NOW IS the time to be making those all-important New Year’s resolutions. From not sleeping in your make-up to drinking more water, there are a few beauty ones worth considering:
THOU SHALT NOT . . . Yo-yo dietMaintaining a healthy weight isn’t just essential for squeezing into your favourite dress, but for your face, too. Avoid a rollercoaster ride on the weighing scales.
“Repeatedly gaining and losing weight can take its toll on the skin’s elasticity, leaving behind stretch marks and jowls,” warns dermatologist Dr Tess Mauricio.
“Yo-yo dieting also causes premature ageing – the repeated weight gain and loss stretches your skin and makes it loose and saggy. A loss of facial fat causes sagging and a gaunt, aged appearance, so aim to keep your weight in the normal BMI range.”
If you do need to slim, aim to lose weight sensibly and slowly, rather than crash diet.
THOU SHALT NOT . . . Make unrealistic detox resolutions
Extreme January 1 plans for wheatgrass shots combined with twice-daily gym visits means that you’re likely to fall off the detox wagon in no time. Aim for a skin-transforming resolution that doesn’t inflict any suffering.
“Three minutes a day body-brushing will change your skin,” says Newby Hands, FeelUnique.com’s editorial director.
“Work from the feet upwards, always brushing towards the heart, and work gently to target the lymphatic system for smoother limbs and softer skin. Do this daily and you’ll see the difference in just two weeks.”
THOU SHALT NOT . . . Collect pointless potions
If 2012 was the year of the BB (beauty balm) cream, get set for CC (colour corrector) creams in 2013. Downsize your product with multi-tasking products.
“Nowadays, with all the hybrid make-up that combines skincare and colour, you don’t have to layer your skin with numerous products,” says Jemma Kidd, make-up artist.
“If you make addressing redness and uneven skin tone your main aim, you can’t go far wrong.”
THOU SHALT NOT . . . Be unkind to your skin
Give your skin back its sparkle for the New Year. Make a clean start by always ensuring that your head hits the pillow with a freshly-scrubbed face.
Celebrity facialist Nichola Joss says: “Cleansing the skin is super- important to clear away impurities such as dead skin cells and dirt from the day, which can dull the complexion – imagine the dull surface of a mirror and then the sparkle of one that’s been polished.
“Use a deep cleansing product to remove debris from the skin, and massage in using fingertips in a circular motion. Spritz with a facial mist to re-balance your skin.”
THOU SHALT NOT . . . Dismiss ‘me’ time
Never underestimate the power of re-charging your batteries. Aim to set aside one evening per week for a pamper. “Sunday nights can work well and it’s a great time to prepare yourself for the week ahead,” recommends Geraldine Howard, co-founder of Aromatherapy Associates.
“A bath with essential oils can be wonderfully relaxing to the body and restorative to the mind. Use this time to take some deep breaths and just focus on yourself with no distractions.”
THOU SHALT NOT . . . Neglect your eyes
The skin surrounding your eyes is the thinnest and most delicate on your face, meaning wrinkles appear faster than anywhere else. Eliminate tell-tale signs by using an anti-ageing eye cream daily such as Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle Correcting Eye Cream, £28,
“Use your ring finger for applying eye creams, as this has the lightest touch and is least likely to pull the skin,” advises Josephine Fairley, co-author of the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible.
“Starting at the inner corner, dot the cream from just below your lashes to the outer corner of your orbital bone, patting it onto the skin. Do the same above the eye.”
