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7 Skincare resolutions you need to make (and keep) in 2018
Ah, January. The month of brutally short days, and even shorter promises, as we all too easily let our health resolutions fly out the window at the first sight of holiday leftovers or skipping out on the gym because it’s “too cold.”
This year, when it comes to skincare, no excuses. Advancements in the industry have made it all too easy to access the products your skin needs and you deserve. But finding the right products can be overwhelming. To help you cut through the mess of microbeads and charcoal masks and other ingredients you can barely pronounce, we’re here to tell you the tips and products you need be investing in this year to make a serious commitment to your skin’s health.
No excuses.
Moisturize...EVERY DAY.
Warm air holds more moisture than cold air, so it’s only natural that your skin dries out in the winter. While your moisturizing habits shouldn’t be limited to the winter months, it’s a great time to start.
Our Age + Damage Defense Moisturizer is designed to not only hydrate your skin, but also soothe, energize, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and blemishes. It’s packed with highly effective and nutrient-rich, certified organic ingredients, perfect for all skin types.
You wouldn’t go a day without drinking water, and your skin shouldn’t either...even when it starts to warm up again, your skin still needs to hydrate.
Leave the dead skin behind.
Okay… your skin is constantly shedding dead cells so this one’s a little unrealistic, but you get the idea. Make a commitment to exfoliate, at least once a week., Iit takes 30 seconds and your skin is worth that.30 seconds of your time. No excuses.
Our Daily Power Scrub is gentle enough for everyday use, yet powerful enough to attack dirt and grime hiding beneath the surface. It’s equipped with micro-exfoliants to prepare your skin for a clean shave and remove dead skin cells to eliminate breakouts.
All-in-one. Remember: no excuses.
Don’t fear the mask
I’m sure we’ve all received an embarrassing Snapchat of our girlfriend’s face covered in some green goo or been terrified by a sister’s scary sheet mask that was, shockingly, not a filter. Don’t fear the mask. There’s a reason it’s a staple in any good skincare routine.
We’re not asking much here. In ten minutes you can eliminate the toxins and impurities left behind by the week’s stress and elements. Our Detoxifying Mineral Clay mask goes a step beyond that to shrink and tighten pores, preventing future congestion and breakouts.
Remember: Chapped lips feel bad and look even worse
It’s pretty much universally agreed upon that nobody likes chapped lips. They don’t feel good, they certainly don’t look good, so why not do something about that?
Have you ever heard that using chapstick more often actually makes your lips more chapped? Well, whoever you heard that from wasn’t necessarily wrong, they were just using the wrong balm. Be on the lookout to avoid acids or alcohols, artificial fragrances or colors, as well as menthol, camphor, and phenol, as these all have irritating properties and can, in fact, make your chapped lips even worse. Lip balms with these ingredients also tend to make you use them more often, because you believe that more balm will help soothe your lips, and thus the vicious cycle continues.
Our all-natural Moisture Fix Lip Balm is packed with naturally effective ingredients to heal, hydrate, and protect lips from harmful elements, rather than make matters worse.
Remember: The eyes are the window to the soul
Did you have a fun weekend? Good, we can tell. There’s no hiding those dark circles and tired eyes without a good eye cream, and in the meantime, you look more tired and older than you are. AKA you’re not doing yourself any favors.
In a survey of over 200 women, the number one response they gave to the question, “What’s the first thing you notice about a guy?”...His eyes. We don’t want you to give up your fun weekends (but we will ask that you get more sleep - see #7), but we want you to have the best of both worlds.
R & D’s Age Defense Eye Complex not only helps combat visible fatigue and diminishes dark circles, but also defends against fine lines and wrinkles. It’s a little step that can go a long way in your skincare routine, keeping your skin looking younger for longer.
Eat healthy
Your skin is a reflection of your overall health. Healthy diet = better skin. This is kind of a broad, lofty resolution, so let’s break it down…
- Less refined sugar: You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again. Not only is it bad for your overall health, but it’s awful for your skin. This includes avoiding soda, candy, processed foods, etc.
- Cut back on dairy: We understand that dairy has its health benefits—good source of protein, good source of calcium—but dairy products contain hormones that can react with the chemicals in your body to produce an excess of sebum in your skin (that oily stuff that clogs your pores). Studies have shown that limiting your dairy intake can help improve acne, and nowadays, there are more types of milk than we know what to do with; so a try a few, and find one you like to still get some calcium and protein with your morning cereal.
- Drink more water: You’re never going to stop hearing this one. You need to be drinking more water. It’s vital to your overall health, and it is invaluable for better, more hydrated skin. Unsure how much you should be drinking? Try this hydration calculator to personalize your water intake needs and get going on this resolution.
Watch your caffeine & alcohol intake: This is a tough one. Sometimes we just need our coffee. And sometimes, we need our booze. It’s a great pick-me-up but comes with plenty of pitfalls. Both can dry out your skin and cause breakouts, so while we’re not asking you to eliminate fun in 2018, just pay attention to what’s going into your body. Garbage in, garbage out.
Get more sleep
Take advantage of these shorter days to catch up on some z’s. When you’re sick, you try to get as much sleep as you can because sleeping is your body’s chance to reset, fight off infection, and recharge your batteries. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re depriving your body, your brain, and, notably, your skin of this chance to recharge.
Not getting enough sleep can cause your skin to become imbalanced, as it won’t be receiving enough nourishment. This can lead to breakouts, dehydration, and redness or uneven skin tone. Also—and this one’s a bit of a no-brainer—lack of sleep leads to those dark circles we talked about. So do your body, your brain, and your skin a favor, and make a pact to aim for those 8 hours every night this year.
Sure, New Year's resolutions might be a bit overrated, even cheesy. But if nothing else, it’s one holiday tradition that consistently makes us take a good hard look at where we’ve come, and think about where we want to be. Improving your skincare routine—or, starting one—is a great way to kick 2018 off on the right foot. And it doesn’t end with the year. Your skin is your largest organ, and it’s always showing. Take care of it, you’ve only got one—set? pair? layer?—you get the point.
You’ve got 11 months left until 2019 - make it count.
Remember: no excuses.