New Year’s resolutions can feel overwhelming and full of expectation. Gone are the days (thank god) where we’re societally expected to quit the booze or give our entire life an overhaul – fine if you fancy it, but if not? Broaden your mindset and choose something small and doable like reading more books, saying yes to more social gatherings or drinking a little more water. Or, don’t make one at all! You’re great as you are, I say.
If you’re open to it however, may I suggest a New Year’s beauty resolution – or eight? I’ve thought carefully about what my routine would benefit most from to come up with the following, spanning across skin, hair, body, makeup and even nails.
Pick one, pick three or even pick them all – these are meant to be achievable and appealing.
Happy 2023!
Experiment & be brave
Let’s start big, shall we? Without getting too deep, life is short and we only get one go at it, so why not let this shape your attitude to beauty? Experiment, be bold and make brave choices when it comes to your makeup and new haircuts. One of my resolutions this year is to just have more fun with beauty, because that’s what it’s here for.
With this in mind, I’m determined to apply my product with new perspectives in mind (i.e. not just brush on my standard brown eyeshadow and pinky-nude lip) and give that hair colour I’ve been wanting to try for ages a real go. I encourage you to do the same – January is bleak after all, so may as well inject some pizzazz.
Swipe and shop: Experimental beauty
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Don’t know where to start? How about happy makeup like this year’s Viva Magenta trend, vibrant cool girl eyeliner or even something as simple as switching your black mascara for a brown one. I’m also embracing my love for lip stains after an ongoing fixation with Wednesday and a (post-Christmas) viewing of festive rom com Something From Tiffany’s, where lead Zoey Deutch wears the most irresistible berry lip throughout the movie.
Sleep in your hair oil
My hair is in struggle city. It has been for a long time after years of bleaching, excess heat and general wear and tear. This year, I’m determined to restore it to at least some semblance of health.
While I will never leave my beloved bleach behind (Targaryen blonde 4eva), I am going to limit the heat, get regular cuts and commit to a strenuous routine of scalp saviours, hydrating masks and deeply nourishing oils.
Something that has always helped my hair is sleeping in said mask or oil; 2023 will be the year I do an Argan oil overnight treatment weekly. Pinky promise.
Increase hydration, inside and out
It’s a cliche, but for a reason: hydration really does make a difference to absolutely everything. I always used to joke that my ex-boyfriend was so obsessed with encouraging H2O consumption he would have recommended it to heal a broken limb, but only now do I recognise its importance after leaving my 20s.
This year, I *will* drink more water daily. Will I knock back two litres of the stuff? Probs not: my bladder can’t hack the stress. But I’ll try my very hardest (helped, in part, by a cool new water bottle), along with continuing to incorporate ultra-hydrating topical formulas to my routine.
Start with a weekly mask to up the hydration ante.
Moisturise your body, every single day (without exception)
I’m notoriously lazy with my body routine. I’m sure many super chic beauty editors have perfectly soft, smooth limbs at all times, but I’m not one of them. Enter: my fourth resolution.
No matter how much of a sh*t day I’ve had, or how mind-blowingly tired I feel, I vow to slather on some form of body moisturiser daily after my shower, to keep things soft and supple. I may even try to do it twice.
I encourage you to do the same. It may feel more appealing with a glorious new body butter or oil. Here are some of my faves:
Swipe and shop: Body moisturisers
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Up your sustainability credentials
In many areas of my life, I exude passion for the environment: I don’t eat beef or fish, I ride my bike far more than getting in a car and I give money to important plant-saving causes. But as a beauty editor, I should really be leading by example in my routine, right?
Historically I’ve been a little lazy in this area, as much as I hate to admit it. In 2023, I am going to take small, affordable steps to sustainability, from reaching for reusable cotton pads and buds to ditching the plastic-heavy packaging. Watch this space: I am a work in ~progress~.
Swipe and shop: Sustainable beauty
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Approach TikTok with caution
Just like every millennial who wants to be down with the Gen-Zers, I’m a TikTok fiend. If staying up til 4am scrolling mindlessly was a crime, I’d be doing some hard time.
The platform has a very clever way of persuading you to try new things and buy into the hype of trends, products and techniques; that’s why we all love it right? Well, yes, but this year I would encourage you to approach with caution: not every fad on TikTok is an expert-approved thing you should be buying into.
I’ve tried many TikTok-viral trends and products and while some are worth their salt, others (which will not be named) are definitely a big waste of money and time. Want to know what to actually listen to? Do your research and hone in on your most trusted beauty advisors, whether that’s a small group of content creators with proven know-how, editors and columnists or brands that are doing all the good stuff.
Wear SPF at your next mani appt
I dread to think of the long-term damage I am doing to my nails and skin by shoving my hands under a UV light every few weeks sans SPF. The ironic thing is that I know I should be wearing it – I wrote a whole piece about its importance – but I am 99% of the time running late and in a flap before leaving the house for a mani appt.
In 2023, I will keep a mini tube of hand SPF on me at all times so I never have an excuse.
While this one is cheap as chips, if you don’t fancy investing in a new formula, your face SPF will do just fine.
Don’t sleep on the affordable classics
I’ve always been guilty of romanticising luxury beauty – it’s sort of part and parcel of being constantly surrounded by product galore like a kid in a candy store.
But the cost of living crisis forced many of us to reassess where we spend, and I’ve really come to find that most of my favourites are actually affordable gems.
This year I will continue to champion those and remind you not to sleep on the purse-friendly heroes. I’m talking Sephora’s own-brand lip liner that gets compared to Mac and Charlotte Tilbury, our writer’s absolute favourite £10 mascara and more…
Swipe and shop: Affordable beauty classics
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Happy saving!
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