New year, new you, right? Well, not necessarily. The beginning of a new year doesn’t mean we’re keeping up with the resolutions we jotted down on our phone on the cab ride home after a night out. You know the ones we all promise to resolve every year: eating well, exercising on a regular basis and making good on those beauty resolutions, but at some point the overhauls tend to fall flat.
Luckily, jumping back on the bandwagon is just as easy as falling off of it. From slathering on a daily SPF in the form of a multipurpose product, to hydrating and healing your skin with more than just 8 glasses of water, and an easy way to fit in that weekly exfoliation that you’ve been neglecting, we have all of your necessary shortcuts. We know that you’re finally ready to fess up to those mistakes (we are too!), so here are some easy ways to remedy your broken beauty resolutions.
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Regularly exfoliating
Forgetting to exfoliate can cause a dry and damaged layer of dead skin to build up. An effective remedy is to get back to basics and start scrubbing your skin on a regular basis. We know an extra step is out of the cards, so we tracked down a double duty soap that will cleanse your skin, as well as soften and smooth it. Since you have to clean up anyway, you might as well invest in a soap that can work two jobs at once.
The remedy: Fresh Seaberry Exfoliating Soap ($19, sephora.com)
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Wearing SPF daily
Slathering your skin with SPF on a daily basis will not only prove to be beneficial for the short-term, but your skin will reap beauty benefits well into the future. If preventive beauty is on your mind, a routine SPF will ensure you’re tackling wrinkles and sunspots at the source.
A great tip for working in a sunscreen every day is to invest in a multipurpose BB or CC cream that boasts this added ingredient. Since you’re already correcting your skin in the morning with a variety of serums and creams, you might as well work in a product that has multiple benefits in one pump.
The remedy: Giorgio Armani Luminessence CC Color Control Bright Moisturizer SPF 35 ($56, sephora.com)
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Not picking at your cuticles
Chock it up to nerves, but biting our nails and cuticles is a pretty popular problem. No good can come from biting at your tips, so while it might be easy to cut your nails super-short, you might be sacrificing on style. Anyway you slice it, keeping your nails looking nice is a must for the workplace, so a great way to avoid biting at them is to invest in weekly manicures. Whether you’re splurging on a gel polish that is chip-resistant, or you opt for a polish change, this will help keep your fingers out of your mouth.
Another helpful idea, if you’re not one for weekly appointments, is to restore your cuticles, which will ultimately allow your nails to grow back and better than ever. If you’re feeling the itch to bite, moisturize your hands with an oil or balm for added beauty benefits. Just keep the stick in your satchel or beside your bed and your hands will be off-limits.
The remedy: Julep Hand and Cuticle Stick ($22, julep.com)
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Overdosing on toner
From not drinking enough water, to not changing your facial products for the seasons, forgetting to hydrate is a serious and common problem. Top that off with the fact that many of us are using alcohol-based toners that are seriously drying, and patchy skin is on its way.
This remedy starts with 8 glasses of water a day, but if you can’t stomach the simple taste throw in some fruits for some a sweeter glass. Keep a stock of water-based fruits in your fridge such as cucumbers or watermelon for some added hydration along the way.
Our skin cells work a lot like fish, as they need water to live, so working with well-formulated products will do just that. An effective measure to instantly hydrate your skin topically is to use an alcohol-free toner and seal with a skin serum. Alcohol-free toners will not only even out your skin, but instantly distribute the moisture it’s craving.
The remedy: Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner ($23, kiehls.ca)
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Not sleeping with makeup on
In short, this doesn’t do your complexion any good, but we do have a shortcut for those late nights and early mornings. To ensure you’re cleansing your complexion even when you simply can’t make it to the sink, leave a package of facial wipes by your bedside.
These pre-moistened clothes are power packed with vitamins, nutrients and skin-clearing ingredients to give you that fresh face finish. So when the occasion calls for it (i.e. not every single night), these wipes will help scrub, slough and soften.
The remedy: Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water Cloths, ($16, sephora.com)
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Using heat protection for your hair
We get it, you lead a hectic life and heat-styling your strands without worrying about the repercussions is a common beauty fail. Make sure you are getting regular trims, and if you’re serious about having healthy hair, a small sacrifice in length may be in order.
A good way to start protecting post-trim is to go straight to the source and use a conditioner that coats your hair and acts as a heat shield. Rather than towel drying and working in a seemingly endless string of heat serums, get your hair hydrated and prepped for your 5-minute morning routine without any extra steps.
The remedy: Pantene Pro-V Heat Shield Conditioner ($4, pgshop.com)
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Not scratching your dry winter skin
We get it, the drying elements of winter can cause even the dewiest of complexions to look dehydrated. Luckily, there’s an easily solution for that, and it comes it the form of a revitalizing body oil. These products will penetrate deep down into the dermis and work some serious wonders on your skin. If you’re unfamiliar with how oil might meld with your skin, start by dropping some into your body moisturizer and massage that in.
Another helpful hint is to keep the temperature in your shower at bay. Gone are the days of steaming hot showers, and while they feel amazing they can also strip your skin of the moisture it’s craving. All of these measures will ensure you’re not clawing at your complexion.
The remedy: Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil ($101, sephora.com)
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Broken beauty resolutions
Broken beauty resolution: Not picking at your breakouts
There’s almost nothing worse than waking up to a face full of zits. And while we naturally want to make them disappear, picking and prodding will only wreak havoc on your complexion. Leave the popping to the professionals and understand that allowing your skin to breathe is the best way for a breakout to clear up without any risk of scarring.
A good measure is to work in a once-weekly mask into your skincare routine. No need to find extra time for this step; just keep a mask in the shower and slather it on your skin when you’re lathering up. Your complexion has to be clean before applying a mask anyway, so you might as well kill two birds with one stone.
The remedy: Kate Somerville EradiKate Mask Foam-Activated Acne Treatment ($68, sephora.com)
