Beauty Resolutions I Can Keep

They say the best way to sabotage your resolutions for the new year is to make them difficult to keep. If you try to change too much you may be setting yourself up for failure. So I thought about the really simple things I could do that would have the most impact. Here are some ideas that might lay the groundwork for your health, beauty and well being in 2011!

1) Wash my face every single night before I go to sleep.

We are all guilty of going to sleep with our makeup on sometimes...we've had a long day and are just too tired to properly cleanse our faces. This year I'm going to make an effort to do it no matter what so I'll make it easy by keeping a great cleanser nearby...I'll also keep some of those easy face wipes near my bed so there is absolutely no excuse. There are some inexpensive and effective ones at your local drug store by Neutrogena, Lumene and Garnier Fructis. And this resolution also leads to another we are hearing more and more about regarding our health, weight and the way we look--I'll do my best to get 8 hours of sleep a night!

2) I'll drink more water.

I read that we should calculate half of our body weight and drink that many ounces of water a day to keep our bodies hydrated. It's so incredibly simple and has so many benefits on our skin, metabolism and energy level. Straight water gets boring so I usually add some lemon or a splash of flavored Vitamin Water or juice to make it more palatable...but be careful as there is a lot of sugar in juice so try to keep it as pure as possible.

3) I'll have my eyebrows professionally done.

Whether they are unruly and need to be waxed or are sparse and need to be tinted, getting your eyebrows done professionally makes a huge difference. Sure we can all pluck them and fill them in with pencil but it's hard to duplicate the polished lookwe get from a pro. It's a relatively inexpensive service that can have a lot of impact on your looks!

4) I'll throw away old makeup.

Have you hung on to old lipsticks and eyeshadows thinking you'll use them someday? I used to think that makeup could last for years but the pros say that certain products have a short shelf life and are a breeding ground for germs, especially the ones that come into contact with our eyes and lips. Mascara probably had the shortest window of time for use and you should throw it away after 3 months, period. Foundation can last up to a year if you keep fingers away from the bottle and use a sponge to apply. Eye pencils can last longer if you sharpen before each use and powders, concealers and lip balms can actually last a few years since they don't contain water. Check to make sure nothing has a bad odor or has changed color or consistency. Oh and well we're at it let's make it a habit to clean our makeup brushes on a regular basis too. Sally Beauty sells a cleaner by Face Secrets under $6 and Sephora has a product in their own collection for $6 that you can use daily. Not only will they rid your brushes of bacteria but they'll extend the life of your brushes at the same time so they're a good investment.

5) I'll use a sunscreen daily.

We hear it constantly--if we want to protect against skin cancer and aging we have to use a sunscreen with at least a 15 spf, even if we are just exposed to the sun for short periods of time. So many of the moisturizers out there in all price points do include an spf so choose the best one for your skin type and apply more often if you exercise outdoors or will be sweating. And don't forget your lips--a lip balm with spf is a good idea too as our lips are also vulnerable to the suns damaging rays.

6) I'll pamper myself more.

This might be the easiest resolution to keep! Taking the time out for a massage, facial or mani-pedi keeps us sane when things get really stressful and out of control. So be good to yourself and it will probably pay off in the way you look and feel!

http://www.beautyindc.com/ is your local resource for information and deals on beauty services in the Washington Metro area.