Beauty Resolutions to Consider for 2013

Man Ray.  A l’heure de l’observatoire-les Amoureux. (1934) 

I) Use a sunscreen with a minimum of an SPF 30 on all exposed areas-- even into your hair line on the driver's side of your face. Not only will you prevent your skin from prematurely aging, but you will lessen your chances of getting skin cancer. My all-time favorite Holy Grail sunscreen is Clarins UV Plus HP Eran Multi-Protection SPF 40 because the texture is divine, it plays well with makeup, it is a 100% mineral sunscreen, it is easy to find, and it is reasonably priced.

II) Treat your hands and décolleté as you would your face. These areas, due to their exposure, tend to age at a more rapid rate. Therefore moisturize, pamper, and use sunscreen on those areas. I spoke about this issue in my My Daily/Huffington Post interview here.

III) Start using an eye cream, even if you don't think that you need one yet. The eye area is so delicate, and there's an eye cream out there that will suit every age and skin type. Your 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 year old self will thank you!

IV) Never sleep with makeup on, period. Remove your makeup no matter how tired you are. Mascara and eye makeup can migrate into your eyes while you sleep potentially causing a plethora of problems. These problems can range from bloodshot eyes, red and puffy eyes, scratched corneas, and more serious infections. If you are too tired to go through your entire cleansing ritual have a bottle of cleansing water on hand to remove everything from your eyes and face before you fall asleep. Additionally, sleeping with foundation, blush etc. on your face can clog pores and cause breakouts. Nighttime is the greatest time of skin cell turnover- therefore clean skin is essential to aiding, rather than impeding, this natural process. When I'm particularly exhausted and don't have the energy or inclination to do my entire nightly skincare routine I use my Koh Gen Do Cleansing Water to remove everything from my face and eyes. There are many such cleansing waters on the market these days, and they are perfectly suited to those lazy days and sleepy nights when you just can't be bothered.

V) Simplify your skincare ritual enough so that you will actually do it. If you have too many potions and lotions you will likely tire of so many steps and start creating short-cuts. Instead of spending a mortgage payment or two on piles of products that will end up collecting dust, or expiring before you get to them-carefully evaluate the needs of your skin and pick the products that address them. Less is more. I have been really enjoying the streamlined approach of vbeauté for the efficacy and well-edited selection of their fantastic products.

VI) Consider adding a face oil into your beauty routine. They are available in every price range, and they range from those formulated for acne prone skin types, to those for normal to combination skin, to those that target skin from the driest end of the spectrum. My Holy Grail facial oil is Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil because it is a magical golden elixir that leaves my skin unbelievably hydrated with an unprecedented glow from within. Additionally, it has eliminated two dry patches on my face that nothing else has ever addressed. I love this product so much, that it was my number one choice when I was asked to contribute to the My Daily/ Huffington Post article entitled The Beauty Gifts Girls Want For Christmas by Katie Jones. It is definitely the best beauty splurge that I have ever made, and to me it is definitely worth every cent. There is a good reason that Allure's Best of Beauty Awards selected Olio Lusso as among the winners in the Best Splurges Category!

VII) Buy what you need, or what you really love and will actually use. Just because it is from a limited edition collection doesn't mean that you will love or use it. Be more savvy when you hand over your credit card. Consider paying cash rather than using a credit card-- it will really make you stop and think about the purchase before parting with cash, whereas credit cards tend not to feel like real money. I have given much thought to this topic causing me to write an article on the subject.

VIII) Make a concerted effort to use what you buy. That way you won't accumulate overwhelming piles of things that you ultimately won't end up using. Starting my monthly Empties Posts has helped me tremendously. It has made me a more discriminating consumer, and it feels fantastic seeing the physical evidence that I am actually using what I have.

IX) Treat your feet with respect and pamper them daily. Pumice them when needed, and moisturize them with a nice rich cream nightly. I like to wear nice thick socks when I sleep in order to seal in the moisture. Your tootsies will thank you, and you can show off your pretty pedicure with pride when you aren't sporting scrappy feet!

X) Use a lip balm each night before going to sleep and you will wake up with baby soft lips. Whether you love Carmex or By Terry Baume de Rose-- keep it on your nightstand so that you remember to use it nightly. By doing this you will not only get more out of your lipsticks and glosses, but you will use less product when you aren't dragging them across a rougher lip surface. My favorite to date is Rodin Olio Lusso Lip Balm.

XI) Add a few Multitaskers to your makeup wardrobe so that you can look pulled together in a few minutes when you are pressed for time. One of my favorites is Susan Thompson Cosmetics Liquid Blush in Mim's The Word because you can apply it to your lips and cheeks with your fingers in a few seconds. Add a swipe of eye liner and mascara and you are out the door in minutes. Mim's The Word was my top choice when I was interviewed by Kelsie Blazier in her  REDBOOK article on 40 No-Fail Beauty Shortcuts.

XII) Try not to over-process your skin! We are constantly inundated by so many masks, exfoliants, peels, and serums that we often end up over-doing it. Too much of a good thing turns out not to be such a good thing after all. In fact, the rife succession of so many of these active products can cause breakouts, thinning of the skin, not to mention creating greater skin sensitivities, and can even break capillaries.

XIII) Periodically give your hair break from flatirons, blow dryers and other tools that can be very drying and damaging over time. Remember to deep condition your hair, and sometimes just let your hair dry naturally.

XIV) Consider adding a retinol based product into your nightly beauty routine. Retinoid creams or retinol creams, which are Vitamin A based anti-aging products, are now generally accepted as among the most effective anti-aging products on the market. They treat a myriad of beauty concerns from fighting fine lines, eradicating sun damage, reducing the appearance of enlarged pores, exfoliating dead skin cells, and evening out skin tone. What’s more, is the fact that they are now available in all price ranges from the affordable drugstore varieties to those with hefty luxury price tags. Many dermatologists are emphatic that the use of retinol creams necessitates the use of sunscreens since it is thought that retinols create photosensitivity. Other dermatologists argue that it is the retinol itself that shouldn’t be subjected to the sun because it can materially alter the efficacy of the product itself. Some retinol creams have up to 1% solutions, which often tend to be too powerful for people with sensitive skin, but many are buffered and come in .50% solutions. Higher percentage solutions may be obtained through your Dermatologist, and are only available with a prescription.

There are even retinol-based products on the market that have been specifically formulated for daytime use. However, most are formulated for nighttime use only. I use my retinol-based products at night only, and always wear a sunscreen during the day. My suggestion is always to err on the side of caution and where a sunscreen, and I was told by a dermatologist never to walk out of the house without wearing an SPF 30.

Retinol based products are not for everyone, and retinoids should be strictly avoided by pregnant women, women breastfeeding, people with hypersensitive skin. Consult a dermatologist to determine whether retinol based products are right for you. Click here to see what I said about retinol creams in my REDBOOK interview.

XV) If you find that you are breaking out- sometimes the culprit is the most obvious and the most overlooked: dirty brushes. Remember to clean your makeup brushes to avoid breakouts, eye infections, and the general unnecessary spread of germs.

XVI) Remember to use lip products with an SPF to protect your lips when you are outdoors. Whether you choose a lip gloss or a lip balm alone or to top off your lipstick-- it's important to remember to protect your pretty pout.

Which beauty resolutions are on your list?