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Because there’s no time like the present to instil some good habits into our beauty routines!
Every year we have great intentions when it comes to making our new year’s resolutions but, with the best will in the world, it’s much easier said than done to keep our promises (especially when you have parenting duties to contend with!). So this year we’ve decided to set ourselves some achievable targets, starting with some new year beauty resolutions. We think we’ll be able to stick to these (and fit them in around the kids), just don’t judge us if by mid-February they’ve all gone out the window.
Read more: Online Beauty Stores For Busy Hong Kong Mamas
Leave The Gel Nail Removal To The Professionals
Hands up who’s guilty of this particular sin! We’ve all been there, when we know we should book into a salon to have our gel manicures properly removed, but there’s dinners to cook, kids to collect and homework to help with. Plus it’s oh-so-tempting to just pick the gel off, once it starts to lift. However, usually during this process, we end up pulling off the top layer of our nails, weakening them and leaving unsightly white marks. But 2021 is the year we vow to stop doing this. After all, there’s no shortage of manicure joints around town (we’re hoping for them all to be open again soon!), so there’s really no excuse!
Read more: The Best Nail Salons On Hong Kong Island And In Kowloon
Marie Kondo Our Makeup Bags
You may be sick of hearing about tidying expert Marie Kondo but, while we think adopting her methods wholesale is a tad much for busy mums and dads, we can use her philosophy and apply it to smaller things. In this case, we’re talking about our makeup bags, which usually contain some lipsticks that haven’t seen the light of day in a good few years and maybe even some discarded pencil sharpenings from an eyeliner or two (guilty as charged!). It really wouldn’t take long to empty the contents out and only keep the things that you use on a regular basis. If you have daughters we bet they’d be delighted to take the extras off your hands for dressing up!
Read more: Culling the Clutter With The Help Of Marie Kondo
Clean Our Makeup Brushes More Often
Sticking with the makeup theme, can you remember the last time you gave your brushes a good clean? Unless you’re Mrs Hinch, we bet this doesn’t happen on a regular basis. We should really be cleaning them once a week to stop dirt and bacteria building up, but we’re thinking if we manage to wash them thoroughly every other week (or once a month) that would still be a win! There are plenty of products out there to help from the likes of Sephora, but even a spot of washing up liquid or shampoo will do the trick.
Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate!
Okay, this might sound obvious but we reckon that exfoliating (both our faces and bodies) is a step that often gets missed in our skincare routine. Especially when showers and baths are cut short by the kids demanding your immediate attention! But if we make a point of working this in at least once a week, your skin will thank you. It will help to slough off dead cells, meaning it’s properly ready to absorb your moisturiser and body lotion. We can’t get enough of this salt scrub from Rituals, so we’re hoping it entices us to take that extra 60 seconds in the tub and reap the rewards afterwards!
Read more: The Best At-Home Beauty Services For Time-Pushed Mamas (And Papas)
DIY Those Facials
So this may be one of the resolutions that we find hardest to stick to. But we find the Hong Kong climate throws so much at our skin on a daily basis (from air conditioning, humidity and/or pollution), that we really should take the time to give it some TLC. We’re not just talking our regular cleanse, tone and moisturise (or a quick swipe with a makeup wipe), but giving it a proper face mask once a week. We recommend this Manuka Honey Treatment from Antipodes to soothe and hydrate. Just make sure you do this after the kids are in bed so you don’t scare them with your ghost-like face, and also to give you at least ten minutes of much-needed “me time” too!
Don’t Forget Your Locks!
While you’re giving yourself that facial, why not add on a hair treatment? Most of them work in just ten minutes. So if you don’t have time in the evening, slather one on as you’re sorting the kids’ breakfast, or before you hop in the shower. We love the Olaplex Hair Perfector or, for a cheaper alternative (that smells delicious!), try The Body Shop’s Banana Truly Nourishing Hair Mask.
Read more: The 6 Hair-Styling Tools We Use On A Regular Basis
Ditch The Razors And Commit To Longer-lasting Forms Of Hair Removal
We think this is one of the trickiest ones to stick to. We all know that in the heat of the Hong Kong summer, it’s much easier to grab a razor rather than waiting until the hairs are long enough to wax! But, waxing does pay off in the long run because the results last longer and hair growth is slower. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, it’s worth considering IPL or laser (pandemic restrictions permitting). Yes, it’s costly, but think of how much time you’ll save if you can banish those razors to the back of the cupboard. If you really can’t keep this resolution, at least invest in a plastic-free razor, so you’re minimising waste!
Read more: Top Hair Removal Salons In Hong Kong: Where To Get Waxing, IPL And More!
