I’m pretty sure we all have some great beauty habits, with the wealth of online information we have access to. We all probably have some not-so-great habits too. What are your worst beauty habits? Any of these?

Biting your nails and cuticles. This can be a hard to break habit. Some people have been doing it since childhood. Others do it when bored. Biting not only makes nails and cuticles look ugly and ragged, you can get an infection if bacteria enters an open cut.

Solution: There are products on the market to harden and strengthen nails. As they grow and look nicer, it can help you resist the urge to bite. Painting your nails or getting a professional manicure is a good idea also. Who wants to bite beautiful polish? ( you can read about non toxic nail polishes here)

Picking at acne. A big NO for many reasons. You’ll spread bacteria. You’ll inflame and irritate skin. But most of all, you’ll make it all look worse and then we all know how awful that feels.

Solution: Instead of picking, invest is some good skincare. Your skin can break out from multiple things but there is no doubt finding a good line ( like Neal’s Yard Remedies) can help. Using skincare with ingredients that clog pores or have irritants in them will keep exacerbating the issues. It could also be hormonal acne or acne due to stress. Look into ways to naturally relieve your stress, such as better sleep, yoga and meditation. You may even have to use sensitive skin/acne specific products ( these are not just for teenagers) if your break outs are often.

Going to bed without washing your face. Let’s not get lazy here. Sleeping with make up on should never happen. You’ll wake up paying the price.

Solution: Spend the extra few minutes at night using a gentle cleanser followed by a toner and your skincare serums and moisturizer. If you don’t love to wash, or just can’t for any reason, using micellar water on a cotton round is fast and efficient. I actually love the double clean of NYR’s micellar cleanser followed by a liquid or cream facial cleanser. I find skin looks much better when you cleanse it well! Check it them out here

Twisting or playing with your hair. Depending on your hair type, this can wreak havoc on it, creating split ends and frizzy looking hair. If you pull on your hair too hard, scalp irritation can occur too ( perhaps even hair loss)

Solution: When you find yourself reaching for your hair, find something else to hold. A drink, an anti-stress ball or twist a hair tie. The key here is to become aware and stop it before you start it.

Wearing old cosmetics. Make up has a shelf life, even dry ones like powders. Potentially spreading bacteria on your skin or risking an eye infection is not worth it.

Solution: Buy new products and still a little label on them reminding you when to toss them. Generally mascara and eye make up being the worst to keep long. Replace mascara and eye liners every 3 months. Powders like eye shadows, blushes and foundations can last up to 2 years. Liquid foundation , concealer and lipsticks can last about a year. Don’t forget to clean brushes and applicators often( as well as bath poufs and body sponges) and replace them annually also. Hello spring cleaning out! A great line for safe cosmetics is HYNT

Taking long hot showers. Not only does the hot water remove natural oils, the heat can cause excess circulation which can be inflammatory to many people. This often results in redness , itching and discomfort.

Solution: Aim for showers 5-10 minutes max using a gentle non- perfumed soap as needed. Blot skin dry gently and apply your body oil or moisturizer within 3 minutes for best absorption. Try a body butter , balm, cream or lotion, these are some of my favorites!

Licking-and biting- your lips. Maybe it’s something you do when stressed, nervous or out of habit, but it can make lips look terrible. They dry out, crack and peel and then make you want to pick at them more, which leaves them even drier. The cycle continues unless you stop it.

Solution: Keep lips moist. Use a little sugar as a gentle lip exfoliant once or twice a week if you have visible flakes. ( or try a lip polish ) Then drench lips in a soothing lip balm made with beeswax, shea butter, ceramides or oils like hemp seed oil , olive or grape seed oil. Skip anything with menthol or camphor. The trick here is to apply several times a day. To make that easier, keep a few handy- bedside, purse , car, office and in the kitchen or room you are in most often. My favorite one is this great little tin from Neal’s Yard Remedies.If you prefer a tube, check out this popular organic lip formula with shea nut butter or look into Dr. Bronner’s.

What other beauty habits will you work on conquering this year? I know I’m always a work in progress, on beauty habits and everything else in life too!

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