Friends, we’re officially one month into 2019, and the deeper the year goes, the more I’m convinced this is the year of great skin. While beauty trends and tutorials come and go, one thing that’s always a must is a great skincare routine. This year, I’m focused on taking care of skin, both on my face and body.
New Year’s resolutions are always kinda bleh, but these are the kind you’ll actually love to keep. I’ve compiled a list of resolutions to keep your skin glowing without all the extra work.
1. Pay closer attention to the ingredients in your products
With all those hard-to-pronounce chemicals dominating the market, there has been a big push in the industry for natural, simpler ingredients. Going back to old-school ingredients is better not only for your skin, but for the environment too, which is a major plus.
Active ingredients such as aloe, tea tree oil, coconut, and charcoal have been trending in a big way recently, making it easier than ever to really give your body some love. Billie, a subscription shaving service, offers amazing products like shaving cream and body wash with natural ingredients. Even your underarms deserve love. Switch out your current body wash for Billie’s Sudsy Body Wash for a wash that doubles as a shaving cream with ingredients like coconut, grapefruit and aloe vera.
2. Use a face mask at least two times a week
Who doesn’t love to cozy up with Netflix, fuzzy socks, and a great face mask? Michelle Lee, Editor-in Chief of Allure Magazine and skincare ~goddess~ has one of the most impressive skincare routines known to women and she recommends using a face mask twice a week to combat pollution and aging.
Sometimes it seems taxing, but slathering on a mask after a shower before curling up is honestly so worth it. If you’re not into the mess, look into sheet masks. They’re an evergreen staple for beauty obsessives because of their ease and powerful formulas. We love the Freeman Feeling Beautiful Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Facial Mask for a night in.
3. Wear sunscreen every day, seriously
I can not emphasize this enough: You should be wearing sunscreen every single day, because if you didn’t know, the sun is the number one cause of visible aging to your skin. Dermatologists agree that everyone should be wearing a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 (though many say 30) or higher to best protect your skin from harmful rays. Even when it’s cloudy or you don’t plan on spending much time outside, even the smallest amount of sunlight, whether it’s reflected from the clouds or comes in through the windows, can be harmful.
I have been using Neutrogena’s Visibly Even Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen SPF 30. Not only is it nice because it’s a fast absorbing moisturizer, but it also helps to reduce dark spots and splotches leftover from acne scars.
4. Drink more water
I know, I know. You’ve heard this one a million times already, but that’s because it’s good. Though dermatologists still debate if drinking water actually helps to moisturize your skin, they all agree that drinking water does help to remove toxins from the body – and pretty much everyone I know (myself included) has noticed a significant improvement in their skin after starting to drink more water.
Because we all know that plastic is bad for the earth, and we’re trying to be ~environmentally conscious babes,~ I recommend heading to TJ Maxx, Target, Homegoods, or even Walmart to find a cute reusable water bottle. I use the Rae Dunn Refresh Glass Water Bottle because I try to avoid plastic as much as possible. I find that drinking out of a cute water bottle makes it easier to remember to use, but if you’re still struggling, there are a million cute apps such as Plant Nanny to help you remember!
5. Invest in clean air plants
Oh, how I love plants. They add beauty and color to our homes, they give us all the Instagram aesthetic vibes, they give us crisp, clean air. The lesser known quality about plants is how they can improve your skin. Indoor air is polluted with chemicals that stem from common building materials-think insulation- along with cleaning supplies, also dust mites, pollen, dander, and a whole other host of materials. The EPA estimates that indoor air is actually 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. To combat this, you could invest in an air purifier, or you can adopt some new plants into your home!
Do some research to find which plants are best for the environment you can provide for them. I, myself, have a black thumb, and keeping plants alive is very difficult for me, but I left my Red-edged dracaena in my dorm over Christmas break for a month and came back to it still alive, so anything is possible! Nasa has a great infographic detailing the best plants for clean air.
Between the makeup we decorate ourselves with to environmental factors beyond our control, our skin always needs a little TLC. New Year’s resolutions are often ones to fall the wayside, but I promise that if you keep up with these, your skin will thank you.
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Fun Fact: If you also have a black thumb, the Snake Plant, Aloe, and Peace Lillies are said to be impossible to kill and are all great for cleaning your air!