There’s nothing like the beginning of the year. It’s alive with so much possibility, freshness, and motivation. If you have new year beauty resolutions, you’re in good company.
More than a quarter of the population is busy planning ways to make this next one the best yet. Despite their best laid plans, however, only 8% of people will stick with and achieve them, according to one study conducted by the University of Scranton.
The trick to seeing things through? Make your new year beauty goals specific, positive, and personal.
Whether you want to leave your bad habits in the dust or create a new glow up routine, these beauty tips for the new year can lead to a happier, healthier you.
Get more (facial) exercise.
More than 7% of all new year’s resolutions revolve around exercise. In this case, that means getting your face in shape! Just like any part of a healthy physique, the muscles in your face require toning, too. Doing so can help firm up the skin, brighten your complexion, and prevent premature aging.
The best way to do this is to book a facial with a qualified esthetician. Their techniques can target certain areas where you hold the most tension (goodbye elevens!) and increase overall blood flow.
At-home tools like jade rollers, facial massagers, and gua sha stones can help continue the toning processing between sessions.
Cut your hair more regularly.
Coming out of quarantine was a shock to the system. Seeing how much everyone’s hair had grown really encapsulated just how much time had passed (and how fewer haircuts we collectively got). Even if we need to head back into our homes for some amount of time, don’t let that be an excuse to neglect your hair care – again.
Make sure you’re getting to the salon roughly every 12 weeks. Book in advance with your stylist after each appointment to ensure their schedules don’t fill up if the world gets turned on its head again. Even if you’re just going in for a trim, your hair will be stronger, healthier, and grow faster (if that is in fact your goal).
In between cuts, you can invest in a satin pillowcase or do monthly deep condition treatments to keep everything manageable.
Invest in sustainable products.
You don’t have to go all out, but even swapping a few of the beauty products you use most for more sustainable ones will help do your part.
Try:
- Looking for companies who source ethically and reduce the amount of harmful chemicals in their products.
- Buying products made and sold locally at farmers markets or craft fairs.
- Only purchase products that have reduced plastics and packaging.
- Repurposing household food items like coffee grounds (which you can use in homemade scrubs) and avocado skins (which are perfect for moisturizing rough areas like elbows and knees).
Dedicate yourself to sunscreen.
Year round sunscreen applications are a must for anyone who’s committed to aging gracefully and cancer-free. Everyone needs daily doses of a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 – no exceptions.
You do have options though. Mineral sunscreens can be ideal for those with oily skin or who live in warm climates. Moisturizing sunscreens are great in the winter when things tend to be a little dryer.
Not sure which is right for you? Ask your esthetician during your next appointment!
Wash, don’t makeup wipe, your skin.
You already know you should be washing your face at night before bed. Yes, everynight. No matter what. But there are times when you’re feeling too tired or unmotivated, so you reach for the makeup wipes instead.
Fight that urge.
Makeup wipes can actually dry your skin. Not to mention put a damper on your sustainability resolution!
Don’t neglect your feet!
There’s a reason the bottom of your feet are called the soles. This is where your body meets the earth. Where you connect to the entire world. Treat them soulfully.
Taking a pumice stone to them a few times a month can help eliminate the dreaded “zombie feet”. You might also commit to soaking them in an epsom salt foot bath for a few minutes each night. Doing so is thought to pull toxins from throughout the body!
And if you’ve been putting off that pedicure, reach out to your favorite salon. It’s a simple, inexpensive way to feel like a new you.
And hey, if come February you find some of these beauty resolutions have gone by the wayside, remember this: Every day is an opportunity to start anew.
Gina Rivera
Beauty Icon and Expert
Gina Rivera skyrocketed to success when the company she founded in 2007, Phenix Salon Suites, became the fastest-growing salon suite company in the beauty industry. With more than 300 locations nationally and international expansion occurring in the UK, Entrepreneur Magazine named Phenix Salon Suites a Top 500 Franchise list seven years running.
