Set Yourself Up for Skin Care Success in 2023
While January often brings a desire to make New Year’s resolutions, such as taking better care of your skin, many fail because they don’t approach it correctly. If you think it is as simple as buying products and resolving to use them every day, you will likely join the many who have failed. Making a new years resolution requires planning, evaluating habits and creating new ones, and having the proper mindset. In this blog, I will share the planning, habits, and mindset changes that can help you achieve skin care success in 2023 and beyond.
Importance of Planning Your Skin Care Habit
Planning is the key to any successful endeavor, and this especially applies to skincare. Start by mapping out your goals; what do you hope to accomplish with your skincare routine? Do you want to prevent wrinkles, reduce acne or even improve texture?
Next, why is this goal important to you? How does accomplishing this goal change your life or your situation? Having a clear, specific goal and understanding its importance will help keep you motivated as you move forward. For example, I had terrible adult acne, and my desire to change was not the physical appearance of my acne but the psychological toll it took. Once I understood that it became easier for me to stay motivated and achieve my goals.
Third, who or what will help you reach your goal? Whether it’s a skincare professional or friends with similar goals, identify who or what can mentor and support you on this journey. If you are serious about achieving your goal, I highly recommend seeing a skin care professional/esthetician. The professional can help you get clear on mapping your goals, figuring out your why, and providing you with the knowledge, products, and treatment plan to help you achieve maximum results.
Good Habits Are the Foundation of Your Skin Care Journey
Habits are the backbone of any goal! Begin by assessing your current habits; and how they prevent you from having the skin you desire. For example, are you wanting to address dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles but spend a lot of time in the sun unprotected? Your skin care professional/esthetician at Brow to Toe is a great resource in helping you understand the role your daily habits and lifestyle choices make on your skin.
Once you have identified your current habits' impact on your skin, it is time to create new habits to support your goals. Remember that your change may not be as simple as adding a product; you may need to adjust other things like your schedule to facilitate your goal. As a mother of a young child, I often fell asleep on my daughter's bed while putting her to sleep. When I awoke at 12-1 am, my skincare routine was the last thing on my mind. So, instead of waiting to do it after putting her to bed, I started doing my routine right after dinner.
Next, Implementing too many new habits simultaneously will often make you feel overwhelmed. Start small and make one or two changes per month. For example, we see three common habits in clients: only cleansing once, not using daily sun protection, or not moisturizing. If this sounds like you, I would focus on cleansing twice daily and getting an all-in-one moisturizer with SPF like the Image Skin Care Prevention+ line we carry at Brow to Toe.
Lastly, to help you stay on track, keep a log of your habits so that you can evaluate where you are succeeding or struggling each week or month. Don't forget to celebrate your wins!
A Positive Mindset is Key to Achieving Long Term Skin Care Goals
It is easy to become frustrated if results don’t come quickly enough with regard to your skincare routine. Of course, you want results yesterday, but you must have realistic expectations. I recall a client in her 60s saying, "It took me 60 years to get like this, and I know I am not going to fix it overnight." Because of her mindset, she stayed the course and achieved excellent results from her skin care products and the non-surgical facelift program. Keep in mind; it may take time to see results, and this is why you need to enjoy the journey by celebrating each small milestone.
To achieve your skincare goals, start by setting clear and specific objectives that you can measure. Understand why it’s important to make the changes to stay motivated. Identify who or what will help you reach your goal, whether a skincare professional or friends with similar goals. Create good habits as the foundation of your journey; assess current habits and create new ones to support your end goal. Implement one or two monthly changes so as not to become overwhelmed and keep track of progress in a log book for evaluation purposes. Lastly, have patience during this process - results may take time but celebrate each small milestone along the way! With these tips in mind, you'll be well on your way toward achieving long-term success with any skincare routine! With all this knowledge, I wish everyone success on their journey towards healthier, beautiful skin in 2023 and beyond! And remember, you don't have to wait until the new year to resolve to have better skin.