Lucy
The first and most important beauty resolution which everyone should abide by is to never ever sleep with make up on. Even though the temptation is there after a night out to tumble straight into bed fully clothed, with makeup and even eyelashes intact, always remember to take it off.
Whilst it may be optimistic to think of doing a thorough cleanse at 4am, using an emergency face wipe will take less than five minutes. Sleeping in makeup definitely makes you break out, not to mention ruining your bedding and making you feel even more awful and disgusting the next morning.
Keep a pack by your bed so you remember, or better yet remove it in bed so you have no excuse for skipping and your skin will be sure to thank you the next morning.
2. Wash your brushes
It is just as important to wash your makeup brushes and sponges regularly, especially the beauty blender which gets filthy as I use it every day. This is by far my most detested beauty chore, but it has to be done at least every month before things get too gross so try and get into a routine so you don’t forget. At least make sure you wash your foundation brush or beauty sponge regularly in order to minimise breakouts. While there may be products available designed especially for cleaning your brushes, I have always found that using baby shampoo and warm water works just as well. Rub the brushes into the shampoo and rinse until the water runs clear, then leave them to dry naturally overnight.
3. Research your products
Although makeup is the first thing I am tempted to buy, this year I want to spend money on products which I know will work for me as opposed to randomly buying makeup impulsively that I have heard nothing about. Researching products beforehand and finding out which products are highly recommended give you a better chance of finding something that is worth the money, especially if you are buying more luxury makeup. If you are going to buy something on a passing trend, go for a cheaper option. If you’re going to splash out, splash out on something that you will get a lot of use out of such as a good foundation or your perfect nude lipstick. Save blue mascara for the drugstore.
4. Change isn't always needed
New Year, new you? Although it may feel like you have to mix up your makeup bag with the New Year and change up your style, you don’t necessarily have to. Don’t worry about sticking with the look that works for you. Of course it’s fun to experiment now and then to avoid becoming stuck in a makeup rut, but it’s good to know what suits you and more importantly, what does not. If you know the nude lips trend will just wash you out, then stick to your more bold shades as it’s more important that you feel comfortable. I have started to wear the same makeup look on most occasions and have become more boring in terms of experimentation of trends, but if this works then stick with it. Instead of experimenting with passing trends, hunt for similar products to those you love already and be faithful to what you know suits you.
Flo
Exfoliate 2015 away
What is exfoliation? The use of a skin-resurfacing product with micro particles to slough away dead skin cells on both the face and body. You may be asking why do we exfoliate? We exfoliate to smooth, brighten and deep clean the skins surface, and encourager better cell turnover.
Body:
Say goodbye to dead skin cells by fitting an exfoliating body scrub into your regime. Having beautiful, clean skin is great, but not if there are lots of dead skin cells to cling onto it! Exfoliation removes dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, unclogs your pores and prevents uneven skin tone. Soap & Glory’s Scrub ‘Em And Leave ‘Em body buff with babassu oil and moisturising jojoba and mandarin oils, scented with notes of bergamot, vanilla and musk, offers exfoliating properties, as well as a sweet scent.
Enriched with sea salt, helps soften the skin, the sugar-based formula both glides onto the skin and rinses off easily. For best results, first cleanse your skin with a gentle body wash to banish the day’s grime. Next, apply the exfoliator while it is still damp, rub the product over the palm of your hands as if you’re cleansing and use small circular movements to apply the product. Be gentle and keep a light touch while applying your exfoliator, as the gentle buffing motion is supposed to be anything but harsh! Let the beads do the work. Remember, the more product you use, the more powerful the treatment, yet a 50 pence size normally does the trick, (dependent on what areas of the body you are focusing on). The nourishing formula of this scrub leaves your skin in tiptop condition, whilst also providing for a well-prepped base for skin more amenable to moisturization and pre tanning. Preparing your skin before you fake tan is one of the key aspects to achieving a jaw dropping, long lasting glow that will be the envy of all your friends. For the most part, generally, aim to exfoliate twice a week, if your skin is particularly oily or sensitive, do so only once as to avoid any irritation.
Face:
Is there any sensation quite like washing your face at the end of a long day? Acting as both purifying ritual and practicality, a good cleansing session can be one of the most satisfying parts of your beauty routine. It also serves as an important first step to keeping skin balanced and replenished. Over time, your skin can easily became dehydrated and dull looking, face scrubs—in their many forms—are beauty’s proverbial icing on the cake. Revitalizing and enriching, Neal’s Yard Remedies Rehydrating Rose Facial Polish (a la Rose) exfoliating polish is the answer to all your troubles. Enriched with antioxidant milk thistle, aloe vera and gently exfoliating wild rose seed powder to provide you with booted and rejuvenated smooth skin boosted.
The enriching olive and coconut oils replenish moisture, whilst cooling and soothing rose extracts restore your skin’s natural radiance. Too reap the benefits of this glorious product, use on damp skin and apply with a circular massage motion to cleanse the skin. Simply wash off with a washcloth and pat the face dry.
Ellen
When it comes to our beauty routines, we’re all slackers in some way or another. From avoiding that expensive haircut for far too long to sleeping in your make up after a boozy night out, we’ve all got some bad beauty habits we’d rather not admit to.
When these become part of your every day routine, it can be hard to snap out of it and take a little extra time to nip these in the bud, however, what better time than the new year to make some small changes to your habits that could make a big difference to your appearance.
My problem with my beauty routine is that I’m incredibly lazy, for me, convenience is key and you while I’d happily spend hours doing my make up, I’m not quite as likely to spend my time caring for my skin in between. My worst habit is by far neglecting to clean my brushes. It’s not as if I’m unaware of the fact that it’s pretty unhygienic, I also struggle regularly with the problem that I have to use whatever colour is left on my favourite eye shadow brush from the last time I used it, but for some reason I still go weeks, if not moths in between washes. Bathing your brushes can also help them to stay in great condition for longer, saving money in the long run by avoiding the need to replace them. To start myself of, I treated myself to a new brush cleaner spray (£2 from Primark, probably a load of crap)which will hopefully sit on my desk as a reminder, fingers crossed!
My other bad habit, again, comes from pure laziness. I really enjoy doing hair and make up and therefore have no problem spending the majority of the time I should be doing uni work playing around with new lipsticks and trying out hairstyles. However, when it comes to the actual skin underneath, I tend to neglect it entirely. Forget hours of exfoliating, buffing and polishing, a simple make up wipe and a quick rinse with soapy water is the extent of my daily routine. Sometimes I’ll push the boat out with some moisturiser during the winter months but that’s really my limit. This year, my aim is to really start looking after my skin and preventing any damage or wrinkles that will inevitably appear somewhere down the line. I’m not saying I’ll spend hours every day cleansing away (maybe next year) but I think daily exfoliating and moisturising is a good and reasonable place to start.