Disclosure: I received sample products and a gift card from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Meijer just sent me some fantastic loot to try out and it got me thinking about a few of my beauty routines. We all have those things that we know we should do, but half the time we forget, or don’t have time, or are just lazy. I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my beauty commandments and this year actually stick to them.  Some of these I am better at than others, but I will tell you that I am never sorry about doing them.

Always Take Off Your Makeup

I would like to say that I wash my face every night and do my full 5-step beauty routine. I should…but I don’t. The one thing I am consistent about is always taking off my makeup. Without fail I always use a facial wipe to remove my makeup and clean my face before bed. If you have ever gone on a trip with me or stayed the night at my house, I will offer you one too. These facial wipes from Yesto are perfect for sensitive skin with the cucumber or for problem skin with the tomato.

Have a Foot Routine

This sounds funny, but it’s necessary. I get bi-monthly pedicures but I still have cracked heels. This is why I need to be better about my nightly foot routine. Always slather on your foot cream before bed and then put socks on your feet. You will see a difference after just one night! Click here to check out my recommendation for a good foot cream. You should also be using the Amope in between pedicures to keep the dead skin to a minimum.

Treat Yo’ Self with a Face Mask

You should be a using a face mask at least once per week. Why is this so hard? It can be 10-30 minutes depending on the mask, but I’m not doing it as consistently as I should be. I have so many masks that I could probably use a different one for every day in the month (there’s a blog post idea), but I’m really digging these L’Oreal Pure Clay Masks. They are great at pulling out impurities and clearing out your pores. Every week I try to use my Biore porestrips, do my at home microdermabrasion, and then put on a mask. It’s like going to the spa – I don’t know why I’m not trying to sneak it in every day!

Moisturize!

I am great at this one. After my daily shower, I always use a good moisturizer. Check out this post for a few suggestions. It’s best to apply lotion after you shower and your pores are open. It helps lock in the moisturizer for the whole day.

Brush and Floss

I’m a stickler for this one. My best feature is my smile, so it’s important to have good dental health. You can also perk up that smile with a little help from the Colgate Optic White system. Especially with all that red wine you had the night before (who me?).

If you need an extra whitening boost, you can also try out these Crest Whitestrips. I would save them for a special occasion, like before a big event or when you are going to be photographed.

Wash Your Makeup Brushes

I’m the worst at this, but washing your brushes once a week will help prevent acne, infections and will extend the life of your brush. It also will help reduce the amount of facial oils that get into your shadows, blushes, and powders. This would actually be the perfect thing to do while you’re waiting on that face mask to dry.

Protect Yourself

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! The sun is your worst enemy in the fight against aging. You should be applying sunscreen to your face (preferably everywhere that sees the light) every day before you add your foundation. This will help prevent sun damage and reduce age spots, wrinkles, and maybe even skin cancer. Don’t forget to apply it to your hands and décolletage as well!

Discard Your Mascara Every Three Months

If you are trying to remember when you opened that last tube then throw it out right now because it’s probably too old. This one baffles me because mascara is probably one of the least expensive products out there but we keep it FOREVER. I try to track mine by quarters so I know that on April 1, it’s time for a new tube.

 Condition Your Hair

Let’s be honest…our hair takes a beating. From daily washes, to hairdryers, to curling irons and bleach it’s no wonder that our hair gives us split ends and breakage. A weekly hair mask is a must – it can help repair some of that damage. Now, your hair is dead so it’s not like its miraculously going to recover or repair itself, but a moisturizing hair mask can act as a band-aid for those split ends until you decide to trim them. The first one is the L’Oreal Everpure Repair Remedy Balm to restore strength and brilliance. Then there is this Extraordinary Clay Pre-Shampoo Mask that is for oily roots (me, me, me!) and you use this one before you shampoo to absorb oils and impurities on the scalp.

Hydrate

This is the hardest one for me because I’m terrible at drinking water, but it makes such a difference in your skin. The elasticity, plumpness, redness and irritation are all affected by how much water you take in.

For one special reader, I’m giving away the Colgate Optic White toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash, along with 3 boxes of Crest Whitestrips. Enter the giveaway below to get in the running for a pearly white smile:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are your beauty commandments? Do you follow any of these?

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