Whether you want to hide away from the winter weather, leave the stress of Christmas preparations behind for a few hours, or pamper yourself in the run-up to party season, the Bella Spa is the perfect place to retreat to this December.

Located on the ground floor of the Bella Luce, just through the archway on the opposite side to the hotel’s main entrance and reception, the spa offers a quiet haven to unwind and enjoy a bit of “you time” during the franticness of mind-winter and the run-up to the holidays. Here, the team from the Bella Spa provides their tips on relaxing, combating the effects of the winter weather, and preparing for the few weeks of festivities over Christmas and New Years.

Winter Skin Care

Winter is coming, and the harsh cold can wreak havoc on your complexion.

“As winter temperatures fall and the air gets drier, your skin pays the price," says the Bella Spa’s Hayley Fox, “this can lead to cracks in the outer layer of skin, loss of hydration, and ultimately, inflammation.”

Many of us can benefit from a skincare upgrade to combat the blustery months ahead. To counter the drying effect, use a thicker moisturiser equipped to help protect the skin's barrier. Another skin saver? Use kinder, gentler cleansers that hydrate (rather than harsh exfoliating or foam formulations), since skin irritation can increase along with dryness in winter months.

Finally, an effort to hydrate the skin should never come at the cost of ditching daily sun protection. Sure, you may not see as much of the sun during the next few months, but UVA rays — the aging and cancer-causing rays that penetrate through windows and clouds, and into the deepest layer of skin — are still kicking, all day, every day.

As you gear up to do battle with the elements, holiday shoppers, and other forms of winter warfare, these will help you to keep your skin glowing — even in the shortest and darkest of days.

Pre-Party Pampering

Now that the party season is upon us, it's important to carve out a little time to pamper yourself. Here are two simple pre-party rituals which will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated before the big event without the need to leave home

1. Scrub up with oil and salt From meeting and greeting at the office party to serving up platefuls of snacks and canapes, your hands are on show more than you realise. To keep your skin soft and presentation-perfect, apply a homemade scrub once a week. Simply combine equal parts of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Pink Himalayan Salt then scrub your hands vigorously over the sink. As the salt sloughs off a layer of dead skin, the oil nourishes the epidermis.

2. Condition your hair with coconut oil Organic Virgin Coconut Oil has multiple uses that benefit our skin, hair and health. Rich in nutrients and essential fatty acids, the oil seals the hair follicle from the outside, preventing vital moisture from escaping. Warm a spoonful of oil in your hands then apply it to damp hair. Leave it on for as long as possible before rinsing it off with hot water and your favourite shampoo.

Unwind in the Wind-up to Christmas

So you’ve put up the Christmas tree and lights, bought all your presents and now is the time to kick back and relax at Christmas. But as we all know, it’s always a hard time trying to unwind as there’s so much to do and so much to think about. The pressure to be perfect and feeling pressured to get the absolute the perfect gift for loved ones is often the high point of stress. Just take a deep breath, have faith in yourself and believe that you’ve done your absolute best. At the end of the day, Christmas is all about having fun and taking time out of our busy lives to spend some quality time with loved ones so why not just enjoy yourself and allow yourself to relax at Christmas? And failing that, you can always book in for a relaxing treatment at the Bella Spa.

Visit the Bella Spa website for more information on the treatments that they offer, and to book an appointment.