Natural Beauty: 9 New Years Beauty Resolutions
I admit I love making resolutions at any time of year. I don’t manage to keep every single one, but there’s something exciting about deciding to better yourself—even if in just small ways. One of the most beautiful things you can do is committing to (inner and outer) self-care. I’m so eager to share the following New Year Beauty Resolutions with you, Peaceful Dumplings! Feel free to incorporate a few into your routine—or try them all!
1. Think of your makeup as skincare. When we wear makeup almost every day, it can start to feel like a chore, and you may start wondering if all that makeup is really good for your skin anyways. Besides, don’t we want to let our natural prettiness shine through? Here’s where makeup that doubles as skincare comes in, especially if that makeup is sourced from natural, skin-friendly ingredients. An natural tinted moisturized, for example, has give us a bit of sheer coverage while providing our mugs with antioxidants, emollients, and sometimes, sun protection! Resolve to seek products that promote your health with long-term use—that also give your beauty a little boost when upon application.
2. While we’re on the topic of products, commit to using cruelty-free brands. An act of kindness and consciousness is an act of beauty. There are oodles of vegan and cruelty-free cosmetic and body care brands that offer everything you need to polish up (including nail polish). Visit our Get Glowing section to learn about some of our favorites. Leaping Bunny has more information on going cruelty-free and finding some neat brands. They even have an app that can help you navigate the cosmetics counter while you’re on the go.
3. Make friends with your water bottle. Yes, I know you’ve heard this one before, but it bears repeating. Even I need to be reminded to drink my water. Water is important for digestion (sluggish digestion is not pretty), keeping skin supple, and boosting your mental alertness. If we’re dehydrated, we’re going to feel crummy and tired and have difficulty concentrating. Arguably, staying hydrated will help you stay focused on any other important resolutions you’re making—including #4.
I’m more likely to drink my water when it comes in a cute container. bkr is my favorite water bottle. Each glass bottle comes with a silicone wrapper in just about any color you can imagine.
4. Make friends with your mediation pillow, too. If wearing skin-loving makeup is a way of tending to your outer garden, meditation is one of the best ways to tend to your inner garden—the source of our most profound beauty. Meditation eases our anxiety while helping us become more compassionate. In some cases, mediation can even help practitioners lose weight. I like to meditate for about 10 minutes each morning—before I even look at my email.
5. Find your inner raw foodist—at least for one meal a day. Going fully raw may not be right for everyone. At this point, I don’t think it is for me since certain cooked foods (like a sweet potato, mmm…) help me feel warm and grounded. Eating one raw meal a day, however, is certainly more approachable. Raw food is bursting with enzymes, antioxidants, water (unless food has been dehydrated), and unadulterated vitamins. And yeah, that’s a recipe for a gorgeous glow! To work raw food into your routine, try drinking a filling green smoothie for breakfast every morning—or indulge in a bountiful raw salad each lunch. Add fruit and nuts for carbs, protein, and fat.
Celeb facialist Joanna Vargas (Rachel Weisz, Julianne Moore!!!) recommends plenty of raw too–here’s why.
6. Embrace beauty tea. We Peaceful Dumplings love our beauty teas. Whether you love a white tea and rooibos blend or steeped ginger with lemon juice, your skin will thank you. Take your hydration to the next level, and check this list of our favorite caffeine-free beauty teas and their various benefits.
7. Make a weekly appointment with your facialist, a.k.a, you! Preparing for my wedding has instilled in me a DIY facemask fervor. My go-to is a maca cacao clay mixture, but your options are endless. There’s a mask for every skin type. (Pinterest will back me up on this.) I usually do a mask on Saturday morning. The apartment is quiet, there’s nothing terribly pressing at that moment, and I can focus on my coffee and the morning light.
8. Make even more appointments with your physical trainer—also you! If you’re just beginning a workout routine, start light and work in three or four half-hour sessions per week, and by “work in,” I mean actually write them in your calendar. This is an appointment not to be missed! If you’re already more involved in fitness, consider adding length and/or variety to your normal routine. Wherever you are on your fitness path, don’t forget to make “off” days or moments work in your body’s favor: take the stares instead of the elevator, do relevés (calf presses) while you’re waiting for you coffee to brew, and stretch during commercial breaks.
9. Take time for yourself. Although this one seems rather obvious, it’s one that we have a tendency to shirk as soon as our workload increases. But here’s the thing: it’s just as necessary as eating healthfully and getting exercise. Downtime helps us stay creative and inspired. It’s also an effective stress zapper. While a little bit of stress may keep us motivated, too much is a beauty (and health) no-no. Cortisol, the stress hormone, can trigger excess oil production (hello, acne) and may also play a role in eczema, hives, rosacea, psoriasis, alopecia, and vitiligo. So don’t forget to do your thing: whether that’s reading a good novel, writing in your journal, or chilling with your beau.
Happy New Year!
More New Year’s inspiration: Yoga for New Year’s Day
6 Style and Beauty Resolutions
Relationship Resolutions for the New Year
Photos: Aikawa Ke via Flickr, bkr, Balint Foldesi via Flickr, One Lucky Duck, Peaceful Dumpling, Mary Hood
