This picturesque West Cork home with separate basement apartment is on the market for €695,000
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IMAGE

Design coach Karen Douglas shares her tips for working with an architect
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Sarah Gill

Supper Club: Hot-smoked salmon rice and asparagus salad
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IMAGE Interiors spring/summer is out now! Find out what’s inside…
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Image / Beauty

Essential New Year’s Beauty Resolutions


By IMAGE
12th Jan 2015
Essential New Year’s Beauty Resolutions

Here’s the thing about developing a really great habit: all you need to do, is act. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to adopt these beauty resolutions? – and it helps that you’ll see results fast. Start now, and make 2015 the year of your best ever skin.

1. Stress less

Stress and anxiety impact on all areas of our life – but what do they mean for the skin? Stress hormones like cortisol cause inflammation that breaks down collagen – as well as triggering the sebaceous glands, which control oil production in the skin.? To put it simply: if you’re unhappy, your skin is unhappy too, and this can manifest itself in anything from acne flare-ups to eczema.

Moments of mindfulness, daily gratitudes and just being a little less tough on yourself can make a massive difference. If you act on just one thing from this list, make it this.

2. Rest and relaxation

Not just beauty buzzwords, those, but actual powerful tools for looking and feeling your best.? Studies repeatedly show that some quality pillow time has much greater impact on wellbeing and appearance than just minimising those under-eye circles.

Skin rejuvenation revs up at night, when we grow new, healthy skin cells to replace older, damaged cells. Sleep is also connected to collagen formation, weight management and melatonin?production- and, when you’re sleep-deprived, your body makes more of the stress hormone, cortisol.?So however much sleep you’re getting, see how you look – and feel – with at least an hour more.

3. Find the exercise you love

It’s out there – we promise. Whether that’s yoga or zumba, walking or swimming, you owe it to yourself to find the physical activity you will actually like to do. It’s good for the body, good for the mind…and also good for the skin; it’s not called a post-workout glow for no reason. Boosting circulation and increasing the flow of blood through the body means more skin-friendly oxygen and nutrients, leading to a brighter and clearer complexion.

4. Face massage

We in the West are finally cottoning on to what Asian women have known for centuries:? facial massage is the ultimate DIY anti-ageing technique. Whether you invest in a roller like this one or just use your paws, this technique can smooth away tension, boost lymphatic drainage and improve skintone and blood circulation – all of which lead to a healthier, younger looking you.

5. Use sunscreen

You knew this one was coming, but be honest: no matter how often you’ve heard it, are you actually wearing sunscreen every day?? Even in the winter? For reals? Make this the year you start: to prevent wrinkles and sun damage, it’s one of the best things you can do for your face.

Emma Henderson @fluffyblog