It’s a brand new year full of opportunities! Many people have a list of resolutions to lose weight, save money, or get more organized. Something you might not think about is improving your beauty routine. Here are 9 ways to resolve for a better beauty routine in 2016.
1. Stress Less
Stress can impact every part of your body, from your mind to your skin. Stress can cause more frequent breakouts due to the increase in the hormone cortisol. Cortisol can increase oil production of the skin and thus decrease the ability to fight off acne-causing bacteria. Many people cope with stress by exercising, using breathing techniques, or writing in a journal. If you don’t already have a few ways to cope with stress, try a few things to see what works for you. Managing stress effectively will help your mental health as well as your skin’s health and appearance.
Protecting your skin from the sun should be part of your beauty routine.
2. Be Mindful of the Sun Indoors
Just about everyone knows that the sun’s UV rays are harmful to the skin. Sunscreen is highly recommended for anyone spending time outdoors, but did you know that the same UV rays can penetrate the windows in your home or vehicle and cause the same problems you might run into outside? Any exposure to UV rays can cause brown spots and wrinkles over time. The Skin Cancer Foundation has reported that many people have more dramatic sun damage on their left side, due to driving in their car. It’s recommended to always wear a moisturizer with SPF to limit the damage the sun may cause.
3. Choose Your Face Wash Wisely
Did you know that it’s recommended to use a non-soap cleanser to wash your face? A non-soap cleanser can help replace moisture into the skin, rather than strip the skin of all moisture like many cleansers do. A gentle cleanser can also help avoid dryness, eczema, and psoriasis. It’s also good to use warm water rather than hot water, as it hot water can cause dryness.
4. Moisturize Often
Birchbox explains that moisturizing is important for a number of reasons. For one, it makes skin look healthy by making it look smoother, softer, and fresher looking! It can also help skin function optimally, encouraging cell growth and repair. Even if you have oily skin, you should moisturize daily – it’s suggested that over time, moisturizing can actually cut down the amount of oil your skin creates.
5. Embrace Coconut Oil
You’ve heard the hype. Everyone is using coconut oil for something or another. Embrace it! Not only can you cook with it, but you can also add it to your beauty routine! Us it in place of your eye makeup remover, moisturizer (head to toe), anti-aging eye cream, lip balm, or even in place of shaving cream! If you do use coconut oil as shaving cream, just be aware that your bath might become slick.
Coconut oil can help nourish your skin, especially during dry winter months.
6. Rethink Your Hair Products
Some hair products contain oils or waxes that make them effective for styling your hair, but might clog your pores and increase the likelihood of acne. The products can clog your pores while you’re washing your hair in the shower, or they might end up on your pillowcase at night. Try to find water-based hair products that do not use oil or wax.
7. Get Some Rest
There’s a reason they call it “beauty sleep.” While you rest, your skin actually repairs itself! Not to mention, when you’re sleep deprived, your body might release more cortisol (remember that stress hormone we talked about?), causing oily skin or breakouts. Strive to get seven or eight hours of sleep each night by turning off your electronics an hour before bed and getting yourself into a relaxed state.
8. Exfoliate Often
Exfoliating a couple times each week can help your body replace dead skin cells with newer ones. Don’t limit yourself to exfoliating just your face – you can exfoliate your whole body! Use a soft brush or exfoliating cream and then rinse with warm (not hot) water.
Freshly cleaned makeup brushes are ready to be used and won’t clog your pores.
9. Wash Your Makeup Brushes
Your makeup brushes can harbor dead skin cells and bacteria, making them likely to cause acne if you don’t clean them regularly. You’ll need a shallow bowl, baby shampoo, and a towel. Run your brushes under warm water, rinsing residual makeup. Try not to get too close to the handle, as the glue can loosen over time. Fill your bowl with warm water and add the shampoo. Swirl your brush into the water and then swirl it in your hand, to create a lather. Rinse the brush under warm water and repeat until the water runs clear. Reshape your brush and lay flat on a towel to dry.
If you’re looking for more education related to beauty, be sure to check out our cosmetology courses!