Shelley Levitt

5 Beauty Resolutions for a Stunning Year

Resolved: To be more beautiful than ever -- and with less effort!

Who doesn't want that?

Here are five super-easy ways to be your most glowing, stunning self throughout the upcoming year.

1. Don't go to sleep with your makeup on.

Whether you get home at midnight after a night out with friends or drift into slumber land while watching TV on the couch, it can be tempting to tumble into bed without washing your face. Try to resist. As you snuggle against your pillow, the day's collection of dirt and oil, along with makeup, are being pushed into your pores. And, it's those blocked pores, that lead to pimples, blackheads and whiteheads, says Dr. Joshua Zeichner, a dermatologist and researcher at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Too exhausted to make a stop at the bathroom sink?

Keep a pack of makeup-removing towelettes on your bedside table.

2. Choose the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type.

Today, you can find products customized for fine, medium or thick, curly and color-treated hair. Research has shown that these hair types all have different structures, says Jeni Thomas, a research scientist on hair and scalp health for Pantene. What makes one type of hair glossy and manageable might lead to bad hair days for another. One example: The ingredients that offer humidity resistance to thick hair can weigh down fine hair.

3. Use an SPF product every day.

Yes, you've heard these about two million times, but the best thing you can do for your skin is to protect it with an SPF 30 or higher 365 days a year, rain or shine. The harmful UV rays that cause premature aging, a mottled skin tone and leathery texture penetrate clouds and are especially harmful when they bounce off snowy surfaces. With so many new ways to get sun protection -- tinted moisturizers, BB creams, light formulations -- there's no reason to stint on shielding your delicate skin.

4. Don't fry your tresses.

Hair dryers, curling irons, flatirons, crimping wands -- these hot tools can help you achieve your look of choice, from pin-straight locks to beachy waves. But, as Thomas points out, “Some high settings can exceed the boiling point of water and may be far hotter than you need to achieve your style.” Style your hair safely by coating your strands with a thermal-protectant product, using the lowest temperature you can to achieve your style and avoid going over the same area again and again.

5. Do moisturize every inch of you.

Yes, we mean from face to heels with stops along the way for chapped lips, elbows and knees. You might want to choose different formulations for different times of year -- body butters in winter, light mists or gels in summer -- but keep up a year-round moisturizer habit for soft, supple skin. (And make sure you're giving your hair the moisture it needs too!) The best time to apply moisturizer is while your skin is still damp; that helps the ingredients absorb more efficiently.

Photo: Corbis Images

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Fashion & Style
5 Beauty Resolutions for a Stunning Year