Your Guide to Starting a New Self-Care Routine

We all know that starting a new year can be stressful. Not only is it important to strive towards your goals and be present in work and school, but it’s equally important to treat and take care of yourself.

Having a dedicated self-care routine can help you make it a habit in your day-to-day life. We’ve gathered a list of products and steps for you to take to ensure a healthy self-care routine to start this year off right.

1. Taking care of your body & skin

Having a well-thought-out skincare routine is a good place to start when it comes to self-care. Not only is skincare good for your appearance, but it's also important for your health, says Atomic Dermatology.

One of the most important steps is to use a good cleanser to take makeup off, like the Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm you can find at your nearest Sephora. The Drunk Elephant Serum Duo can be used next to hydrate your skin, followed by a Flawless Ice Roller to reduce any redness and/or puffiness.

Next, lock everything in with a moisturizer like the Cerave Lotion, which doubles as a body lotion. Lastly, finish off with a lip product– we recommend the silky smooth Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm, which can also be used in your makeup routine.

If you're looking for even more in your skincare routine, try the Ouai Chill Pills, which are jasmine and rose-scented bath bombs infused with different oils to soothes your skin after a long day. If you're willing to spend a little extra, the Summer Fridays Self Care Set includes 11 of their best-selling products and a tote bag to store everything (and let's be real, you can never have enough tote bags).

2. Have fun with makeup

Makeup and beauty lovers all know how relaxing doing your makeup can be. Going to Sephora and Ulta to pick out new products is fun, so we've made a list of a few products you can't miss on your next visit.

If you're looking for a cheaper version of the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter, check out the Elf Halo Glow. This liquid product is meant to go under your foundation to give your makeup a dewy and glowy effect.

The Saie Dew Liquid Blush is also great for a more dewy and natural look. Available in six different colors, it's the perfect blush for a cold winter day.

Lastly, a makeup tool I find super helpful is a powder puff. It's great for picking up loose powders and gives you a flawless complexion. Try the Elf Halo Glow Powder Puff or the Powder Puffs from Amazon!

3. Calm Your Mind

We all have things that stress us out on a day-to-day basis. This is where journaling and meditation come into play to help us manage our emotions and consequently de-stress.

Dedicating a certain time — whether this is right after you wake up or before going to bed — to relax your mind and jot down all your thoughts is a must for your new self-care routine.

Below are some journal recommendations based on what you might want to use them for:

The Papier Wellness Journal (available in green, pink, white, beige, yellow, etc)
Includes a wellness map, pages for your intentions, daily overview pages, gratitude pages, and a 'Reflection and Words to Remember' page. You can customize it with your name or initials on the cover as well.
The Five Minute Journal (available in green, pink, blue, white, and black)
Ideal for mornings, positive manifestation, and great for reflections to start out your day with gratitude.
Do It For Yourself Guided Journal (available in one color/design)
A motivational journal to boost productivity that includes multiple pages of graphic design posters

Meditation is a great strategy if you're struggling to sleep at night and will help in calming your mind. Try out the ‘Headspace Meditation’ animated series on Netflix which gives meditation techniques and guidance. Episodes will guide you through various struggles like letting go, dealing with stress, pain, and “How to Achieve Your Limitless Potential.” The series shows feelings of anxiety and stress in an animated form that is easy to understand. We recommend watching an episode every day before going to bed to prepare you for a good night’s rest.

4. Understand yourself better: book recommendations

Reading books can help you get out of your head and into a more peaceful mindset. Setting time aside to dig into a good book after a chaotic day or week is a great habit to incorporate into your new self-care routine.

Below are book recommendations for you’re self-care journey:

Atomic Habits by James Clear
This book is meant to help you understand what exactly a habit is and how it’s formed, and also how to break bad habits.
101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna Wiest
A great book to read if you're struggling with having a positive mindset. The author explains important subjects like 'Expectations You Must Let Go of in Your 20s' and '102 Ways to Not Let Irrational Thoughts Ruin Your Life'.

We hope these ideas help you build a new self care routine that you enjoy; and most importantly, that helps you become proud of the person you're striving to become.

What will you incorporate in your new self care routine? Leave a comment below.