I always love the start of a new year. While it’s really just another day, it always feels like a new, fresh start, and it’s the perfect time to outline some things in my life that I’d like to improve. Of course, we shouldn’t just wait until a new year to make life changes, but it really is the perfect time to feel like you can turn over that new leaf and start fresh!
One thing I’ve been making an aim of in the past few weeks is treating my skin better. In the lead up to, and over, Christmas I definitely wasn’t treating my skin as well as I could have. We were busy getting ready to shift and doing up our house, which meant many of my skincare routines and healthy eating habits went by the board. We ended up eating a lot of takeaways and “easy” food, as we just didn’t have the time to meal plan and eat properly. Being pregnant also didn’t help as I was just craving chocolate non-stop (and because I was a bit stressed, my will-power was basically zero!) I feel like I ate so much junk food over the holidays, and now I really regret putting that much sugar and fat into my body.
At the start of 2018, I decided to get back into my healthy routines, as my skin was paying the ultimate price. I had nasty breakouts around my chin and even on my cheeks (which I never get!) While I’m sure part of this was down to a fluctuation in hormones, I think a lot of it was to do with the unhealthy routines that I was practising. I’m currently doing a bit of a “skin detox”, so I figured, why not share it with you?
I’ve only been doing this since just before the New Year but I’ve already noticed a massive improvement in the texture and tone of my skin, and my breakouts have reduced majorly (yay!).
DRINK MORE WATER
Okay this is an obvious one, but I think it’s one many of us often forget over the holiday season. Why drink water when there are so many other scrummy options instead? I’ve found myself reaching for far too many glasses of lemon, lime and bitters or orange juice, and then feeling guilty at the end of the day for not drinking enough water. I’m now making a point of drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day and limiting my orange juice to only one per day. I’ve also stopped buying fizz as if we don’t have it in the house, I’m not so tempted! Water plays such a massive part in how our skin looks and feels, and I’ve noticed just in the past few weeks of upping my water intake, it looks less dry and feels less flat and dull!
MASK, MASK, MASK!
When it comes to a skin detox, I find doing a face mask every day is one of the quickest and most effective ways to remove build up from my skin, and cleanse the pores out. I tend to opt for more drying masks designed for normal to oily skin, as I find these are the most effective. There’s three that I’m currently rotating – The Botanic Alchemist Exfoliator + Masque* which is amazing at removing closed comedones and smoothing out the skin. The Girl Undiscovered Stumbled Across Paradise Mask is also great for putting on any acne prone areas as it contains Kanuka Honey which is a natural antiseptic. My skin always feels really clean after using this one. The third mask I love is the Vestige Verdant Organic Peat Mask*. Yes it smells horrible, but I always notice a difference in my skin tone after using this one. It just looks more plump and healthy.
DITCH THE MAKEUP
There’s no better time to give your skin a bit of a breather than over summer. I haven’t bothered with makeup most days and instead have allowed the air and light to get to my skin. As someone who wears makeup pretty much every single day, this has been a huge relief for my skin and it’s allowed it to breathe for a bit. It’s actually felt nice skipping the makeup, and doing this has made me feel more comfortable in my own skin. Makeup free days are definitely something I want to continue with this year. If this isn’t for you and you feel you still would like to wear makeup, then try and reduce how much you wear. A little mineral concealer over any redness or blemishes can help you feel a little more confident without blocking your skin too much. My makeup of choice is usually mascara, and I find a little of that makes me look a lot more awake and alive! If I do wear makeup out, I’m now making a point of taking it off as soon as I get home for the day to allow my skin to breathe!
MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES
I can’t be the only one that has horrific willpower over the holiday period, right? I would much rather eat an entire box of Maltesers than have a boring old banana. 😂 During this pregnancy, I seem to have become one of those people where if we have bad food in the house, I will eat it. I’ve been craving sugar so badly! So when I get given a truckload of chocolate and other sweet treats over the holidays, you can be damn sure I’ll eat them till they’ve gone. Now that the festive pig-out is over, I’m making smarter choices and getting back into my healthier eating. I’m loving my berry banana smoothies for breakfast, and my chicken salads for dinner. Eating vegetables and fruits always make me feel so much healthier, both physically and mentally. It’s funny how junk food actually affects your mood and brain. I feel when I’ve been eating rubbish food, I’m much more sluggish, and find it harder to get going. I also find it harder to say no to bad foods. Eating healthy, light foods keep me nourished throughout the day and doesn’t leave me feeling flat. I’m really enjoying snacking on fruit during the day, and I’m finding that it’s satisfying those sweet cravings!
Was healthy eating one of your resolutions for the new year? Let me know below!
Please note: All products marked with a * are PR samples which have been sent to me at some stage. These views are my personal opinion and are no way influenced by others. I always provide an honest opinion, so you all know which products are worth purchasing
