1. Wash Your Face at Night, Every Night
Yes, it’s annoying and obviously you want to climb into bed as soon as you can, especially after a night out, but washing your face needs to be a consistent step in your beauty routine!
As you sleep, your skin works to repair itself. If you don’t wash your face, not only are preventing your skin from breathing, but you are letting all of the dirt, oil, and debris from the day soak into your skin and clog your pores!
Don’t Believe Me?
Squeeze some toner to a cotton pad and apply it to your face at the end of the day. Now, look at the cotton pad. Most likely, the cotton pad will be dirty and disgusting. This is what sits on your face for hours while you sleep!!
At the very least, keep a pack of cleansing wipes on your bedside table to do a quick rub down before you pass out. Your skin will thank you in the morning.
2. Splurge on Foundation
I’m a huge fan of scouring the drugstore beauty aisles in search of amazing steals, but there is one item (okay, maybe not just one
) that I will not skimp on. Foundation!
While you can definitely find a few gems in the drugstore, (I love Revlon Colorstay and Black Opal foundations), nothing really compares to higher end, professional foundations.
You have a greater chance of finding your perfect shade, the quality is better and you’ll have more options when it comes to the type of finish you desire, be it dewy, matte, satin, natural etc..
Perfect your canvas and you’ll find that the rest of your makeup will just look better.
3. Stop Smoking Now
You know it’s bad for you, so why haven’t you quit?
Aside from the fact that you are 10-20 times more likely to get lung cancer than a non smoker, you are aging yourself with every puff!
With each inhale, more than a trillion free radicals are produced in your lungs. Free radicals speed up the aging process immensely. Smoking also depletes the collagen in your skin, which in turn, gives you premature wrinkles. Collagen fibers are protein fibers which work with elastin to give your body tissue firmness and strength.
Aside from aging you at a much faster rate, smoking also:
-Causes dark circles
-Clogs pores
-Gives you ugly lip lines
-Turns your teeth yellow
-Makes your hair brittle and dull
Stay beautiful, stop smoking!
4. Learn How to Apply False Eyelashes
Applying false eyelashes is on the majority of women’s “wtf, how do I do this” list. Despite the frustrations they cause, false lashes are a great way to jazz up your makeup and add a little extra drama to your eyes on special occasions. This year, face your fear of the false lash and learn to apply them once and for all!
Tips:
-Use a handheld or vanity mirror and position it on the counter so you are looking down (with your eyes) into it. This will put your eyes at the perfect angle and you will still be able to see what you are doing.
-One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to apply the lash before the glue is tacky! This is so important! Wait longer than you think you should and it will be so much easier to get the lash to adhere. If you apply before the glue has a chance to get sticky, it will make a huge mess as the lash flutters around, unattached to your eyelid.
-Cut the lash in half and apply each half separately! The smaller strip will be easier to manipulate until you get the hang of it.
5. Clean Out Your Makeup Bag
Alright, tell the truth, how old is that lipstick in the bottom of your makeup bag?
Many women are unaware that their makeup actually has a shelf life. This year, freshen up your makeup collection by trashing any item that has been lingering around for longer than you’d like to admit.
The Shelf Life of Your Makeup
Oil-Free Foundation: One Year
Cream Foundation: 18 Months
Concealer: 12-18 Months
Powder: Two Years
Blush & Bronzer: 18 Months – 2 Years
Cream Blush: 12-18 Months
Eye shadow: 2-3 Years.
Cream Eyeshadow: 12- 18 Months
Eyeliner: 2 years
Liquid Eyeliner: Six Months
Lipstick/Lip Gloss: 2-3 Years
Lipliner: 2 Years
Mascara: 3-4 Months!
Nail Polish: 1-2 Years