Out with the old and in with the new! Resolutions are flying everywhere and we are trying to make it through January in one piece. Here are some beauty resolutions that might help you feel calmer and happier going into the new year. It’s the year of self-care ladies. Let’s love and spoil ourselves a little more in 2019!
1. Wash Those Brushes
All the dead skin cells, built-up product and germs galore are just being applied to your face on the daily when you don’t give those babies a bath. I wash my professional brushes for my clients scrupulously. But for some reason I don’t do it to my own. I’m coming for you this year, brushies!
Dermatologists say you should wash your brushes and sponges at least once a week to minimize breakouts and overall ickiness. If you are throwing them in the same makeup bag day after day, it might be time to invest in a new bag too, so you are not just recycling those germs back onto your face. There are some toys available to make your job a little easier and fun as well!
Sigma Spa® 2X Brush Cleaning Glove, $39
The Sigma Spa® 2X Brush Cleaning Glove is a great way to get some suds going and wash all of those microbes down the drain. Just get the water warm and lather up your brush and scrub it on the little silicone nubs to work out all the nastiness.
LimeLife by Alcone Clean Act Brush and Sponge Shampoo, $28
LimeLife by Alcone’s Clean Act Brush and Sponge Shampoo is vegan and chemical-free. It includes tea tree coconut oil so you can sterilize your brushes while making them clean and oh-so-soft!
2. Drink More Water
Hydrating is one of the best things you can do you for your body, point blank. Period. You know how I am like a broken record player about moisturizing your face, well your body needs hydrating too! When you drink water it removes impurities from your body, and helps to keep you awake and refreshed. It can also keep headaches at bay and help stimulate your metabolism. But it really helps your skin glow and feel fabulous. It plumps any fine lines and helps your skin hold onto that elasticity. There is no downside for ditching that diet soda (sugar crash!) and reaching for that H2O!
We have all heard the “drink 8 glasses of water a day” rule. Generally there are 8 oz in a glass, but some people need more. A fun little trick to know how much water to drink is to take your weight and divide it in half. Whatever number you have is how many ounces you should be drinking. I have a small collection of little plastic workout water bottles that I just wash and refill. It makes it easy to keep track of your daily intake. There are also some great apps like “Drink Water Reminder N Tracker” that helps you do just as it says!
S’well Stainless Steel Water Bottle, $35-$50
S’well water bottles are made with stainless steel and have some great designs. They have been featured in “O” and even Vogue! It’s a fun and fashionable way to reduce the amount of single-use plastic while staying hydrated.
3. When In Doubt, Throw It Out
How long have you had that eyeshadow quad lying, floating around in your makeup bag? Do you still use that dried out mascara? We are all guilty of this! If you look under some of your cosmetics you will see a little picture of a round container with the lid popped up. It will usually have a number on it followed by a capital M. This is called “Period After Opening” and it tells you how many months the product is good for.
A good rule of thumb as well is that anything eye-related (liners, mascaras, etc. that isn’t powder) is usually good for 3-6 months. Most powders (eyeshadows, blushes, etc.) are safe for up to 2 years and all creams like foundations and concealers are good for up to 1 year. If you cannot remember when you bought it, just trash it.
This a fun time to bring in some organizing skills and really get excited about doing your makeup. Make time to do it in the morning and you will feel gorgeous all day!
4. Skin Care Routine That Sticks
You’ve been up since the crack of dawn, your day has been non-stop, and you just congratulated yourself on eating a quick dinner without falling asleep. Does this sound familiar? All of us busy women can relate most definitely! It is just so important to get one more step in there. Instead of grabbing a makeup wipe and rubbing off the remnants of the day’s makeup, try and take a few minutes to get some self-care time in.
Washing your face (actually washing!) helps clean off the pollutants and old makeup hanging out in those pores. Then following with a good toner and moisturizer can feel amazing. This can help slow down the aging process and your overall skin appearance and health will be better. You will start looking forward to your nightly, relaxing routine and it will help your skin to put its best face forward!
5. Be Mindful
You can do all the steps and regimens to keep everything on track, but if you talk negatively to yourself then none of that will matter. They say beauty is skin deep, and if you tell yourself every morning that you are “A beautiful badass who will rule the day!”, then things are going to be a heck of a lot better! Go into your day and situations with a positive, confident attitude. They say a good rule of thumb is to talk to yourself like you would your best friend. When I started trying this I realized that I would make so many enemies if I talked to anyone the way I spoke to myself. Self-care and healthy living will go so much further if you believe in yourself. I’m not saying walk around with a big smile plastered on your face, but know that you can handle what is thrown your way! You are a beautiful, intelligent, confident woman! Just in case you didn’t know.
Tackling so many things at once can be daunting and lead to a complete lapse in your new healthy habits. Martha Beck (Oprahs’ life coach who writes the best books ever!) says the best way to form new habits and keep them is to do one thing for a week and make sure you feel like it is added into your routine before moving onto another one. It just keeps it small and simple…and it really does work! I hope everyone is having an incredible start to their new year. Here’s to a glowing 2019! XO
