Good Beauty Habits To Get Into

Here are some little beauty habits that are free to do, straight forward and will be really beneficial. (Honest!)

• Use hand cream.  Hands are one of the first areas to show signs of ageing, do loads of grotty jobs and deserve a little TLC.  I'm trying to get into the habit of using hand cream each time I wash them.  

• Use SPF everyday.  Sun exposure is really damaging to skin and is the main cause of wrinkles and discolouration.  A good SPF protects skin.  Wear sunglasses when the light is bright to stop you screwing your eyes up.  

• Wash your makeup brushes.  Brushes will habour bacteria if not cleansed regularly.  And then you apply them to your face.  Ick!

• Take your makeup off everyday.  Properly.  Post to follow.

• It's all about the technique.  Asian women, particularly Japanese and Korean, are famous for having wonderful skin.  It's not just about good products, it's about how they're used.  I've been learning how to cleanse properly and to do skin massage.  Same goes for make-up.  Blending and application make a real difference to the final look.  (I like Lisa Eldridge's tutorials, they're really clear and easy to follow).  

Picture from Chizuseaki found on Blow Ltd

• Buy less, use more.  Before buying a new beauty product, ask yourself if you really need it or if you already have something similar.  It'll save money, space and help you use things you've already got before they goes off.  I'll post about how to create a minimalist make-up collection in a bit.

• De-clutter.  Chuck or give away any products you don't use, dislike or have expired.  I'll post about de-cluttering your beauty stash in a bit as well.

• Don't follow trends, do what suits you.  Blue eyeshadow may be fashionable, but looks stupid on me.  Matt lipsticks give me cat's bum face so I'm ignoring them.  My face, my rules.

• Take advantage of the trickle down effect.  Most makeup brands are part of larger groups - L'Oreal, Boots, Lauder etc.  What appears on the counter works it's way down to the drugstore eventually.  L'Oreal's Infallible Fixing Mist is similar to Urban Decay's so I'm trading down.  The reviews are positive so I'm hopeful it'll be a good move. But I may pour the L'Oreal into the Urban Decay bottle as a few of the reviews mentioned the spray wasn't as good.

• You don't always get what you pay for.  It's worth cutting back on some items to spend more elsewhere.  A post on when to splurge and when to save is coming up.  Sometimes all you're paying for is the fancy packaging and lovely counter.  

• If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Love a product and know it works, stick with it.  What's out there may not be better and could be worse.  You can end up purchasing twice - the useless new thing and the replacement tried and trusted.  I've never found a drugstore foundation that matches my pasty face so I'm sticking with Clarin's Skin Illusion.  Good coverage.  Correct shade.  Job done.  Happy face.

• Read more.  Before purchasing a new product, Google to see what others think. There are a few things I would never have bothered with if I'd read reviews first.  The CC cream that made me look like Oompa Loompa ... On the other hand, the reviews for Soap & Glory's One Heck of Blot primer were so positive, I'll purchase when my current primer runs out.

• Try something new.  A new product, brand or (in the privacy of your own home) a new look. I'd like to try some Pixi skincare and Charlotte Tilbury make-up this year.  If I don't, no biggie. 

Any other good habits I could find - drinking more water, sleeping more ....?  Let me know in the comments.

[Disclosure:  All the products referenced were purchased by me.  Or will be eventually]

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