Forget punishing fitness regimes, bizarre food fads, or deluding myself into believing that this will finally be the year I slim down my wardrobe into a capsule collection. (The day I convert to minimalism is the day my soul leaves my body, I like options.)
Instead this year, I am leaning into the other side of my day job and setting some beauty-related New Year's resolutions.
Rather than committing myself to anything too ambitious, in 2024 I'm aiming for small tweaks that will elevate my current routine, inspired by tidbits I've picked up from industry gurus.
READ: The 10 best luxury facial oils to nourish your skin
My current approach
© Orin CarlinMy personal makeup ethos oscillates like no other. I'm perfectly content nipping out for a paper barefaced save for a dash of tinted moisturiser, and equally I have been known to use red lipstick as a tool to spur me on when writing a feature, hunched over my laptop, alone in my flat.
Having discovered skincare guru Caroline Hirons in my early teens, I've got double cleansing down. I could probably count on my fingers the number of times I've slept in my makeup over the past decade. One of the most common beauty resolutions is to wear SPF everyday – this I already do all year round to protect my skin against the sun's harmful UV rays.
But there are certainly a few areas in which I could do with some improvement…
1. Hit of hydration
This one makes my resolution list almost every single year, and honestly? It makes a resurgence because I am completely useless at it. My aesthetically pleasing water bottle collection is shameful given how rarely I use it. Moisture is really important for maintaining the skin's elasticity and staving off those pesky dehydration lines that have seemingly taken up permanent residence on my forehead. In 2024, I am going to dust off my SodaStream and make a serious effort to drink more water – please hold me to that.
RELATED: How to switch up your skincare routine for the winter months
2. Easy on the eyes
The skin surrounding the eye area is super delicate, worthy of a heightened level of care. Being in my early 20s, I haven't yet felt the need to use an eye cream (unless it's caffeinated to combat puffiness), but I have noticed that I need to take greater care with products in this region. For my first evening cleanse, I usually massage a balm, oil or cream into my face, including my eye area and then buff it off with a hot flannel. Recently I have become more conscious of how this dragging motion will affect my skin in later life, and so I am planning on investing in a dedicated eye makeup remover to reduce abrasion.
3. Summer vibes all year round
Dull, sallow skin is not a vibe, and in 2024, I'll be leaning into summery warmth from the word go. Instagram influencers have genuinely blown my mind with the facial fake tan hacks, and I'm planning on giving them a go whenever my skin needs a glow boost. Faux freckles are officially on the agenda for January…
4. More self-care moments
This year, I'm vowing to partake in self-care, without the functional aspect. So often I only bother getting my toes up to sandal standard for a holiday or when I know they will be on display, not when I simply fancy a pedicure. Basically, more mood-boosting mid-week blow dries and Sunday night soaks without reason.
5. Prep and prime
In 2023, I found myself drawn to rich, restorative lip products in an effort to combat chapped, dry skin. However, I would cut corners and not exfoliate my lips pre-lipstick application, only to then find myself irritated at how poorly it would sit over uneven texture. My final vow is to take a leaf out of the makeup artist's rule book and never apply lipstick without a gentle lip scrub beforehand.
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