Break your beauty slump

Beauty resolutions are the best ones to make. The start of the year is the perfect time to give your beauty regimen a boost — and ‘out with the old, in with the new’ isn’t necessarily true. You can jumpstart your tried-and-tested routine with easy, new techniques and extra hardworking products. Here are a new slew of trends and skincare friends to try out.

It’s a new year and in a burst of optimism, you’ve likely promised yourself a number of things: You’ll lose weight, you’ll spend less money, you’ll try to make more time for yourself instead of slaving away at the office. Best of luck! But just in case those things don’t pan out, here are a bunch of beauty resolutions that we promise will be a lot easier to stick to than that oppressive no-carb, no-sugar, no-fun diet you’re considering.

Cut your hair

2013 was the year that everyone pulled a Karlie Kloss and got a crop. Early on, naysayers were snarking that it would only work on, well, people like Karlie, but almost every long bob, chin-length crop, and pixie cut that followed have since proven them wrong. If you’ve been longing for a drastic beauty overhaul but are still too attached to your long locks to lop them off, just remember that hair grows back, and that The Crop is the fastest way to look fresh. Who cares if you’re hopping on the bandwagon a little late?

Dare to wear

Red was a statement lipstick shade when only a handful of KSP chicks were willing to wear it because it was too bold, too trampy, or both. There’s nothing new about it now. You and every other girl in the club who isn’t wearing a smoky eye probably have a red lip on. The only statement you’re making is that making out with you is going to be a mess, so if you’re dead set on wearing a scene-stealing lip anyway, go for orange instead of pink-peach, violet instead of fuchsia, and deep plum instead of bright red, and stand out for real.

Actually wear makeup

If you’re the kind of girl who browses through beauty websites or beauty editorials in magazines and always thinks ‘God, that is so pretty!’ but never bothers to even try the looks on herself, please, do yourself a favor and live a little. Yeah, most Filipinas are still all about the “natural beauty” thing, but if you haven’t crossed the line from makeup appreciation to makeup application, you’re missing out on some truly transformative power. It could be something as simple as purchasing the perfect shade of concealer to cover up your dark circles (a small but life-changing addition to your morning routine — trust us, your world will never be the same) or something a little more daring, like swiping on a shade of lipstick you never thought you’d wear. Whatever. Please, just finally try that technique from your favorite YouTube makeup tutorial. If it works out, you will fall in love with your face. If it doesn’t, guess what? Makeup washes off. Shocker!

Play with color

Admit it: You got complacent. You have a few go-to looks for every occasion. Maybe you’ll do a red lip and a little winged liner (maybe you’ll even skip the liner) if you’re in a rush but want to look like you care about how you look. Maybe you’ll do bold eye makeup, like a smoky eye in standard black or gray, for a night out. Plus, you’ve got that super fresh no-makeup makeup look perfected for all the moments in between when you have to pretend you’re actually conservative. That’s it, no variations. Why not switch it up a bit this year? You’ve got the basic techniques down; develop a sense of adventure and throw in a little color. Instead of doing a neutral smoky eye, do one in jewel tones and watch how it makes your eyes pop. Instead of lining your eyes with black liner, why not try cobalt or emerald green? And for that take-me-home-to-meet-your-parents look, switch out sweet pink for the Pantone color of the year: Radiant Orchid. Still feminine, but fresh in all the ways that count.

Stop piling it on

In stark contrast to our second resolution, if you’re the kind of girl who no longer remembers what her face looks like without an entire department store’s worth of makeup, take a deep breath and take it all off. (You can do it!) We get that makeup can make you feel powerful, we really do, but if you’ve been wearing it like a mask, girl, that ain’t power. Reacquaint yourself with your actual face every now and then, see your dermatologist more often if you must, and learn to love the way you look without all of that Warm Beige. That’s real power, and your skin will thank you.