Ahh 2013 – it’s a new year, and that means it’s time for a fresh start. I’ve got some beauty resolutions that will help you get this year off to a beautiful start.
1. Keep it Clean – this should already be on your list, but in case it’s not, I wanted to remind you how important it is to regularly clean your makeup brushes to keep them in good shape and to keep them safe. After continued use, they get dirty which isn’t fun, but they also get tons of bacteria built up on them. This bacteria can not only cause breakouts, but can also contaminate your products. I had a health scare a couple of years ago when I was dealing with MRSA – since then, I’ve been very careful about washing my brushes to help prevent any flareups as it so easy for bad bacteria to get built up in them. Another good reason to keep them clean? You can prevent colour mixing when using different shades of makeup, as the residue left behind from them can transfer when applying a new shade. My suggestion? Try washing once a week with warm water and baby shampoo to get everything out. Once you’ve washed, give them a light dry using a hand towel, and lay them flat to dry.
If you’re in a hurry or looking for a faster way to clean, take a look at Beauty So Clean – they have a great conditioning brush spray made with alcohol and emollients which quickly dissolves makeup residue – all it takes is a spray and a wipe on a paper towel and your brushes will be left clean (and they dry extremely quickly!). They also have makeup sanitizing products which are perfect for banishing bacteria buildup from all of your products.
2.Try Something New – A new year is the perfect time to try a little beauty dare. I’m not saying you need to do anything crazy if you’re on the more conservative side – it’s just fun to add a little new life to your beauty routine. Try a new shade of eyeshadow you’ve always been a little scared to test out. Throw on some bright pink lipstick. Life’s too short to not take risks, and adding a little fun to your beauty routine is a great (and non-permanent!) way to freshen up your look.
3. Even It Out – Looking great any day starts with having a smooth, even base, and with all of the BB and CC creams on the market today, it couldn’t be easier. Throw on a layer of one of these and you’ll walk out of the house looking fresh and feeling great. The arrival of CC creams is something that I’m really excited about – they’re lighter and have better coverage than BB cream, giving skin an even brighter appearance (can you say hangover helper?). I’m looking forward to trying out Annabelle’s new CC Perfecting Base and CC Pressed Powder (I’m already a huge fan of their BB Cream), which will both be available later in January.
4. Get Glowing – I know, there are still a lot of sun worshippers out there, but I think we’re all finally starting to realize just how bad sun exposure is for us. As if premature ageing isn’t enough (sun spots and wrinkles? No thank you), we also run the risk of sunburns and skin cancer. Just because we want to keep our skin safe doesn’t mean we can’t have an amazing year round glow. There are some amazing self tanners and bronzers out there now to keep us from looking like Casper (not that fair skin isn’t gorgeous as well – I just know I get tired of rocking a fairly nice shade of alabaster around this time of year). Check out St. Tropez for a fab fake tan – and The Body Shop will give you a gorgeous glow with their Honey Bronze Shimmering Bronze Oil.
5. Feed Your Skin – Hot off the tails of the holiday season, and with the cold weather providing some serious issues, it’s time to give your skin a little bit of TLC so you can put your best face forward in 2013. Cleansing, moisturizing and a little extra work (treatments and a few extra glasses of water a day will go a long way) will help you maintain fresh, clear skin. Your skin is the base of any look, and you need it to look and feel amazing. A couple of products to help you get there? Check out Maskeraide’s amazing masks to detoxify and Korres Quercetin & Oak Anti-Ageing Night Cream to give your skin the moisture it deserves.
Will you be adding any of these to your list? What are your other beauty resolutions?
