Let’s start the new year the way we mean to carry on and be realistic with our goals and aspirations so that we are in with a chance of sticking to them. Striving to be a healthier you is definitely the way forward. January is the right time to be kind to your body. It’s time to detox and cleanse.

If you’re feeling your face is a bit puffy from too many glasses of wine, flush out your system by starting your day with a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon seeped in it – a brilliant natural cleanser.

Your skin needs to rehydrate

Stop the diet drinks, sparkling water, concentrate juices and drink beautiful, oh-so healthy water.

Nature’s nectar really does work wonders de-puffing the eyes. Your skin needs to rehydrate, I cannot advocate enough how important it is to drink water.

Enjoy your coffee or tea but try to introduce drinking a herbal tea maybe after your lunch and supper. It’s great for your digestion and cleanses your system.

Green, mint or nettle teas are my go-to refreshing and healthy options.

Strip it back

If you wear fake nails, faux lashes, hair extensions and fake tan then January is the time to strip yourself back to natural. Allow your nails and skin to breathe and strengthen. Have a few weeks of clean buffed natural nails and just apply a hand cream twice daily. If the nail bed is damaged from acrylic- or shellac-type products then apply a nail strengthener to protect and heal the nail beds.

Take a nail supplement for a few weeks to really help get your nails strong again. Give your lashes a break from make up and apply a small amount of Vaseline to the top lash line each night to nourish them.

Treat yourself to some nourishing shampoo and conditioner

Scrub your body clean of all your fake tan by using a body scrub and mitt, shower off and then apply a good thick layer of E45 cream or any other body cream you have to hand. If your feet are really dry, lather them with cream and pop on a pair of cotton socks so the cream can really soak into the dryness.

Treat yourself to some nourishing shampoo and conditioner (I love the Redken range) and take time to replenish your hair. Stop using the hair straightener, curling tongs and sometimes let your hair dry naturally. Use a leave-in conditioner and give your hair a proper brush daily, especially if you wear your hair up all day. Never tie your hair back with an elastic band as they snap the strands of hair.

I couldn’t believe how dirty my engagement ring was

Take out your earrings for a couple of days especially if you have more than a few piercings. Go jewellery free – it’s liberating. Get a cotton ball and soak it in surgical spirit then dab it over your earring holes, this works as a cleansing disinfectant.

Now is a good time to give all your jewellery a good old polish up. Pop your earrings in a small dish of warm water with a teeny blob of washing up liquid. I buy a cheap kid’s toothbrush from the supermarket and use that to give my rings and bracelets a careful scrub. I couldn’t believe how dirty my engagement ring was, but after just a five-minute soak and a light polish up the diamonds shone bright again.

Have another dish of warm water standing by and after giving your jewellery a wash, place your items in the clean water to rinse and then straight onto a clean cloth to polish and dry. Carefully clean your watch in the same way as your jewellery but don’t put the face in the water if it’s not waterproof. Watch straps get filthy dirty and you wouldn’t even realise.

Clean and clear-out

Another job for the first month of the year is clearing out your first-aid cupboard, bathroom cabinet and under-the-sink cupboard. Check sell-by dates and restock. Sort out your makeup bag and clean your makeup brushes. You can put most make up and wash bags on a quick wash in your washing machine and they will come up like new.

If you have make up for longer than two years it really is time to get rid of it

Throw out old sponges and powder puffs.

If you have make up for longer than two years it really is time to get rid of it, especially mascaras. I made up a lady last week who still had and wore “on special occasions” the same blue eye shadow she had worn on her wedding day in 1990.

Take time for yourself this year

Rather than having all your make up in one big bag get a stack of Tupperware boxes or zip lock bags and put lipsticks in one, foundations in the other and so on. It’s then so much easier to see and find what you want.

Take time for yourself this year and even the smallest change will make a difference. I’ve stopped taking sugar in my tea and eating after 6pm. I’m already feeling better for it. What will you do to be kind to yourself in 2020?

Read more

Beauty: look fabulous this Christmas

Makeup and beauty Christmas gift ideas