Welcome to Well+Good’s (Re)New Year—a five-week expert-led program that’s all about helping you have your best year yet. For Week Four, we’ve brought on Nitika Chopra—talk show host, self-love guru, and beauty and lifestyle expert. Throughout the week, she’ll be sharing her tips for making self care a priority and giving your beauty routine the clean makeover it deserves.
Post-New Year's Day, you might have been inspired to go on a cleaning (and purging!) kick. Your closet's never looked better, your drawers are neatly folded, and you've donated more than you even knew you owned.
But once place you've likely overlooked? Your beauty bag.
Whether you're a clean beauty guru or are just starting to think about going natural, the start of the year is a perfect opportunity to dive into your products and do a quick toss of the old.
Nervous? Don't be—I'm here to guide you through the process, from the ingredients that should be nixed ASAP to the products that give a major boost to any routine. And before you get sad thinking about parting with your favorite circa-2015 bronzer, remember this: More space means more possibility to fill the void.
Scroll down for my tips on how to give your makeup mag a clean beauty makeover—and share your (Re)New Year accomplishments with #iamwellandgood!
What to toss:
1. Anything with an expiration date
Take a good look at the products that have been taking up #shelfie space for a bit too long. You should really only keep mascara for three months and lipsticks and powders for a year. You can keep something like eyeliner for up to two years, but be mindful of things that have may be beyond their time and get rid of them. No time for nostalgia in 2017!
2. Anything that you don't feel amazing in
You hear stylists talk about how keeping unwanted clothes in your closet can make you feel frustrated on a daily basis—and I believe the same is true for your makeup and skin care. If you hold onto things in your makeup bag that don't make you feel great, you'll be stuck with a lot of items that not only leave you feeling meh, but you'll also be frustrated when you can't find that thing you're actually looking for.
3. Anything with petroleum, parabens, or synthetic colors
Cleaning up your beauty routine—as in, going natural—can feel slightly overwhelming (yes, I've felt it myself). So let's start with a baby step: Toss anything that has any of these three ingredients in it: petroleum (like that old Vaseline you keep holding onto), parabens, and synthetic colors.
Why should you part with that just-purchased moisturizer? Parabens for example, possess estrogen-mimicking properties that are associated with increased risk of breast cancer. These chemicals are absorbed through the skin and have been identified in biopsy samples from breast tumors. If you take a look at your product label and notice FD&C or D&C, they represent artificial colors. These synthetic colors are derived from petroleum or coal tar sources and are suspected to be a human carcinogen, a skin irritant, and are linked to ADHD in children—and the European Union has banned it.
While there are many more ingredients to start learning about, if you just start with these three, you will be on the right track!
What to add:
1. A great lip moisturizer
My favorite is HollyBeth Organics Orange Peppermint Lip Balm—I've never loved a lip balm more. It's tingly in that way I love for my lips, and keeps them soft and smooth all day long. (Especially during winter, this is a must—ditch that Vaseline!)
2. Oil-blotting sheets
I've been carrying these in my bag for years and they are total life-savers. Especially as the no-makeup trend picks up speed, you need a way to freshen up between yoga, dinner, and date night—and these are perfect. They take two seconds to use and are super effective. My favorite ones are Tarte's Not So Slick Oil-Absorbing Blotting Papers.
3. Something bold
No-makeup movement aside, sometimes you need a little something for those pick-up days. Whether it's an emerald green eye pencil that you saw on your favorite celeb, a gorgeous purple shadow that you've been nervous to try, or a bold lipstick that scares and excites you at the same time—let's play! I'm not saying you need makeup to standout, of course, but just a reminder of how fun it can be to push ourselves out of our comfort zone a little—and playing with makeup is a fun and temporary way to do it.
The (Re)New Year series is not a “New Year, New You” program. (We think you’re pretty great as is!) Instead, we tapped the biggest and best influencers across the wellness space to help kick off the New Year in the best possible way. Between heart-racing workouts, DIY beauty recipes, and killer confidence advice, get ready to have your happiest and healthiest year yet.
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