Beauty Buzz: Andi’s New Year’s Evolutions for your regular beauty routine

By Andi Douglas, nwaMotherlode beauty editor and mama of 3

January is hard. If you’re an introvert, you are probably drained from the highly social holiday season.

If you’re an extrovert, half of your friends have disappeared. Trying to completely reinvent yourself with a daunting New Year’s resolution can just add to the strain, which is why most people give up a couple of weeks in.

Fortunately, you don’t have to reinvent the color wheel to improve your life for the new year. A few small additions to your regular beauty routine can be a great start to a new year.

Shave your legs, exfoliate, then shave again. This extra step will add a few extra minutes to your shower time but can extend your prickle free days up to a week, so you won’t have to shave as often, saving time in the long run. I learned this tip when I was younger but completely forgot about it until recently and was blown away by how smooth my legs felt. Any exfoliator will work; I’ve been using a scrub that was too abrasive for my face but I hate to just throw away.

Add a face mask to your after-shower routine. Nothing feels as good as refreshing as a good moisturizing mask and are not that difficult to fit into a busy schedule.

Every time I read the directions on a face mask I roll my eyes at the directions to “lay down and relax” while the mask works its magic. Sure, okay, I’ll have my butler bring me a daiquiri while I’m at it. I’m here to tell you, you can fold laundry, nuke an Easy Mac, or paint your toes with a mask on. My kids have gotten used to seeing creepy mommy run around, although my husband’s still a little skittish.

Sleep with a humidifier in your room. Except for a quick refill before bed, combating winter dry skin could not be easier. Most of our itchy, dry skin problems in the colder months are brought on by the hot, dry air pumping through our vents. Adding some of the moisture back into your environment will counteract the effects. If you or a family member suffers from regular bloody noses, a humidifier will help that too.

Lotion the second you get out of the shower or bath. By applying a layer of lotion while you are still a little damp from the shower, you are trapping in the moisture. Another easy way to fight the flakes.

Use your trusty hair straightener to add a curl. I would love to give you a how-to but I can not curl my hair with a straightening iron. But I know it can be done! I have watched videos and had my hairdresser show me, but without having my wrist joints replaced with some kind of toggle like a Lego man, I don’t see it happening.

I, instead, use my curling iron as a straightener so I can add some movement and texture while still eliminating a step in my hair routine. Six one way, half a dozen another, in my opinion.

Of those of you who are turning over a whole new leaf in 2018, you rock! For those of us who are just pumped we survived 2017 and would like to meet or exceed that goal this year, you’re awesome too. Let’s take baby steps together to evolve our routines a little each year. By 2024 I might resemble a full blown adult, yay!

Viva la Evolution, Mamas!

If you have a question for our makeup maven, Andi, just email it to mamas{at}nwaMotherlode{dot}.com. She’s a mama of three who totally gets you. We promise.