At the start of a new year we all make some resolutions to start taking better care of ourselves.  

These easy beauty resolutions will help you create a new self-care routine and start the new year with a fresh outlook. 

Resolution #1. Clean Your Brushes

You pretty much use them every day, but how many times a year do you wash your make-up brushes? For most of us, it’s close to none. 

The general rule is to wash your concealer and foundation sponges and brushes at least once a week. 

Your eye shadow and liner brushes once a fortnight and all other brushes (including your hairbrush) once a month. 

Gently wash the bristles with brush cleaner or a gentle facial cleanser, keeping the handle of the brushes dry then gently press out the excess water on some paper towel or a clean tissue and leave to air dry overnight. 

Resolution #2 Wear Sunscreen Everyday

If there is one beauty resolution to live by, it should be to wear sunscreen every day, including cloudy days. While UVB – the rays which burn your skin – might not be as strong during the cooler months, the ageing UVA rays are present all year round. 

With SPF50+ now available, increase your skin protection factor to the highest possible rating and save your complexion from unnecessary daily damage. 

Resolution #3. Try out some new skin care products

Your skin gets used to the same products so switch it up every time the season changes. It takes time to achieve a flawless complexion, so give your products around 6 – 8 weeks to prove their efficacy. 

Anti-ageing and targeted treatments like skin brightening serums usually take about 6 weeks of daily application to start showing results, while a total skin care regime overhaul should see improvements in around 4 – 6 weeks. Definitely try other products if you’re not getting any results after 8 weeks.

Resolution #4. Nourish your nails and cuticles

During the warmer months nails can become dehydrated just like your hair and skin. Factors like soaps, dish washing detergent, and too much fun in the sun will affect the strength of your nails, potentially causing them to become brittle and break, chip, or flake. 

You can repair the damage with a good hand cream that you should apply at least (minimum) twice a day and a cuticle oil that you apply last thing at night before you go to bed. 

Other helpful things you can do to repair some damage is to always wear gloves when doing your dishes and always use acetone-free nail polish remover. 

When purchasing your next nail shade, look for nail polishes that are Formaldehyde, DBP (Dibutyl Phthalate) and Toluene FREE.

Resolution #5. Shelve your shampoo

Do you wash your hair every day? It may be time to stop. Daily washing can strip your scalp of natural oils, leaving it dehydrated. In turn your scalp will produce more oil to help balance the moisture, making it even oilier. 

Generally washing your hair every second day is fine. It might take a while for your scalp to readjust, so use a dry shampoo to soak up any unwanted sebum which will leave your hair looking clean and healthy between washes.