There's no denying that Christmas is stressful. During next few weeks the strain of the festive period will start and soon sleepless nights, stressful shopping trips and late parties will eventually take their toll on your summer fresh skin. So be a step ahead and spend some time pampering yourself in preparation for the merriment and mayhem.

Skin is usually the first give away sign of being tired and run down but by taking the time to plan ahead for the Christmas period can better prepare your body for the busy time. Female First look give you some top tips on how to look after your skin from head to toe.

Drink Water- we've heard it all before and it is fairly obvious but still not all of us drink enough water. The recommended amount is 8 glasses per day but by simply having a big bottle on your desk at work or a sports bottle handy while you do the housework makes it easier to ensure your getting enough. You will start to drink it out of habit throughout the day and soon you'll notice yiur skin is looking much firmer and more radiant.

Use a Good Moisturiser- moisturising daily prevents your skin cells from losing water and also provides a protective barrier from the harsh winter elements. Ingredients to look out for in a good quality moisturiser include Aloe vera, sunflower oil and glycerine. Watch out for Female First's review of the best moisturisers around later this week.

Have a Good Scrub- exfoliation is essential for healthy looking skin. A good body scrub or exfoliating face wash every few days removes dead skin cells and nasties that clog up your pores and cause spots and leaves your skin glowing and gorgeous. Home made exfoliators work best so take a look at our

Homemade Skin Care Recipes

Always Remove Make Up- we're all guilty of sleeping in our make up when we roll home after a Saturday night on the town but it is vital to get rid of all that slap before we drift off if we want healthy skin for Christmas. Face wipes are the easiest and fastest way to get clean fresh skin. Just keep a packet next to your bed for those nights when you really can't muster the energy to go through a full 3 step routine.

Know Your Skin- you are the expert of your own skin so make sure you know it well. Are your prone to dry patches or is your skin oily? Are you sensitive to certain products or do you get spot outbreaks at certain times of the month? Knowing as much as possible about your skin helps you to devise a beauty routine that suits you best. Female First will help you devise a custom skin care programme later in the week.

Female First- Tilly Harris