TOP TIPS: New Year, New You

Christmas is over, the New Year has begun & we've all made our New Year's resolutions. But how easy have we made them? Can we stick to them or will we have given up after only a couple of days? One of my New Year's resolutions is to take care of my body better & care for my skin more. It's hard at the best of times to ensure that we keep up our skincare routines but it doubly important during the harsh winter.

Here are a few clever tricks to help. There are many helpful detox and rejuvenating products to beat the frost that can help you start the year looking & feeling your best....                               

Rejuvenate those lips

Origins Lip Remedy ™ (£14)

A natural and soothing lip saver with added menthol and camphor to soothe chapped lips. Perfect for all skin types, this absorbs into your lips without leaving a greasy barrier behind. TIP: Only a small amount is required!

Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour® Lip Protectant Stick Sheer Tint (£18.38, Boots)

This product is more pricey than the others, but it does work wonders and lwill last you for many months! It's shaped like a lipstick but it still includes a slick of tint and with a bonus add of SPF15. Comes in 4 colours: Blush, Honey, Plum and Berry.

Clinique Repairwear Intensive Lip Treatment (£22 Harrods)
Smooth and silky to apply, this lip treatment is perfect for winter as just as it says in the name it intensely replenishes moisture to your lips. Not only that but it helps to rebuild up lost collagen in the lips to give you back that perfect pucker- ready for Valentines Day hey!

A cheaper alternative? Try Carmex Moisture Plus Hydrating Lip Balm (£3.29 Asos)  
A regular favourite among many, this version is the brands most hydrating in the range and comes complete with SP15. Not only that- there's four 4 gorgeous colours to choose from to give a hint of colour.

Change your moisturiser

Your skin requires different levels of moisture depending on the weather and so it is vital that you have a winter moisturiser that is deemed to be "heavy weight"

'During winter, the cold and wind cause the skin to be less able to retain water,' explains cosmetic doctor Dr Darren McKeown. 'This is why it becomes dry and flaky.' Daily Mail article

Detox with a face mask

All the excess that comes with Christmas and New Year parties- heavy drinking, late nights, lack of fresh air and exercise, it all takes its toll on our skin and in particular our faces where people can see the effects the most. What you need is a good face mask to clear away the impurities!

Trilogy Purifying Masque (£18.50)

A fresh start with this once a week treatment. It is gentle on the skin and helps to relieve tired, dull or stressed out skin! It helps to detoxify with its Oil-absorbing Kaolin Clay ingredient and there's extracts of witch hazel and rosehip oil to moisturise as well.

An interesting new brand I have recently researched is Sarah Chapman's skincare range. A guru in the industry for her fabulous facials, she has launched a range to bring the salon experience to all. Within her "clinic" range of products is the Instant Miracle Mask (£38). All you need to do is make up the mark formula in the shake bottle provided and slather onto the face. On contact the formula turns to rubber and is easily peelable to reveal truley hydrated, cleaner and glowing skin underneath!

                                             

Stuck for time and need an instant fix that doesnt require much preparation? Why not try the new Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask (£28) to combine your moisturising routine with a mask that does its magic whilst you sleep! The product only launched back in November and already has had rave reviews so I just had to try it for myself!! Just after Christmas I get the feeling that my skin has just had enough. No longer does my moisturiser feel like its doing any good and my skin just feels clogged and foundation just sits on top of my skin looking clumpy and fake. This overnight mask includes sodium hyaluronate to pump moisture further into the skin, algae and seaweed to help calm redness. From the start the cream soaked into my skin within minutes and my skin felt like its usual self again when I arose the next morning!