2018 Beauty Resolutions

New Year, New Me? As if.

About a year ago I posted a list of beauty “resolutions” for 2017 – it was pretty fun to come up with, and I thought it’d be interesting to see if I could actually change my habits and try new things, or if I was just as flaky as my forehead when I forget to exfoliate…

2017 was an interesting year, not least in the world of beauty. We saw exciting innovations both at the drugstore and high-end ranges – Rihanna’s groundbreaking Fenty Beauty line and the launch of Glossier in the UK were probably two of my favourite events. As for me, my mindset and approach to beauty has evolved rapidly over the course of the year, moving towards more of a focus on skincare and simplicity.

So, how did I get on with 2017’s resolutions?

Look after my hair properly! Hmmm. This was a bit of a fail, if I’m being honest – largely due to my unending laziness. While I did invest in a heat protectant spray, use an oil on my ends after washing, and get a (now-battered) Wet Brush, I very rarely use conditioners or masks. I accidentally ended up not going to the hairdresser for about five months at one point, too. Oh, the abuse (maybe I’ll try harder with this in 2018…)

Get the hang of contouring. We did make some breakthroughs here! I have a few products and tools for contouring now, but still find myself not putting in the effort for fear of looking weird and streaky. I’ll continue to push this into 2018 for sure, but surprisingly, it’s actually bronzing that I’ve fallen in love with over the past 12 months. Thanks to my beloved Marc Jacobs Tantastic (mentioned here in my 2017 favourites – and in countless other blog posts) I’ve discovered that bronzing doesn’t always equal a shimmery tangerine face, but can deliver the most natural and healthy matte glow.

Wear more adventurous eye looks. Definite success with this one! I’ve stopped buying every warm/bronze palette I lay eyes on and started really enjoying a more smoky look during the day. I’ve also learned to embrace the completely matte eye, which was tough for me as a shimmer addict. I’m still a bit wary of crazy bright colours, so maybe that needs to be the next step…

Stop abusing my skin. Something else I’ve tried really hard with. I’ve ditched the harsh and stripping cleansers and toners in favour of more hydrating options (and oils!). Yes, I still have to crack out the Benzoyl Peroxide from time to time but my skin isn’t particularly sensitive, so that’s ok. I have more of a solid routine now, and my skin has really thanked me for it.

Invest! Certainly, in the latter half of this year, I’ve not been grabbing all the bargain products I spot on the shelves. Yes, the drugstore serves some incredible beauty goodness (I’ve sworn off pricey mascara, there’s just no point in spending twice as much for a product that might not be any better), but realistically I don’t need the same NYX lipstick in 20 different shades.

So, what about resolutions for 2018? I’ve thought of a few points I want to give a go and try and stick to over the next year (apart from spending less money, lolol), and they all seem like fairly good habits…

Declutter!

I have an enormous hoarding problem. I’ve been like this my whole life, collection loads of completely random and useless crap and keeping it for ages – so unnecessary. I’m like that with makeup, too, and so my collection of lipsticks and eyeshadows has ballooned so much, that now it’s all kept in a dedicated set of drawers when I only use maybe 20% of it. With that in mind, I’d like to make 2018 the year of minimalism and decluttering. I’ll probably start with the lippies – loads of those are pretty old anyway – and hopefully, achieve a more streamlined stash this year.

Stop buying foundations!

Oh, my god, I was terribly weak in 2017 – in pursuit of the *perfect* foundation (which doesn’t exist, btw), I must have tried out at least 10 different bottles, and as many little samples off eBay or from counters. At the end of it all, I still use Estee Lauder Double Wear on a daily basis, and it’s the closest I’ve ever come to holy grail. So, while I’ll definitely be trying some new base products out in 2018 – I really want something more lightweight – I’m putting the brakes on my crazy foundation fixation, for both the health of my mind and my wallet.

Try false eyelashes!

Fun fact #12324354: I’ve never worn, or even attempted to wear false lashes. Frankly, the idea/concept/whole thing scares me, but my little sister (a lash addict) has assured me it’s easy to get the hang of – eventually. So, I’m going to dedicate some time to learning the art of applying falsies this year – maybe starting out with these ones from Eyelure. Pray for me.

Get another subscription!

I miss having a monthly beauty box! Birchbox and Glossybox were so much fun to receive and review, but I’d like sample some of the other subscriptions out there – namely Beuaty Pie’s unusual sub-based service/members club, and the raved-about box from Lookfantastic. Watch this space for more updates on what I decide to go for.

At least I’ve made some goals for 2018, even if they’re maybe a bit frivolous (dry January went out of the window VERY quickly). Fingers crossed I can achieve some of these this year, and be more of an adventurous spirit when it comes to my makeup life.