Get the look: The bad beauty habits to avoid in 2021
Stila’s Perfect & Project Eye Primer, €20.76, at cloud10beauty.com, improves colour payoff and neutralises any redness on your eyelids
I’ve been writing about beauty and haircare for the best part of a decade and while the news certainly isn’t all about me, daily exposure to it has made me change some bad habits. Here are a few I’ll be avoiding this year.
I did not wear anything stronger than SPF20 on my face before I turned twenty. I’m sure I will regret this, perhaps I already should, but knowing all I do about the damage UV rays cause on even the cloudiest days, I’ll never go lower than SPF50 again.
Even when it's overcast, up to 80% of the sun's rays are still being absorbed by your skin. Up to 90% of non-DNA related skin ageing is caused by UV damage, the buildup of which can also cause cancer.
Not all sunscreen ingredients are created equal. Mineral filters are gentler on the skin and kinder to the planet.
I used to think squeaky-clean skin was a good thing, as though my face were a Formica countertop. Skin is not a homogenous material, it is a complex organ with a lot to do.
It develops a protective exterior so it can get on with things without environmental interference, and I really wasn’t helping that with my sonic facial brushes, konjac sponges, perfumed cleansers and - I truly regret this last one— bamboo-based scrubs.
In short, if a cleanser scratches, smells or stings then the skin doesn’t like it. Every face is unique and but when it comes to twice daily cleansing we should all take it easy.
Drunk Elephant E-Rase Milki Micellar Water, from €14 at cultbeauty.com, an oil and ceramide-based wipe-off cleanser, was a great launch for dry or sensitive types this season.
I experiment with lots of hair products and while I love how they make my hair look, the constant changes definitely irritate my scalp.
My hairdresser staged a bit of an intervention when I visited her after Lockdown 1 and while I still try lots of treatments and styling products on my lengths, I’ve stuck with the same shampoo for months now.
US skincare brand Sunday Riley recently launched a scalp exfoliant that can also help with product overload.
Sunday Riley Clean Rinse, €42 at arnotts.ie, is an AHA/BHA-infused serum that clarifies the scalp of product buildup, excess oil, dead skin, and pollution for a cleaner, healthier-looking skin.
It also contains niacinamide and a Vitamin B complex, both of which support scalp repair.
Eye shadow can look better messy, it’s true, and sometimes it’s fun to kohl your eyes like it’s 1969. If you’ve never tried eye primer, however, you are missing out.
It does so much for the colour, giving nudes depth and smokey shades the kind of intensity they have in magazine ads.
Plus, your careful artistry will never be spoilt by a dramatic change of weather or mood. Stila’s Perfect & Project Eye Primer, €20.76, at cloud10beauty.com, improves colour payoff and neutralises any redness on your eyelids.
It’s wax-free and very light, saving your shadow from creases and patchy shimmer. Some eye primers double as treatments.
This isn’t one of them but it does fulfil the brand’s promises without irritating your eyes.
I used to buy an eye cream every time I bought the moisturiser from the same line, without comparing ingredients.
Now I don’t use anything on my face that cannot be used around the eyes (save for retinol, oil-controlling ingredients and exfoliants, which should not be applied to the eyelids), and my skin is far less sensitive for it.
This rule extends to SPF creams that makes my eyes water, as well as anything that makes my cheeks redden upon application.
If you truly love an eye cream — and there are a couple with fabulous colour-correcting ingredients — then I say tap away, but my moisturiser should be gentle enough for my whole face.
I love salon manicures but the environment does not allow for multitasking and I actually enjoy doing it myself sometimes.
Professional manicure tools are quite easy to use and glass files and metal cuticle shapers are relatively inexpensive. I’ve really gotten into nail art these last few months and Canadian artist Rita Remark provides easy-to-copy inspiration.
At Texan designer Lela Rose’s show, she applied two coats Essie Nail Lacquer in Hi Maintenance, €9.99 at selected pharmacies.
Then, she added three crystals along the cuticles of the ring and index fingers, creating two beautifully accented nails.
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