially when temperatures drop. For deep hydration, Hydrating Creme gives your skin a cushiony, comfortable feel that lasts all day. Pairing it with HA Immerse Serum is the ultimate comfort routine. Your skin feels instantly smoother, plumper, and relieved from that tight, winter feeling.
Adding a gentle cleanser and using the ZO Enzymatic Peel once or twice a week will keep your skin bright without irritating it. Winter skin can absolutely glow. It just needs a little extra love.
Festive Holiday Makeup Tips
The perfect glam begins with healthy, hydrated skin.
No holiday look is complete without a smooth, radiant base. Start with exfoliation and deep hydration to ensure makeup sits beautifully all night long. If you love a bold red lipstick or sparkly shadow, prep the skin with HA Immerse and Daily Power Defense so your complexion stays soft and even.
A luminous highlighter, a classic red lip, and a soft pink cheek pair perfectly with glowing skin. When your skin is healthy, you need less makeup to feel your best.
How to Unwind During the Holidays
Self care is not selfish. It is survival.
The holidays are beautiful, but let us be honest. They can also be busy, emotional, and overwhelming. Your skin feels stress just as much as your body does. Give yourself permission to slow down, breathe deeply, and create small rituals that help you reset.
Slip on your Colorescience eye patches and let them cool tired, swollen eyes. Apply the ZO Enzymatic Peel during a warm bath while soft Christmas music plays in the background. Sip a glass of wine or a festive mocktail and take a few quiet moments for yourself.
If you want pure decompression, book a Hydrafacial and add lymphatic drainage to depuff, contour, and melt the tension away. You will walk out lighter, brighter, and more refreshed than when you walked in.
Your skin and your spirit will thank you.
Final Glow Thoughts
December is a season of giving, gathering, celebrating, and reflecting. Through all the lists, the events, the late nights, and the cold mornings, remember this: you deserve moments of care too. Moments that make you feel confident, nourished, and authentically beautiful.
Whether you gift someone a skincare set, schedule a Hydrafacial, or simply upgrade your winter routine, XO Aesthetics is here to help you glow into the holidays and step into the new year with confidence, comfort, and joy.
The glow you give yourself lasts long after the holidays end.