Happy 2013, beautiful people! Have you recovered from New Year’s Eve yet? (I just did.) Witty + Pretty DID take a holiday break, but we’re back and have lots of badass beauty booty planned for 2013. First up: RESOLUTIONS. You know, like…Lose 20 pounds. Find a sugar daddy. Stop chewing Nicorette. Pay off your Nordstrom bill. Start using contraceptives.
I kid. But seriously, I do like to set intentions, goals, and make promises to myself that I (try to) keep in the new year. As The Big 3-0 approaches (let the six-month countdown begin), aging and taking better care of myself in general are on my mind. Here’s a list of my beauty/wellness-related plans for 2013 and maybe they can inspire you in the quest to stay forever young (PREACH it, Jay-Z).
1. Take makeup off every night. As my friend Nikky put it recently, “The longer makeup stays on your skin, the more it creeps into your pores and makes them bigger and ages you.” Thanks for that terrifying visual, girl. I’m usually good about it, but I’m keeping these Neutrogena wipes by the bed for those especially drunken lazy nights.
2. Get enough sleep. This article titled “A Scientific Explanation of Why We Look Like Shit When We’re Tired” shook me to my core because I definitely do not get enough Zs. Read it. Weep. Go to bed at 9 p.m. tonight.
3. Take vitamins. I need to get back in the habit (Sister Act 2 style) of taking a women’s multivitamin daily and remember to pop Omega 3 capsules (for hair, skin, and healthy eyes) if I haven’t been feasting on enough fish. I’m also considering stocking my cabinet with some items from this helpful DailyCandy video featuring the lovely ladies of Sakara Life.
4. Book a dermatologist appointment for a full body check. Have I been avoiding this because I’m scared what the results might be after years of careless sunbathing? Yup. Time to face the music moles.
5. Clean makeup brushes. First of all, I just need to just toss my old, dirty ones and start from scratch. Then I need to keep them clean with this stuff from Sephora. Ugh. I’m already annoyed.
6. Exfoliate body regularly. I scrub my mug on the reg, but sometimes forget about the bod. But it’s so important to slough off dead skin for silky smoothness. I die for the sugar scrub at Sweet Peach (for you Atlanta gurls), but am also obsessed with Origins Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger body scrub (which doubles as a cleanser).
7. Wear sunscreen every day (and don’t neglect the ears). This is easy if there’s sunscreen in your moisturizer/BB cream/whatever (WHICH THERE SHOULD BE!), but do you make a point to lube up your lobes? I’m just saying—if you put your hair in a pony, those things are exposed like whoa. My ears basically look like a 90-year-old man’s from years of SPF neglect. Gross.
8. Stop stressing so much. Stress ages you, makes your hair fall out, and weakens your immune system. Basically, it’s the beauty ANTICHRIST. I am vowing to not let little things get to me, always work through the “big things” with a “what’s meant to be will be” mentality, and remember to take deep breaths every once in a while. That should be a good start.
9. Use a retinol serum daily. When the dirty thirty is around the corner, it’s time to bring in the big girl wrinkle fighter (read: retinol). I just purchased RoC’s Deep Wrinkle Serum and if it actually works (ie. I see an improvement in my eye region), it will be a MF’ing miracle because it’s affordable ($22ish) and I can buy it at the drugstore.
10. Break a sweat every day. Dr. Sanjay Gupta says to do this to stay healthy (glow included) and I don’t argue with him. I work out four or five days a week, but on the off days, I’m vowing to break a sweat even it means dancing around in my apartment to the new Ke$ha album (it’s amazing, trust). And yes, sex counts.
It’s going to be a good year.
LYLAS,
Ashley
I’d love to hear your 2013 intentions! Tell me in a comment or on Facebook!