Words by Ateh Jewel
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There are some beauty habits we find ourselves stuck in, without ever really thinking about why we do them. Here, Ateh Jewel points out which habits it’s time to say goodbye to, and which new rituals we should start making a habit of.
Habits to Break
1. Don’t use toothpaste on spots
When it comes to breakouts, it feels like a rite of passage passed down from teen magazines and older siblings to put toothpaste on spots to help “dry them out”. Ditch this habit immediately, and reach for a blemish stick or spot treatment like Dr Organic, Tea Tree Blemish Stick, £4.98, which has naturally anti-bacterial properties that help clear the blemish without being too harsh on the skin, which can lead to hyperpigmentation and inflammation.
2. Don’t abandon your body now summer is over
It’s really easy to hibernate during the colder months which can often lead to forgetting about your skin from the neck down. Instead, keep your skin soft and glowing all year round by exfoliating with UpCircle, Coffee Body Scrub with Peppermint, £14.99. This uplifting and zingy body scrub is all about upcycling and has great sustainability credentials by reusing coffee grounds from coffee shops in their products, along with spirit lifting peppermint to leave you feeling spiritually centred and silky smooth.
3. Don’t forget your toes!
Opaque tights and winter boots can mean your pedicure takes a backseat during autumn and winter. Remember beauty and wellness is about how you feel 24 hours a day, and I love looking down and seeing happy, brightly coloured toenails smiling back at me. Autumnal doesn’t have to mean boring. I love this Barry M, Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Beetroot, £3.99 as it makes me smile every time I see, or think about it!
4. Don’t go to sleep with your makeup on
No matter how tired you get, it’s never good to sleep in your makeup and can cause pesky breakouts. This Face Halo, Makeup Remover Pad, £7, is a reusable, award-winning makeup remover pad that has cult status! It can remove make up just using water, replacing the need for wipes and gives a deep clean and gentle exfoliation. I like to use it with a cleansing oil or cleansing balm.
Habits to Make
5. Upgrade your pillowcase
Up your pillow game with this Aeyla, Clean Silver Pillowcase, £39, which is woven with real silver to help repel bacteria and protect your skin over night from breakouts, acne and prevent you waking up with pillow face (creases). Cotton pillowcases can actually suck the moisture out of your skin and hair, so thinking about investing in a silk or silver pillowcase really is a game changer.
6. Give your lips some extra love
Central heating and cold weather can leave your lips feeling sore and chapped. Give your lips lots of love with Burt’s Bees® 100% Natural Origin Lip Balm Berry Agua Fresca, £2.99. This delicious berry flavoured balm is packed full of moisturising Beeswax and contains no Paragons or Petrolatum.
7. Boost circulation with at-home face massages
The impact of the current financial crisis, may mean putting your monthly facial on the back burner. That said, I can’t express how fantastic daily facial massage is for your skin, circulation and overall sense of wellbeing. If you can I would recommend investing in the Hayo’u, Bian Stone Body Massager Self Acupressure Tool, £49. The Inspector Gadget of tools, it can be used as a Gua Sha on the face and on acupressure points on the body. The Bian stone is made from Lava and has 40 trace minerals beneficial to the human body.
8. Exfoliate very gently
I’m a huge Votary fan and love their Daily Apple Toner, £35. Daily gentle exfoliation is great for glowing skin. Using AHA exfoliators versus physical exfoliators is great for all skin types, just remember to do it little and often. This toner has a brightening blend of AHAs, Milk Thistle, Glycerin, Liquorice Root and Apple extracts to gently buff away dead skin cells. It would seem an apple a day does indeed keep you glowing.
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Ateh Jewel
Beauty Columnist, Award-winning Journalist and Diversity Advocate
@atehjewel