5 Simple Habits to Maintain a Clean, Fresh, Sparkling Appearance

Have you ever noticed that the smallest things can make the biggest difference? Whether it’s starting off the day with a healthy breakfast, listening to your favorite music after a stressful workday, or extending a small act of kindness to a stranger, the small everyday choices we make can have a big impact on our physical health, our mood, the lives of those around us, and so much more!

Some days I don’t feel like putting in the effort of getting around and getting all done up to go somewhere, or even just for myself at home, but I’ve found that even the easiest tasks can be helpful in improving my overall appearance, which can also improve my mood, which leads to me being a more pleasant person to be around! (Look good, feel good, right?) 

Habit 1: Drink water! Staying hydrated is so, so important to your health, and when you’re healthy you just feel so much more energetic and happy. When properly hydrated, your skin, hair and nails will be better hydrated, affecting appearance and comfort. I also find that when I drink water instead of, well, anything else, I have a better taste in my mouth, cleaner teeth, and hopefully therefore better breath! 

Habit 2: Use lip balm! This goes along with hydration. Keeping your lips moisturized keeps them from drying out, peeling, and becoming sore. This habit will cause your lips to feel soft, looking their fullest, and be shiny! I also love using clear or shimmery gloss or lip oil to give my face more shine and sparkle! (Note: I keep lip balm next to my bed and in my purse, and glosses in my makeup pouch and purse.)

Habit 3: Face moisturizer. By now you’re probably thinking I should’ve just started off by saying, “moisturize everything and you’ll look great!” but we’ll get into some other, non-moisturizing habits in a moment. Washing my face with water and face wash, using makeup remover around my eyes if I still need it afterwards, and then finally using my facial moisturizer always makes my face feel fresh and clean and looking nicer than it did before. Often, however, I don’t take the time to wash my face with soap and water, and I opt for an oil-free makeup remover/facial cleansing wipe instead, proceeding to moisturize my face and get on with my day. I also practice this routine at night when getting ready for bed: remove makeup/sweat/oil with a moist towelette, and moisturize with a fairly thin layer of oil-free moisturizer. This skincare routine may not be for everyone, but I find it to work well for me and my preferences. If you don’t regularly moisturize, I would highly recommend it if you want to stay looking hydrated and fresh!

Habit 4: Trimming hair and nails. I’ll let you in on a secret: (well, it’s not really a secret, but that’s just what they say, isn’t it?) I don’t keep up with getting my hair and nails trimmed as well as I could or I’d like. Ok, that doesn’t sound like some big secret, I know, but here I am giving you all these beauty tips and then I say I don’t trim my hair regularly? Well, we all have those things that we just don’t make time for, but I’m here to tell you that when I do get my hair trimmed and clip my toenails and file my fingernails, it really makes a difference in how I feel about my looks! Who feels their prettiest when their hair has split ends and their toenails are curling and their fingernails are jagged and all different lengths? I know I don’t. On the other hand, I don’t obsess over those small things because I know that true beauty comes from the heart. (And as a pretty big sock-wearer, who is going to see my toes anyway? (-; ) When I give myself a mani-pedi or get my hair trimmed, I feel well-groomed and healthier-looking! And beyond trimming, I like to paint my nails, and I’ve even gotten highlights in my hair a couple times! So fun!

Habit 5: I could go on and on with tips and advice on appearance, such as eating healthy and exercising, practicing good hygiene every day, and wearing clothes that make you feel you, but since I’m not writing you a book, I will end on one last idea that would be a wonderful habit for you to form: smiling! I know it can be hard. I know we all have our struggles and worries, and we don’t always feel like being kind or positive, but truly, smiling does make a difference! You look better when you go around smiling, and you may even find that you feel better on the inside, too! Try it! Next time you go to the grocery store, smile at the people you pass by. Smile at yourself in the mirror at home. Smile in your car when no one can see you. If you end up not liking it and feel worse about yourself when you do it, you can quit. You don’t have to smile. But just try it. (-: